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Relevance of the article. The use of digital educational technologies in preschool education is one of the urgent problems of our time. Its relevance is determined by a number of factors: the need of modern society for the maximum approximation of educational organizations, including preschool ones, to modern digital technologies, the lack of clearly developed methods for the use of new information technologies in preschool institutions; lack of equipment for the successful education of children in a digital educational environment. The article discusses the possibilities of using the digital educational environment in the educational process and its impact on the formation of the intellectual abilities of children of senior preschool age.

The aim of the study is to develop, experimentally test and describe the pedagogical conditions for the development of intellectual abilities of children of senior preschool age in the process of using the digital educational environment in preschool.

Research progress. The study was conducted on the basis of a kindergarten in Ulyanovsk: 80 children of 5–6 years of age participated in the experiment. In the process of diagnostics, the following methods were used: “Color and shape differentiation” (selectively, the learning ability test of G. Witzlak was used), “Determining the degree of formation of logical thinking actions” (N.B. Venger), “Colored numbers” (Kuizener sticks), “Computing machines” and “Word transformation” (the game of A.A. Stolyar was used), the method of Beloshistaya A.V. The study consisted in determining the pedagogical conditions for the intellectual development of older preschoolers in the process of using the digital educational environment, developing and implementing a system aimed at teaching children the basics of computer literacy, forming a stable interest and positive motivation among preschoolers to master digital learning tools.

Research results. The effectiveness of work on the development of the intellectual abilities of children aged 5–6 years in the process of using the digital educational environment was revealed. After carrying out the formative work, a high level of intellectual development was revealed in 12 children (30%) of the experimental group, an average level was observed in 21 children (52.5%) of the experimental group, and a low level was shown by 7 children (17.5%) of the experimental group.

Conclusions. The use of the digital educational environment significantly affects the active knowledge of the world by the child, his outlook, curiosity, motives for educational activities. It has been proven that the process of developing the intellectual abilities of older preschool children will be more effective if digital educational technologies are actively used, and effective interaction between the educational institution and the family is ensured.

Relevance of the article. In the modern world, as a result of the rapid development of medicine and the possibilities of caring for children, the number of children with special developmental needs is sharply increasing. This leads to an increase in disability, especially in cases where it is not possible to identify developmental disabilities at an early age and begin to take action. This is facilitated by the model of medical care in which the doctor has limited time to monitor the child. Therefore, in working with small kids, there is a problem of non-detection of deviations in development arises. On the other hand, even when children who need special conditions are identified, there is a problem of inaccessibility of developmental and educational services to children with disabilities at an early age (from birth to 3 years); lack of conditions for the formation of an inclusive environment in preschools (large group size – up to 30 people; lack of specialists in preschools; lack of network mechanisms for interaction with the territorial system of early intervention; a large variety of educational cases, etc., in the absence of an assessment of the quality of these resources.

The aim of the article. Development of an automated system “Child’s World”, aimed at early detection of developmental disabilities through pedagogical, parental and medical monitoring.

Description of the research progress. Monitoring was based on teachers’ observation over the behavior of children in nurseries and kindergartens and fixing of the results of the teacher’s observations of children in the system. In addition to teachers, the children are monitored by doctors and parents. The self-learning system adjusts the scores depending on the increase in the number of participants in the system. Based on the data obtained in the system, a psychological and pedagogical commission is organized in kindergarten. If necessary, parents are advised to contact the Psychological, medical and pedagogical commission, where specifics of development is verified and recommendations are made for the conditions of the child’s education. An adapted program is being developed in the kindergarten, observations are continuing and their recording is being carried out. The system is adjusted no more than once every six months.

The results of the study. The project was supported by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, adopted as a good practice and discussed at a meeting of ASI experts. In December 2021, the project was also presented at the meeting “Digital Transformation in Preschool Education” at the Analytical Center under the Government of the Russian Federation. The project is currently being tested. In parallel, the artificial intelligence system is being trained.

Conclusion. The Information system was developed with much more functionality than expected, including not only pedagogical monitoring, but also medical; teachers of three regions (Klin, Moscow region; Omsk; Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan) were trained in five educational complexes. Pediatricians and nurses were trained in five medical institutions. Parents, whose children participated in the testing, were also trained.

