How to Study Family Learning Practices Mediated by Digital Platforms: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT The dynamic and personalized nature of today's media ecosystem complicates the documentation and analysis of digital home learning environments. In response, innovative research methods have emerged, which we broadly categorize as passive (e.g., quantitative studies) or active participatory methods. This article focuses on active approaches, specifically internally oriented (e.g., artifacts created by participants) and externally oriented (e.g., interviews, focus groups) methods, that prioritize participants' voices and agency. We present a scoping review of 61 studies to explore current research practices in this field. Our review highlights the diversity and growth of participatory methods, including hybrid approaches that combine elements of both active and passive strategies. We identify and describe five techniques linked to internally oriented participatory methods. Finally, we discuss the strengths, opportunities, and ethical considerations associated with these methods, offering insights into how researchers can more effectively engage with families and learners in digital home learning contexts.