EXAMINING PRESCHOOL TEACHER’ S USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN TERMS OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The purpose of this study was to investigate how preschool instructors use social media for professional development. Explanatory sequential design, one of the mixed research methods, was used in the research. The quantitative study group of the research consists of 223 preschool teachers working in Kahramanmaraş province in the 2020-2021 academic year, and the qualitative study group consists of 16 preschool teachers. "Social Media Usage Questionnaire" and semi-structured "Interview Form" were used as data collection tools in the research. The data collected in the quantitative part of the study were analyzed with the SPSS 22.0 statistical program. Content analysis was used in the analysis of qualitative data. As a result of the research, it was determined that preschool teachers use social media for professional and personal development. It was determined that teachers find Instagram, Youtube, Whatsapp and Pinterest useful in terms of their professional development. It has been found that social media helps teachers to see things from multiple viewpoints, keep up with innovations, access diverse activities, advance their knowledge and abilities and access activities for all developmental domains. It was concluded that the use of social media facilitated the implementation of the preschool education program and enriched the learning environment.