A systematic review of tablet use in primary education.

Abstract

The great social changes caused by the development of digital technologies have also started to transform the field of education thanks to the incorporation of new devices into the learning process. The purpose of this research is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the state of the question based on a review of scientific literature regarding primary-school children’s use of tablets and changes that can be attributed to it. A fundamentally qualitative methodology with a narrative approach was used in this research to carry out documentary analysis of a sample of 163 articles indexed in Web of Science, Scopus and ERIC. This sample was selected by using different search operators according to the respective axes/categories of the topic of study. The information extracted was subjected to content analysis and contingency analysis. The latter made it possible to identify the relationship between the qualitative variables and the temporal perspective, based on Cramér’s V. This study’s findings show that tablets are used in the classroom and at home, although the types of activities differ. In the school context, it is worth noting the existence of patterns of practices connected to searching online for curriculum content and creating it, as well as communication and interaction. The learning strategies employed are linked to the individualisation of education, while coopera- tive and collaborative forms are not encouraged enough. The indicators of the impact of use of tablets point to an increase in students’ motivation during their learning, although at the same time it can also cause distractions.