Pedagogical, Restricted Use Model Confirmed
The Catalan Department of Education will not remove interactive whiteboards from I3, I4, and I5 early childhood classrooms, as initially announced in June 2025, but will instead enforce a model of "pedagogical, restricted, and safe" use. This update forms part of the revised Responsible Digitization Plan, published by the department and confirmed to ACN by Education sources. Under the new guidelines, whiteboards will no longer allow free use or internet access. The document, titled Educational Whiteboards in Early Childhood Education, states that the technology should only be used when it adds value to shared learning activities such as conversation, oral language development, joint observation, creativity, and collaborative projects.
Controlled Access and Child-Focused Profiles
To support this approach, the department will introduce a specific "child" user profile with limited functionalities and a simplified interface designed to prevent distractions and visual overstimulation for children aged three to five. Three access levels will be established: teacher, administrator, and class level. The teacher account, password-protected, will have full multimedia access. The administrator will have complete control over system management, while the class-level account will offer direct but restricted access. With the child profile, unrestricted internet browsing will not be possible, only pre-authorised educational resources will be available.
Response to Screen Time Concerns
This policy shift coincides with renewed pressure from the platform Aixeca el cap, which on Tuesday called on the Education Commission of the Parliament to accelerate measures to reduce screen time in schools. The group argues that banning mobile phones in secondary education is insufficient and demands an immediate review of all digital devices provided by the department. The department’s updated plan reaffirms that "technology does not replace the educational experience." Instead, it emphasises that teachers must decide, based on pedagogical judgment, when and how to use whiteboards in a limited and intentional way to enhance classroom practice.
Reported by beteve.cat, betevé.
