Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. Project number: 101132761

Teacher Training in Portugal

TEACHER TRAINING IN PORTUGAL WITHIN THE EUROPEAN ERASMUS+ PROJECT DIGITAL FIRST

On January 21 and 28, 2026, the School Association Training Centre of Póvoa de Varzim and Vila do Conde (CFAE-PVVC), in the north of Portugal, hosted training sessions for informatics teachers as part of the European Erasmus+ Digital First – Portugal project. These sessions aimed to prepare teachers to implement an innovative pedagogical approach that positions informatics as a new digital literacy in primary and secondary education.

The Digital First Project and Its European Dimension

Digital First is an Erasmus+ funded project involving 15 partners from 11 European countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, Finland, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, and Portugal. The consortium seeks to redefine the teaching of informatics, adapting it to the needs of children and young people born in the digital era, who already possess basic digital skills when they enter school.

The project conceptualizes informatics as a “first language” of the digital age, empowering students to act as active creators and responsible citizens, rather than passive users of technology. The pedagogical approach emphasizes critical thinking, responsible and safe use of digital technologies, and the practical application of informatics in meaningful learning contexts.

Functional Approach: Teaching the “Why” and the “How”

A core innovation of Digital First is its functional approach, which focuses on why and how digital technologies are used, examining their functions in human activity:

  • Personal – tools for organization and self-expression
  • Representational – representing ideas and concepts digitally
  • Interactional – communication and online collaboration
  • Instrumental – practical use of technology for specific tasks
  • Imaginative – digital creation and experimentation
  • Heuristic – exploration and problem-solving
  • Regulatory – monitoring and managing digital processes

This approach highlights the purpose and meaningful use of technology, rather than concentrating solely on its technical operation, promoting more relevant and context-based learning experiences.

CFAE-PVVC Participation

In Portugal, CFAE-PVVC involved eight informatics teachers, from three distinct school clusters (groups of schools under a single administration), six of whom will implement the pilot in their classes, covering grades 5 to 12.

The selected schools include:

  • Aver-O-Mar School Cluster (1 primary class + 1 secondary class)
  • Campo Aberto School Cluster (1 primary class + 1 secondary class)
  • D. Afonso Sanches School Cluster (1 primary class + 1 secondary class)

This distribution enables the testing of the pedagogical approach across different educational levels and school contexts, ensuring a comprehensive analysis of its applicability and impact.

Structure and Focus of the Training Sessions

The training sessions emphasized:

  • Teamwork and collaboration among teachers
  • Sharing of experiences and best practices
  • Analysis of learning scenarios developed by the Digital First consortium

Teachers engaged in practical and interactive activities, reflecting on both the opportunities and challenges associated with implementing the pilot in their schools. Key issues discussed included:

  • Differences in the weekly timetable distribution of the subjects involved
  • The heterogeneity of students’ digital competences
  • The need to comply with national curriculum requirements

This structured reflection enabled teachers to identify the most suitable learning scenarios for their classes and to design strategies that integrated the Digital First methodology while maintaining curricular alignment.

Next Phase of the Project in Portugal

The next phase includes the practical implementation of the pilot, data collection, and programme evaluation, which will take place between February and May 2026. The results of this phase will make it possible to refine the methodology and improve the learning scenarios, ensuring that the functional approach is applied appropriately to Portuguese school contexts and to the needs of our students.

Contributing to Educational Innovation

Erasmus+ Digital First represents a significant opportunity for teachers to:

  • Develop pedagogical and digital competences
  • Explore innovative informatics teaching methodologies
  • Participate in a European collaborative learning network
  • Prepare students for a critical, ethical, and creative use of technology

Through this initiative, CFAE-PVVC in Portugal and each Digital First partner contributes to a broader European effort to redefine digital literacy in schools, promoting a more meaningful, functional, and future-oriented approach to informatics education. For the teachers involved, the project is not only a professional development opportunity, but also a reflective process on teaching practice and on the role of informatics in students’ holistic education.

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