Relevance of the article. During the period of restrictions associated with the spread of the coronavirus infection COVID-19, many preschool educational organizations are faced with the need to carry out educational activities in a digital format. Traditional forms of work with preschoolers were transferred to the format of remote interaction, which negatively affected the quality of educational activities and the involvement of subjects of educational relations. There was a need to transform educational activities, taking into account the age characteristics of preschoolers and the specifics of the implemented educational programs. The article describes the ideas on the basis of which it is possible to develop variable models for the transformation of educational activities implemented using the resources of the digital environment.

The aim of the article is to consider possible approaches to the development of the digital segment of the basic educational program of a preschool educational organization in the context of the possibilities for designing and implementing new formats of educational activities, alternative options for the formation of a developing subject-spatial environment, as well as family support in the context of the implementation of the digital segment of educational programs for preschool education.

Research methods. Expert analysis of the practice of kindergartens in the process of using the resources of the digital environment for the organization of educational activities with pupils.

The results of the study. Approaches and mechanisms were formulated on the basis of which it is possible to develop variable models of transformation of educational activities implemented using the resources of the digital environment, modernize approaches to the organization of the developing subject-spatial environment of a preschool educational organization and educational cooperation with the family in the process of mastering the child’s educational program of preschool education.

Conclusion. The content presented in the article may be of interest to teachers and educators of preschool educational organizations, specialists in the field of advanced training and professional improvement of teachers of the preschool education system, and form the basis for a professional discussion of issues related to the digitalization of preschool education.

Relevance of the article. The topic of digital transformation is extremely relevant today, but its use in relation to young children, that is, from 0 to 8 years old, always raises many questions from those who are responsible for their health and development. Representatives of science adhere to diametrically opposite points of view on this problem. Some believe that technology harms children, others believe that since humanity has received a similar direction in development, despite the negative impact of digital transformation, its use is inevitable and children will have to immerse themselves in the world of technology. To answer the question of what is right and what is not, we have to understand in detail the processes taking place. However, the topic of digital transformation, the adoption of the Digital Transformation of Education program forces us to take urgent measures that are not always justified. Serious research is required to substantiate them.

The purpose of the study is to identify the manifestations of digital transformation in preschool organizations and systematize them, taking into account: the main directions of development of digital technologies that are used in the upbringing and education of small kids; research on children’s behavior, their physical condition, the development of cognitive and non-cognitive abilities depending on digital technologies; changing children’s preferences in the use of digital technologies depending on the digital transformation of society.

Description of the research progress. The research of information technologies has been conducted since 2000 and consisted in constant monitoring of foreign and Russian legislation on this topic, translation of publications, correspondence with authors, clarification of details.

The results of the study. As a result of the research, material was collected from surveys conducted by various foundations and universities on the use of new technologies by children.

Conclusion. At the present stage of development, the range of digital technologies that children use from an early age has greatly expanded. The approaches of the education system and the parent community have not changed. The threats that technology brings with it and that researchers and society have seen and recorded before have changed a lot.

Background. The digitalization of education reaches the preschool level. AR books are increasingly used with children, yet their educational potential for preschoolers remains understudied, particularly how their appeal relates to children’s text comprehension.

Objective. To examine senior preschoolers’ comprehension of an informational text when reading an AR book versus books without illustrations and with traditional printed illustrations.

Sample. 120 senior preschoolers (M = 75 months): 60 aged 5 to 6 years and 60 aged 6 to 7 years, assigned to three groups of 40 by illustration format.

Methods. Non-participant observation during reading, an individual interview on the text afterwards (three open questions), and analysis of children’s drawings. Data were analyzed with the c² test; instruments underwent expert verification.

Results. During reading, verbal activity was highest in the AR group; however, many of these reactions concerned technological effects rather than the text content (c² = 10.74; p = 0.005). When answering questions, children with printed illustrations reproduced the factual content most fully, whereas the AR group relied more on personal experience. Printed illustrations also yielded the most accurate reflection of content in drawings (c² = 28.44; p < 0.001). No age differences emerged.

Conclusion. The effectiveness of AR books depends not only on their appeal but also on the match between visual content and text and on pedagogical support. For informational books, traditional illustrations ensure better comprehension. It justifies a differentiated approach to illustration format by text type and educational objectives.

