Abstract:

The increasing integration of digital technologies in early childhood education (ECEC) raises critical questions about the pedagogical role of such technologies, particularly in inclusive contexts. While coding toys and educational robotics are increasingly introduced in ECEC settings, they are often presented as tools that directly enhance learning. This paper contributes to ongoing discussions by problematizing the view that learning occurs through technology itself, emphasizing instead the centrality of intentional teacher mediation.

The study presents a pedagogical model in which coding toys are conceptualized as pedagogical artefacts selected by teachers to support and stimulate mediation processes. Rather than viewing technology as inherently mediating, the model positions the teacher’s mathematical knowledge and professional judgment as central. The artefact offers structural elements, constraints, and affordances that enable the teacher to design learning environments, shape communication, and initiate structured requests for feedback. The proposed model represents an expansion of an existing mediation model originally developed by Bartolini Bussi. The development and refinement of the model were informed by principles of inclusive research, involving collaboration between researchers and co-researchers with intellectual developmental disabilities.

The paper addresses the following research question: How can coding toys, when intentionally selected and used by teachers, support mediated mathematical learning and inclusive participation in early childhood education?

The empirical material draws on observations conducted within two separate research projects in ECEC contexts. In one project, video recordings documented coding activities; in the other, detailed field notes were collected during similar activities. Across both projects, the same type of artefact was used, allowing analytical attention to variations in teacher mediation rather than artefact design. A qualitative content analysis was used to examine key dimensions of the expanded mediation model, including scaffolding strategies, recursive feedback processes, and communicative channels.

Particular attention was given to how children’s engagement, manifested as active participation, partial involvement, or disengagement, appeared to vary in relation to the type and structure of mediation offered, despite the artefact remaining constant. Obvious limitations related to variations in child groups across observations are acknowledged and discussed, as these differences may also influence participation patterns.

The analysis suggests that coding toys do not function as autonomous learning agents; rather, their pedagogical value depends on how teachers mobilize their affordances within structured mediation processes. The study raises questions about technology-centered interpretations of learning and highlights the central role of teacher mediation in inclusive digital practices. Implications for teacher education and professional digital competence are discussed.

Keywords:

Technology, artefacts, teachers' mediation, inclusive research, inclusion.