Behaviours and Characteristics of Digital Natives Throughout the Teaching-Learning Process: A Systematic Review of Scientific Literature from 2016 to 2021

Abstract

Information and communication technologies have generated transformations in the behaviour of digital native university students, which affect the teaching-learning process in the scenario of the Covid-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to systematize the scientific evidence on university teaching strategies related to the behaviour of digital natives and the characteristics of their learning. The method employed was a systematic review of scientific articles from the EbscoHost, Scopus, Proquest, Eric and Scielo databases through the Boolean operators AND and OR. Initially, 51 638 records were obtained, of which only 26 met the inclusion criteria (years of publication, language, subject matter, free availability). The results show in the articles that most digital natives actively use social networks on a daily basis, while others conduct research or produce digital content with varying degrees of difficulty, some adapt quickly to new innovations related to technology, and many easily multitask and perform self-regulated learning, while demanding a more flexible teaching where learning is fast and practical. However, the attention of digital natives is dissipated by other interests such as social networks (generating cyber laziness), a situation that can lead to antisocial behaviour and self-exclusion from physical reality (phubbing). In conclusion, digital natives require greater attention from their university teachers, who must innovate in the teaching-learning process using the virtual environment, raising the interest of digital natives, to generate an autonomous learning where they can strengthen their skills and competencies for the achievement of their professional development.

Received: 11 December 2021 / Accepted: 23 March 2022 / Published: 5 May 2022