Background. Digitalization has a profound psychosocial impact on young children; however, the dominance of Western educational models often ignores cultural specificities and the context of local communities, especially in rural Africa. Against the backdrop of growing digital inequality and the need to protect children’s psychosocial well-being, there is a pressing need to develop and implement culturally responsive approaches to early childhood education that draw on traditional African values, indigenous pedagogies, and community practices.

Objective. To explore the Afrocentric conceptualization of young children’s psychosocial well-being and digitalization practices within Cameroon’s community-based early childhood education system, and to substantiate the role of community preschool centers as an institution for protecting and supporting children in the digital age.

Methods. The study employs a set of theoretical methods: analysis of psychological and pedagogical literature, regulatory documents, and educational development strategies (drawing on the example of Cameroon and UNESCO international recommendations); comparative analysis of Western and Afrocentric pedagogical approaches; and a bioecological approach to examining the child’s developmental environment.

Results. A research gap concerning the influence of culturally conditioned beliefs and rural geography on the implementation of digital resources in the African context has been identified. The key characteristics of Afrocentric child development (holistic personality, communal learning, and learning through participation) have been analyzed. The effectiveness of the community preschool center model in Cameroon has been substantiated; these centers serve as an institutional buffer that balances digital interaction with traditional socio-emotional learning. The strengths of this model have been highlighted: a safe environment, close collaboration with local councils, a play-based curriculum, and an emphasis on health and nutrition. The necessity of moving away from the exclusive dominance of Western epistemologies toward documenting and integrating local indigenous practices has been demonstrated.

Conclusions. The community-based approach to early childhood education in Cameroon implements the principles of inclusion and cultural appropriateness, ensuring the protection of the psychosocial well-being of vulnerable groups of children (including refugees and children from poor families) in the context of digitalization. The key success factor and innovation is parental education and the involvement of parents in the upbringing process. For the sustainable development of early childhood systems in Africa, it is necessary to generate and promote indigenous research and pedagogical practices that reflect local value systems, rather than uncritically borrowing Western standards.

Background. The current stage of preschool education development is characterized by the active implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Despite the understanding of the indispensability of personal communication between teacher and child, AI tools can optimize the professional activities of educators, freeing them from routine tasks and providing data for personalized learning. However, there is a lack of empirical data on the practical application of AI assistants directly in the work of educators in kindergarten groups.

Objective. To test and evaluate the effectiveness of integrating AI assistants into the educational process of preschool educational institutions in Kazan to personalize learning and optimize the professional activities of teachers.

Sample. The study involved 180 children aged 5 to 7 years (60 preschoolers aged 5-6 and 120 children aged 6-7), 24 teachers (educators and kindergarten specialists), and 180 parents (legal guardians of the children participating in the experiment) from six municipal kindergartens in Kazan.

Methods. The study was conducted using an experimental design and included four stages (preparatory, training, main, and evaluation). A combination of diagnostic methods was used: assessment of teachers’ digital competence (surveys and interviews), analysis of the individualization of the educational process, pedagogical assessment of children’s development (speech, cognition, socialization, emotional-volitional sphere), and parental surveys. Statistical data processing was performed using the Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Pearson’s c² test, variance and correlation analysis, and Cohen’s d coefficient for effect size assessment.

Results. AI assistants were integrated into the educational process of kindergartens. A significant increase in the digital competence of teachers in the experimental group was observed, and a reduction in the time teachers spent on recordkeeping was found due to the use of a digital platform with AI analytics. Statistically significant differences in the cognitive and speech development of children in the experimental group compared to the control group were found. A strong positive correlation was found between the use of robotic assistants and the development of social skills, as well as between specialized AI platforms and personalized learning. Positive trends in parental attitudes toward the implementation of AI were also recorded.

Conclusions. The integration of AI assistants allows for the optimization of educators’ work and the personalization of educational trajectories without replacing the role of the teacher. Key conditions for successful implementation include data security, technological reliability, and the critical selection of tools (taking into account the risks of commercial support, as in the case of the Moxie robot). AI assistants should not be viewed as a replacement for the teacher, but as a tool that enhances their capabilities and allows them to see the child more deeply, without replacing human warmth and understanding.