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- This was one of the main conclusions reached by the Ministers of Education of Andalusia, Asturias, and Murcia, as well as other directors general of the Balearic Islands, Galicia, Madrid and Navarra, and members of the State School Council and INTEF, at a conference organized by ODILO in collaboration with AWS.
- Other issues in which they have highlighted their work include training teachers in digital skills to use them appropriately, involving families and society as a whole in the use of digital tools outside school hours, and bridging the digital divide.
Madrid, April 9, 2025 – Investment in innovation continues to be one of the primary keys to advancing towards the education of the future and promoting better learning among young people. This was shared by the ministers, regional secretaries, and directors general of education from the different autonomous communities participating in the II Conference on the Educational Challenges of Public Administrations in Educational Innovation. A meeting organized by ODILO, the Spanish edtech specialized in creating Learning Ecosystems, in collaboration with AWS, took place today at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, in Madrid.
In the words of Ainhoa Marcos, VP Education Spain at ODILO: “Education is going through a moment of transformation, driven by digitalization, AI, and the evolution of teaching methodologies. Teachers face the challenge of constantly reinventing themselves, exploring new ways of teaching, learning, and connecting with students. In this context, from ODILO, we work to strengthen the commitment to educational innovation regarding technology, access, equity, and continuous training to guarantee access to quality content to develop their full potential.”
In this regard, Lydia Espina López, Councilor for Education of the Principality of Asturias, said: “Prohibition should not be the way forward, education cannot be understood without innovation. Technology is a resource to improve learning in the educational center. Families and administrations must accompany them in this process, giving a great role to teachers to train responsibly, making education the social equalizer between young people in urban and rural areas, and being the student at the center of the educational process”.
Likewise, the Regional Minister of Education of the Principality of Asturias has stated that, instead of prohibiting their use, her team is already working on the relevant instructions to ensure a quality implementation of technology in schools. “Digital devices must continue to be a complementary resource to paper and other manipulative materials,” she concluded.
For her part, María del Carmen Castillo, Councilor for Educational Development and Vocational Training of the Regional Government of Andalusia, considers that: “Digitalization is good and contributes. In the centers we have a permanent control of how and what the devices are used for. We need the collaboration of the family, the media and society to continue promoting the appropriate use of the devices“.
In line with his counterparts, the Minister of Education and Vocational Training in the Region of Murcia, Víctor Marín, took the opportunity to present the ‘Libre’ initiative, the Educational Digitalization strategy launched in the region. As he pointed out, ‘Libre’ includes measures such as better management of the use of devices in the classroom to reduce student exposure time to screens and the active use of digital media adapted to each educational stage. In addition, he stated that technology is a necessity that cannot be turned away from and that, just as nutritional balance is sought in the school canteen, it should be done in this section. Specifically, in areas where the student plays an active role, this brings real value in learning. A challenge in which educators play a fundamental role.
During the conference, the rest of the speakers highlighted the importance of training the new society. David Cervera, Director General of Bilingualism and Quality of Education of the Community of Madrid, stated, “Not so many years ago, I used to talk on the phone to do class work. Today, new technologies play an important role in making collaborative methodologies simpler, faster and more intuitive. For this reason, it is essential to include them in young people’s learning process, and to encourage their responsible use. In addition, they are beneficial for families and teachers to communicate with each other”.
In addition, Cervera highlighted the benefits of MadRead, a platform with a comprehensive digital reading and interactive learning plan that combines face-to-face and virtual teaching, through digital content in several languages, and multi-format: “This program enriches reading on paper with other functionalities. Teachers can trace a specific learning itinerary to follow the student’s progress and add reading assignments. In addition, they encourage including students with vision problems or dyslexia with specific functions that respond to their needs. A plus point for their well-being, solving a challenge that paper cannot address, and their families.”
High participation of the Public Administration
ODILO’s Educational Innovation Day was born last year to bring together national and regional educational representatives and lead experts from the public administration and private companies to share the latest news on training, welfare, and skills needed for the future of education in the digital era in Spain.
This edition was attended by the Ministers of Education of Andalusia, Principality of Asturias and Region of Murcia, as well as other General Directors of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Xunta de Galicia, Community of Madrid and Navarra. Representatives from Aragon, the Canary Islands, Castile and Leon, Extremadura and the Government of Andorra also attended.
Andrés Ajo, Secretary General of the State School Council, has joined them, who stressed that: “Our goal is to reach agreements on current educational challenges. In digital competence, we formed working groups to discuss the role of mobiles and other technologies such as AI. Families are asking us for more information and alignment with the school on the use that young people make of these resources. The solution is to ‘educate in digital tools’. In this way, we promote the well-being of young people and ensure that they develop the necessary skills to live in a digital world”.
In addition, the meeting was attended by Julio Albalad, Director of the National Institute of Educational Technologies and Teacher Training (INTEF), and Concha Ortiz, head of the Teacher Training Area at the same organization. “It is essential that Public Administrations provide solutions to students, families, and teachers in the educational debate on digitization. That is why we must focus the debate on the use, considering that moderation makes the habit, and allow it only if it is correct and accompanied by the teacher. We must ensure that students make an appropriate use and that teachers guide the proper use of devices and technology“, said Albalad
A journey under new leadership at ODILO
“Today more than ever, we need to put technology at the service of the human, of our teachers, students, and families. A challenge for which we need dialogue, collaboration and shared vision. In this collective mission, public administrations are key. At ODILO we are very proud to accompany them on this path, betting on learning without limits, adapted to each person and that puts the best opportunities to grow within everyone’s reach”, said Sarah Harmon, recently appointed CEO of edtech.
In this new stage, Harmon will seek to reinforce ODILO’s leadership as a reference edtech in Spain and one of the leading firms in the global ecosystem. To do so, it will encourage business growth by combining an innovative platform tailored to the needs of institutions and their users and the latest training demands, with the promotion of the organization’s human capital.
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ABOUT ODILO
ODILO is a digital education company that allows any organization to create its own Learning Ecosystem, offering its users unlimited access to the world’s largest catalog of multi-format educational content, and the ability to create all kinds of learning experiences without restrictions. More than a thousand platforms have already been created, providing access to 170 million users on five continents.ODILO, the world’s largest educational ecosystem, has content agreements with more than 7,300 providers of digital educational content in all formats (courses, interactive applications, videos, podcasts, press, magazines, audiobooks, books, etc.).