Digital platforms in educational contexts: a scoping review of uses, perceptions and attitudes among educational communities

Abstract

Digital platforms have become central to contemporary schooling, often introduced with promises of innovation, efficiency, and connectivity. However, beneath this optimistic narrative lies a complex and contested terrain. This study critically analyses how the educational community perceives and negotiates the growing platformisation of schools. To this end, a scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA protocol, with searches in the SCOPUS and Web of Science databases, initially identifying 1,693 studies. After a rigorous selection process, a final sample of 34 articles was analyzed in depth and organized into two key analytical dimensions. The review identifies two core dimensions: the practical integration of platforms and the attitudes, concerns, and positions of the educational community. While platforms are often praised for facilitating communication and personalized learning, they also introduce new forms of dependency, surveillance, and inequality. This review reveals the underlying tensions between digital enthusiasm and critical awareness within educational institutions, questioning the extent to which platformisation genuinely serves pedagogical and democratic aims.