Digital educational platforms in primary education: the case of Catalonia

Abstract

The use of digital educational platforms has increased in schools, especially during Covid-19, accelerating digital transformation and the expansion of data collection. However, the platformisation phenomenon in this context is still largely unexplored. The present study aims to identify the presence and uses of digital platforms in the educational context of Catalonia and significant changes post-Covid-19 through a validated questionnaire. Results from 491 primary school teachers show that almost 90% of the digital tools used are proprietary platforms belonging to the major technology companies. Many relationships between frequencies and types of tools have been identified as well as a significant evolution of their use in the wake of Covid-19. Some recommendations at different levels are drawn up.