When the early childhood sector found itself under intense public scrutiny with media reports sparking widespread concern and families feeling understandably anxious, one early learning service in Melbourne chose to see an opportunity for practice evolution. They took a bold step: they went tech-free.
iPads were packed away and replaced with clipboards. Communication with families shifted back to phone conversations and face-to-face dialogue.
For the team at Nido Early School Blackburn, this wasn’t an anti-technology stance. It was a deliberate pause, a way to restore a sense of connection and calm at a time when the sector felt shaken and educators were carrying immense emotional load.
What emerged, however, was something far more profound than expected.
Removing the iPads didn’t just reduce stress. It reshaped relationships.
Connections with children deepened. Families engaged differently. Educators found themselves reconnecting with the heart of their pedagogy- presence, attunement, and genuine human interaction.
Here are some of the powerful reflections captured by our facilitator, Linda:
- “The connections with children are better – we have time for them.”
- “I used to sit with the children, sure, but my mind was always on other tasks.”
- “I feel so free – I’m not worried about covering all children with photos every day. Those photos weren’t even meaningful.”
- “We had two hours of anchored, connected play in the monkey treehouse. Two hours! It was wonderful.”
- “It upsets me when I have to ask children to wait so I can finish an iPad task. That’s not what I’m here for.”
The initial two week trial extended to a month long technology break. It became a window into what is possible when documentation is driven by connection, not checklists.
Of course, the transition wasn’t without challenges. Legislative requirements mean records must still be kept, and switching from digital to paper raised questions about time, sustainability, and practicality. The team also engaged families in meaningful partnerships, using corridor conversations, check-ins, and reflective dialogue to understand what information families actually valued and why.
Six months later, the team at Nido Blackburn have settled into a more balanced approach. Technology hasn’t disappeared, it has simply taken its rightful place as a tool rather than a taskmaster. Documentation is now slower, more intentional, and anchored in professional judgement. Rather than weekly reflections or daily snapshots, the focus is now on meaningful individual updates and family communication that is personal, timely, and connected to each child’s learning.
Other impactful reflections Nido Blackburn are keen to share with our sector include:
- Stepping away from daily photo-sharing has allowed us to return to more authentic, relationship-based pedagogy. Educators are more emotionally available and genuinely with the children.
- The pressure to “capture everything” has been replaced with deeper engagement and more sustained play.
- We've noticed stronger team collaboration. Educators are more reflective in real time, sharing insights with each other instead of documenting for documentation’s sake.
- Families have responded positively to the change. They are receiving more meaningful updates that reflect their child’s unique learning, rather than broad overviews or checklists, and as a result, are engaging and interacting more with the documentation.
- It’s been liberating for educators to move away from quantity and focus instead on quality, presence, and professional judgement.
Why quality services are moving away from digital routine documentation
When digital documentation first emerged, it felt liberating. Those who remember the early 2000s shift to digital cameras celebrated the ability to quickly share a few meaningful moments with families.
Fast-forward to 2025 and that simplicity has been replaced by something far more demanding. What began as an enhancement has, in many services, become an overwhelming expectation – one that burdens educators and pulls them away from relationships.
Parents now receive constant updates:
- When their child last ate, and how much
- When they slept, and for how long
- Precisely what exited their body, and its consistency
- A flood of photos
- A daily wrap-up
- A record of every child’s participation in the program
Many sector leaders agree that the pendulum has swung too far.
Himal Randeniya explains it simply:
“When ‘eat, poop, sleep’ is the communication we’re having with families, it’s also the value we project about what we do.”
Alongside this sits a new challenge emerging from parenting research: phubbing – the act of ignoring someone in favour of a device. Sandi Phoenix highlights the concern:
“This is happening in early learning settings when educators are stressed trying to log information and a child is seeking connection. Educators are doing the best they can – under increasingly demanding situations - with the skills and time they’ve got but when an iPad comes before a child, that moment of atunement is lost. When deep atunement is essential for learning and wellbeing, this becomes a real concern.”
The intention behind documentation has always been good. But the volume and pace now expected in many digital systems can inadvertently work against the very outcomes the NQF prioritises – meaningful relationships, responsive pedagogy, and educator wellbeing.
The solution isn’t to abandon technology.
It’s to rebalance.
A middle ground is emerging where digital tools support families to feel informed, while educators retain the space to prioritise attunement, connection, and high quality pedagogy. This approach not only respects legislative requirements, it ensures documentation practices are ecologically and socially sustainable.
Watch the Mana panel discussion
Why quality ECE services are moving away from digital routine documentation
Does recording every moment on a screen truly support children’s development, or is it drawing educators away from meaningful presence?
In this virtual conversation, Nesha Hutchinson, Jae Fraser, Sandi Phoenix, and Himal Randeniya unpack why many high-quality services are reducing routine digital documentation. You’ll hear how this shift is improving educator wellbeing, strengthening relational pedagogy, and helping families engage in more thoughtful, connected ways.
👉 Watch here: https://youtu.be/AWpRXtwUeW4?si=-KselhJh6YgkWcx8
Author: Linda Price