What Do Italian Students and Teachers Ask About Digital? Data and Reflections From Schools Participating in National Operational Programs

The school digitalization policies in Italy have a long course, which has provided important infrastructural investments alternating, and in some cases integrating, with investments dedicated to teacher training. Upstream of these initiatives, the scientific and cultural debate on the usefulness, relevance and effectiveness of the technologies in the classroom has continued to remain on. Within this composite framework, the contribution brings data and reflections coming from the large-scale observation of the attitudes, needs and digital practices of Italian students and teachers. The analysis is based on two surveys, carried out by INDIRE in 2018, out of 6.127 students and 1.674 Italian teachers who took part in the courses provided by the 2014-2010 PON structural funds. The results show that there is a clear ambition, among students, to learn to use the web for their social and cultural growth, and for their integration into the professional world. Respect to this, the most digitally skilled teachers are responding, working in particular on teaching access and effective use of online knowledge. However, much work still needs to be done to extend these practices to the majority of teachers, and to strengthen the link between digital behaviors and soft skills, especially for the weaker students.