Teacher mediation and special educational needs student's internet use: a cross-cultural study

Future educators should have the skills to promote the inclusion and participation of all students in the digital era. This study explores and compares the perceptions of preservice teachers in Chile and Spain regarding their digital competence and preparedness to mediate online risks for students w...

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Main Authors: Esther Chiner, Marcos Gómez Puerta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Asociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y Discapacidad 2025-06-01
Series:INFAD
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Online Access:https://revista.infad.eu/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/2854
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author Esther Chiner
Marcos Gómez Puerta
author_facet Esther Chiner
Marcos Gómez Puerta
author_sort Esther Chiner
collection DOAJ
description Future educators should have the skills to promote the inclusion and participation of all students in the digital era. This study explores and compares the perceptions of preservice teachers in Chile and Spain regarding their digital competence and preparedness to mediate online risks for students with special educational needs. Grounded in the social model of disability, which emphasises the role of environmental barriers in shaping disability, this research underscores the importance of understanding teacher beliefs to foster digital inclusion and equity. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 263 student teachers (145 from Spain and 118 from Chile). Participants assessed their digital competence and confidence in managing five categories of online risks: content, contact, conduct, contract, and cross-cutting risks. Results revealed medium-high perceived digital competence, but low self-efficacy in managing online risks, particularly for students with special educational needs. Notably, Spanish participants reported greater preparedness in addressing conduct-related risks. A positive correlation was found between perceived digital competence and self-efficacy in managing online risks, underscoring the need for targeted teacher education programmes to bridge this gap. Participants indicated their intention to use frequently mediation strategies, particularly those focused on guidance and support, while passive supervision (e.g., staying close during internet use) was less favoured. Notably, Chilean participants reported their willingness to engage students more frequently in discussions about their online activities compared to their Spanish counterparts. Despite recognising the importance of digital inclusion, nearly all participants lacked formal training in internet safety for students with special educational needs. These findings highlight the urgent  need for targeted teacher education programmes that address digital safety and risk mediation for diverse learners, with a particular focus on contextualising training to cultural and educational differences. By addressing this gap, educational systems can better support inclusive digital practices and reduce the disability digital divide.
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spelling doaj-art-4a75e1fd57284e20b6da137fc97ffaa52025-08-20T03:45:02ZengAsociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y DiscapacidadINFAD0214-98772603-59872025-06-011110.17060/ijodaep.2025.n1.v1.2854Teacher mediation and special educational needs student's internet use: a cross-cultural studyEsther Chiner0Marcos Gómez Puerta1Universidad de Alicante EspañaUniversidad de Alicante EspañaFuture educators should have the skills to promote the inclusion and participation of all students in the digital era. This study explores and compares the perceptions of preservice teachers in Chile and Spain regarding their digital competence and preparedness to mediate online risks for students with special educational needs. Grounded in the social model of disability, which emphasises the role of environmental barriers in shaping disability, this research underscores the importance of understanding teacher beliefs to foster digital inclusion and equity. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 263 student teachers (145 from Spain and 118 from Chile). Participants assessed their digital competence and confidence in managing five categories of online risks: content, contact, conduct, contract, and cross-cutting risks. Results revealed medium-high perceived digital competence, but low self-efficacy in managing online risks, particularly for students with special educational needs. Notably, Spanish participants reported greater preparedness in addressing conduct-related risks. A positive correlation was found between perceived digital competence and self-efficacy in managing online risks, underscoring the need for targeted teacher education programmes to bridge this gap. Participants indicated their intention to use frequently mediation strategies, particularly those focused on guidance and support, while passive supervision (e.g., staying close during internet use) was less favoured. Notably, Chilean participants reported their willingness to engage students more frequently in discussions about their online activities compared to their Spanish counterparts. Despite recognising the importance of digital inclusion, nearly all participants lacked formal training in internet safety for students with special educational needs. These findings highlight the urgent  need for targeted teacher education programmes that address digital safety and risk mediation for diverse learners, with a particular focus on contextualising training to cultural and educational differences. By addressing this gap, educational systems can better support inclusive digital practices and reduce the disability digital divide. https://revista.infad.eu/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/2854digital mediationpre-service teachersinternet useintellectual disabilityautism spectrum disorder
spellingShingle Esther Chiner
Marcos Gómez Puerta
Teacher mediation and special educational needs student's internet use: a cross-cultural study
INFAD
digital mediation
pre-service teachers
internet use
intellectual disability
autism spectrum disorder
title Teacher mediation and special educational needs student's internet use: a cross-cultural study
title_full Teacher mediation and special educational needs student's internet use: a cross-cultural study
title_fullStr Teacher mediation and special educational needs student's internet use: a cross-cultural study
title_full_unstemmed Teacher mediation and special educational needs student's internet use: a cross-cultural study
title_short Teacher mediation and special educational needs student's internet use: a cross-cultural study
title_sort teacher mediation and special educational needs student s internet use a cross cultural study
topic digital mediation
pre-service teachers
internet use
intellectual disability
autism spectrum disorder
url https://revista.infad.eu/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/2854
work_keys_str_mv AT estherchiner teachermediationandspecialeducationalneedsstudentsinternetuseacrossculturalstudy
AT marcosgomezpuerta teachermediationandspecialeducationalneedsstudentsinternetuseacrossculturalstudy