Teacher and Parental Mediation of Digital Media Use in Early Childhood Education: A Systematic Literature Review of Empirical Evidence on Children’s Learning, Digital Literacy, and Identity Development
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59890/ijeps.v4i5.35Keywords:
Early Childhood Education, Digital Media, Parental Mediation, Teacher Mediation, Systematic Literature ReviewAbstract
Digital media use in early childhood education is increasing, yet empirical evidence on how teachers and parents mediate children’s digital experiences remains fragmented. This study aims to synthesize forms of digital media use, teacher and parental mediation practices, and reported learning, digital literacy, media literacy, identity-related, and developmental outcomes. A systematic literature review design guided by PRISMA 2020 was employed. The search was conducted in Scopus using keywords related to early childhood education, digital media, parental/teacher mediation, and learning or developmental outcomes. From 112 records, 33 studies met inclusion criteria and were analyzed through narrative thematic synthesis. Findings show that screen-based media use and digital learning media were most frequently examined. Adult mediation included restriction, supervision, co-use, guided use, home-learning support, and pedagogical integration. Positive outcomes were commonly reported when digital media use was purposeful, interactive, and adult-supported. Future research should examine children’s digital literacy, media literacy, and identity outcomes.
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