NEW MEDIA AS A DIRECTION FOR DEVELOPING COMPETENCES OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATORS

Text topic: Digital Media Technologies

Text author: Јасмина Арсенијевић и Милица Андевски

A pervasive and growing use of new digital media (primarily the Internet) in all the fields of human activity imposes a need for adequate planning of preschool education, as the first link in education chain that needs to become a foundation and preparation for technological and media literacy in new generations. The application of new information and communication technologies and the media is already obvious in all fields and on all levels of education. This application, however, overcomes pedagogical connotation, so it is not introduced only as a part of curricula that the new generations need to cover in order to become competitive in the future labour market; it also has a non-pedagogical connotation: as non-teaching, logistical and administrative support of labour in educational institutions. These circumstances condition serious changes partly referring to the development of competences of preschool educators (primarily teachers) for the use of new media and technologies. This paper comprehensively presents the circumstances that undoubtedly point to these new requirements set before the educators and points to directions and bases for development of the competences mentioned.