Pedagogical Perspective on platformization in Primary Education: teachers’ discourses and emerging issues in the Valencian Community

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital platforms is reshaping the educational ecosystem, affecting pedagogical organization, school management, and communication with families in primary education. To understand how teachers assess this phenomenon, 292 coded segments drawn from four focus groups with teachers were analyzed; the content was inductively coded and the emerging codes were grouped into five interpretive categories. Teachers value the operational utility of platforms (grade automation, document centralization, remote access) and their initial capacity to motivate students through interactive resources. At the same time, they identify tensions: dependence on “authorized” apps that limit teacher autonomy; family digital divides that oblige teachers to handle online administrative procedures; uncertainty surrounding the commodification and surveillance of student data; and the risk of overstimulation that displaces analog practices and undermines attention. Moreover, the standardization imposed by these environments shifts the teacher’s role toward data management and technical supervision, generating professional ambivalences. In response, some teachers articulate critical technopedagogical strategies: prioritizing open platforms, limiting digital footprints, and balancing screen time with analog activities. The study concludes that turning these tools into ethical and inclusive resources requires ongoing training geared toward technological sovereignty, the creation of collegially agreed data‑protection protocols, and the promotion of open digital environments that return control over processes and records to the school community.