Vol. 16 No. 2 (2025): MEDIA EDUCATION – Studi, ricerche e buone pratiche
Articles

Precocità digitale e risultati di apprendimento: un’analisi su italiano, matematica e competenza digitale

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  • Sofia Ercolanoni,
  • Marco Gui,
  • Chiara Respi
Sofia Ercolanoni
Università degli studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italia
Marco Gui
Università degli studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italia
Chiara Respi
Università degli studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/me-19294

Published 2025-12-30

Keywords

  • Digital competence,
  • Academic skills,
  • Inequalities,
  • Early exposure,
  • Digital technologies

Copyright (c) 2025 Sofia Ercolanoni, Marco Gui, Chiara Respi

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

The present study is part of the growing body of literature examining the consequences of early exposure to digital technologies. To date, research has largely focused on the relationship between intensity of use and well-being/mental health, while less attention has been paid to the long-term effects of age at first access. In this paper, we examine how early exposure to different technologies is associated with learning performance and digital competence, and how socio-economic, cultural, and territorial differences shape these dynamics. The study uses INVALSI data from the sample of Grade 10 students in the 2024/2025 school year. In addition to Italian and mathematics test scores, the data include information on students’ digital histories and a new measure of digital competence, based on a test whose design the authors directly contributed to. The results show that students in Southern Italy and those with a migrant background tend to have earlier access to digital devices. Digital precocity is negatively associated with Italian and mathematics achievement, with the notable exception of personal computers and – partly – gaming consoles. The relationship with digital competence is more complex, as it favors students who access technologies at an intermediate age. Overall, the study provides evidence that can help inform educational policies and contribute to reducing digital divides.

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