Understanding the Home Learning Environment through Diverse Theoretical Frameworks and Digital Methodologies

Educational research into the Home Learning Environment (HLE) is an evolving field shaped by changing patterns of family life, advances in digital technology, and broader socio-cultural developments. There is growing interest in applying novel and contemporary theoretical frameworks to better understand how learning takes place within children’s home environment. While research has traditionally focused on home literacy and home numeracy learning, contemporary research is extending theoretical frameworks to other domains of learning within the HLE, including socio-emotional or cognitive aspects (e.g., learning of self-regulation or executive function skills). These novel approaches have broadened theoretical perspectives and prompted discussion on the HLE by recognising the diversity of children's learning experiences within families while also exploring new conceptualisations of the HLE across multiple learning domains. As part of diverse learning styles, digital methodologies have become an important part of the HLE and started creating new opportunities for children's learning, parent-child interactions, parental engagement in learning activities, and play-based or gamified learning approaches. These developments highlight the need for research that examines how digital methodologies can be integrated into existing and emerging theoretical frameworks of the HLE, either as part of interventions or assessment of learning outcomes.This research topic aims to bring together research that advances empirical, theoretical and methodological understanding of the HLE by integrating novel and contemporary theoretical frameworks with evidence on family learning practices and digital methods to improve the quality of the HLE and thus children's learning. Despite considerable progress in the HLE research in recent years, important questions remain regarding how children learn at home, how the quality of home learning can be improved, how the HLE should be conceptualised, and how digital methods can support children's learning or assessment at home. By bringing together diverse perspectives and approaches, this research topic aims to advance understanding of the Home Learning Environment and inform future research, policy, and practice.Scope:• Novel and contemporary theoretical frameworks for the Home Learning Environment• Home literacy and home numeracy learning• Novel aspects, conceptualisations or measurements within the Home Learning Environment• Digital learning interventions or assessment tools to foster or assess home learning• AI supported methodologies or assessment tools to foster or assess home learning• Parental engagement and family learning practices• Parent-child interactions and shared learning activities• Home learning among typically developing and neurodiverse children• Equity, diversity, and inclusion in the Home Learning Environment• The role of play or gamification in the Home Learning EnvironmentThis research topic welcomes empirical, theoretical, and methodological contributions that advance understanding of the HLE. We invite research articles that apply novel and contemporary theoretical frameworks and explore digital methodologies to support home literacy and home numeracy, as well as on the other domains of home learning. Contributions involving typically developing and neurodiverse children, from preschool through the school years, are particularly welcome. Original research, empirical studies, longitudinal studies, interventions, review articles, and methodological studies of the HLE are all encouraged. Topic editors: Efsun Birtwistle, Jenny Retzler Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84636/understanding-the-home-learning-environment-through-diverse-theoretical-frameworks-and-digital-methodologies