Digital competence in early childhood formal and informal education: Findings from a systematized review

This article reports on findings from a systematized literature review on digital competence in early childhood (age range, 0-6). Through a quantitative and qualitative analysis of 31 empirical studies, the article provides: 1) a mapping of key information contained in the dataset based on relevant variables inductively and deductively identified (i.e., children’s age, type of educational context, type of digital skill, caregiving actors, description of relevant activities, screen time discourse, risks and opportunities discourse, reference to wellbeing); and 2) a narrative in-depth account of digital competence in early childhood in relation to the type of educational context investigated, i.e., formal (nursery and kindergarten) and informal (the home environment). In the conclusion, we argue for the relevance of a Media Literacy approach in formal and informal educational contexts to inform and train significant adults to conscious uses of digital tools and to foster interactive, critical, and creative uses with children.