The Escol@s Digitais Project. An experience of working with technologies in Primary Education in Portugal

Abstract

The Escol@s Digitais Project is an action-research project that was born on the initiative of the Municipality of Amadora (Portugal) and has been under development by a research team of the Institute of Education of the University of Lisbon. As part of the Education XXI line of research, it aims to support the ongoing digital transformation in all public schools of Primary Education in the municipality to enhance the quality of processes, performances, and results of learning. Seeking to deepen and consolidate existing knowledge and practices, the Project defines four objectives to be pursued intentionally throughout its term: i) valuing the work carried out within schools in the digital transition, distinguishing and promoting successful practices; ii) reinforcing the sustained integration of teaching and learning dynamics with digital, in the classroom and in other local contexts; iii) recognizing and assessing students' digital skills, bearing in mind the Portuguese Profile of Students Leaving Compulsory Schooling; iv) monitoring project activities and understand their impact on teachers and students. In this article, we present the main starting questions and the conceptual foundations and premises that underpin the intervention plan's design. Although the plan involved other dimensions, particularly related to school management, here we will emphasize the assumption of digital technologies that we assumed and how we worked with the teachers. We conclude with the presentation of the Project's assumptions and work axes.