Educational use of connectivity in childhood and adolescence: a systematic literature review

Internet connectivity during childhood and adolescence entails risks and opportunities in several vital areas. Specifically, this work focuses on identifying lines of research and intervention to take advantage of the digital connectivity of minors in the educational context. To this end, a systematic review of the literature based on the PRISMA method and the Web of Science and Scopus databases is proposed for the search and selection of articles. This study focuses on five key fields: historical trajectory, research methodology, findings, implications for research and educational practice, and future lines of research. Of the 68 papers analyzed, it can be observed that: (1) they have recently increased their publication; (2) qualitative approaches predominate, evaluating the effects of educational interventions, mainly on children and young people in Europe and at the Primary and Secondary Education levels; (3) it is concluded that the environments where children’s digital connectivity has had a positive impact include improved learning and academic performance, digital inclusion and accessibility, digital creation and production, collaborative learning, and media and digital education; (4) it suggests fostering media literacy and digital competence education from an early age to prevent risks and take advantage of opportunities; and (5) it encourages exploring new areas to optimize the use of digital connectivity among children. This review reveals the areas digital connectivity has had a positive impact on children’s education.