On distance learning in Italy during the Covid-19 emergency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15503/emet2020.17.26Keywords:
Covid-19 (C-19), distance learning, emergency, Italy, school, university, human relationship, freedomAbstract
Aim. Due to the Covid-19 (briefly C-19) epidemic, since March 2020 people and institutions have needed to use digital services, i.e. a transfer to life online. This paper analyses the distance learning experiences of children, teenagers and parents during the lockdown in Italy. Reflections are then carried out on the impact of the distance learning at academic level and on the imposed distance mode.
Methods. We consider the distance learning experiences of children, youngsters and parents during the lockdown due to the C-19 epidemic in Italy, considering in particular data collected with a survey on a national sample of 1028 children and youngsters, aged
between 10 and 18 who use the Internet.
Results. Society showed unpreparedness for this drastic change, highlighting already pre-existing digital inequalities. The closure of schools has led to over 90% of children and teenagers enrolled in school worldwide to drop out of school. From March 2020 the lockdown measures have been extended to all Italian regions.
Conclusions. Italian students lost regular school days by a factor 2.5 times higher than the average of lost days among high-income world countries. Millions of children and teenagers had diffi culties in distance learning activities due to a lack of connectivity and/
or inadequate IT tools; many students stopped attending school. Distance learning can be interpreted as an unfortunate piece of this new negative social picture.
Downloads
References
aeginagreece.com. (2021). Reiner Fuellmich. Retrieved May 01, 2021, from https://www.aeginagreece.com/aegina-island/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/ Transcripttestimony-Reiner-Fuellmich-.pdf.
Arendt, H. (1973). The Origins of Totalitarianism. London: Harcourt.
Coleman, V. (2021). Covid-19 Vaccines Are Weapons of Mass Destruction - and Could Wipe out the Human Race. Retrieved May 1, 2012, from https://vernoncoleman.org/videos/covid-19-vaccines-are-weapons-mass-destruction-and-could-wipe-out-human-race.
Istat. (2020). Rapporto annuale 2020. La situazione del paese [Istat. Annual report 2020. The situation in the country]. Retrieved April 26, 2021, from https://www.istat.it/storage/rapporto-annuale/2020/Sintesi2020.pdf.
Istat. (2021). Retrieved April 28, 2021, from https://www.istat.it/.
LSE. (2018). Access and use, risks and opportunities of the internet for Italian children. Retrieved May 03, 2021, from https://www.lse.ac.uk/media-and-communications/assets/documents/research/eu-kids-online/reports/Executive-summary-Italyjune-2018.pdf.
LSE. (2020). EU Kids Online 2020: survey results from 19 countries. Retrieved May 04, 2021, from https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/103294/.
Maldondao, J. E., & De Witte, K. (2020). The effect of school closures on standardised student test outcomes. KU Leuven. Retrieved April 27, 2021, from https://feb.kuleuven.be/research/economics/ces/documents/DPS/2020/dps2017.pdf.
Mascheroni, G., Saeed, M., Valenza, M., Cino, D., Dreesen, T., Zaffaroni, L.G., Kardefelt-& Winther, D. (2021). La didattica a distanza durante l’emergenza COVID-19: l’esperienza italiana [Distance learning during the COVID-19 emergency: the Italian experience]. Firenze: Italy. Centro di Ricerca Innocenti dell’UNICEF.
McLuhan, M., Powers, B.R. (1992). The Global Village: Transformations in World Life and Media in the 21st Century (Communication and Society). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Nazioni Unite. (2021). Obiettivo 4: Fornire un’educazione di qualità, equa ed inclusiva, e opportunità di apprendimento per tutti [Objective 4: Provide a quality, equitable and
inclusive education, and learning opportunities for everyone]. Agenda 2030. Retrieved April 30, 2021, from https://unric.org/it/obiettivo-4-fornire-uneducazione-di-qualita-equa-ed-inclusiva-e-opportunita-di-apprendimento-per-tutti/.
NewScientist. (2008). Bacteria were the real killers in 1918 fl u pandemic. Retrieved May 05, 2021, from https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14458-bacteria-werethe-real-killers-in-1918-fl u-pandemic/?fbclid=IwAR1eNdUgc085dPLWs9EP9N8HkBgrT_nw1mOHS6jOzFtbLEjxg_QX_fsKrHQ.
nordicom. (2021). Digital Parenting. Retrieved May 05, 2021, from https://www.nordicom.gu.se/sv/publikationer/digital-parenting.
NutriTruth. (2021). Analysis of test sticks from surface testing in the Slovak Republic.
Retrieved May 02, 2021, from https://www.nutritruth.org//single-post/analysis-oftest-sticks-from-surface-testing-in-the-slovak-republic-confi rmation-of-genocide.
OECD. (2020). TALIS 2018 Results (Volume II): Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1787/19cf08df-en.
OECDiLibrary. (2020). Keeping the internet up and running in times of crisis. Retrieved April 28, 2021, from https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/keeping-the-internet-up-and-running-in-times-of-crisis-4017c4c9/.
Tim. (2021). Retrieved April 27, 2021, from https://www.tim.it/#.
UNICEF. (2020). What have we learnt? Findings from a survey of ministries of education
on national responses to COVID-19. Retrieved April 29, 2021, from https://data.unicef.org/resources/national-education-responses-to-covid19/.
UNESCO. (2021). Education: From disruption to recovery. Retrieved April 26, 2021, from https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse.
unimib.it. (2020). Unimib: comunicati stampa [Unimib: Press releases]. Retrieved April 29, 2021, from https://www.unimib.it/comunicati/2020?page=6.
Wall Street Italia. (2021). The Great Reset. Retrieved April 30, 2021, from https://www.wallstreetitalia.com/the-great-reset-la-teoria-dei-complottisti-sul-coronavirus/.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 PAOLO DI SIA
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
