The challenge of digital transformation in schools: what can we learn from the Escol@s D’igitais project?

Abstract

This study evaluates the qualitative effects of the Escol@s Digitais Project, a program implemented between 2021 and 2024 in 12 school clusters in the municipality of Amadora, Portugal, aimed at promoting the curricular integration of digital technologies in the first cycle of basic education. Data was collected between November and December 2023 through focus group sessions and an alternative form, involving 31 teachers who participated in the project. The content analysis conducted, based on categories and thematic relationships, revealed significant patterns and divergences across three key areas of analysis: (1) importance, participation, and involvement of teachers; (2) the project's impact on learning and school dynamics; and (3) motivations, challenges, and recommendations. Among the main results, the recognition of the project's importance stands out, both in reinforcing teachers' confidence and comfort using digital tools and in expanding their knowledge of pedagogical innovation practices using digital technologies. Additionally, results show very positive perceptions regarding the project's impact on student learning, with explicit references to the development of essential learning goals outlined in the official curriculum, including the development of digital skills and other transversal ones, such as autonomy and critical thinking. Some aspects of school dynamics are also highlighted, namely the project's contribution to strengthening collaboration between teachers and improving school-family interactions. Concerning the factors for adopting digital technologies in the classroom, pedagogical reasons and specific training in technology stand out as central. Despite the various benefits associated with the project, infrastructure limitations and the management of curricular and pedagogical time were widely mentioned by teachers as barriers to the implementation of technology-based pedagogical practices. Looking ahead to improvements in future projects supporting digital transformation in schools, it is recommended that technical-pedagogical support be strengthened, with increased investment in adequate infrastructure, continuous support for teacher professional development, and greater involvement of students and families. Altogether, results suggest that projects like Escol@s Digitais can drive pedagogical transformations and facilitate the digital transition in the school context. However, the effective success of such projects remains dependent on structural and cultural conditions that favor the intentional and systematic integration of digital technologies into teaching and, above all, into students' learning processes.