TEACHERS' CREATIVITY IN EDUCATING PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

In modern society, the role of the teacher has changed dramatically compared to the traditional notion of teaching. A creative teacher is defined as a seeker of continuously better educational solutions, helping to discover new learning opportunities through innovation, making use of all environments - the child is educated in the real and virtual worlds, inside and outside the institution. In line with the requirements of the most recent documents governing pre-school education, teachers should pay more attention to the creation of virtual contexts as well as real ones. The word 'virtual' usually refers to an apparent phenomenon that simulates reality in some way (e.g. on a computer screen). In the Inventory of Achievement for Preschool Children (2016), minimal reference was made to educating children in virtual environments. Meanwhile, in line with the requirements of the Curriculum Guidelines for Pre-School Education (2023), teachers are focusing more on creating virtual contexts as well as real ones. This raises questions about the importance and extent of teachers' creativity in organising activities for pre-school children in virtual environments. What are the characteristics of teacher creativity in the context of content development? How does the creativity of pre-school teachers manifest itself in the use of virtual environments, in the perception of their advantages and in the overcoming of challenges in the educational process? The research methods used were: scientific literature analysis, focus groups and content analysis. The study found that the creative teacher's initiative is manifested in the use of virtual environments as a motivating factor for children's activities, as an exploratory activity, and as a factor that responds to the needs of each child. In order to overcome the challenges of limited technical resources, technical barriers and the organisation of the activity itself, teachers' creativity is manifested in intellectual curiosity, initiative and the search for non-traditional solutions to problems.