Distance teaching in emergency has experienced alternating events, depending on the case and the many variables involved: infrastructures, individual technological equipment, previous situations of socio-cultural disadvantage and / or learning difficulties, internal coordination, ministerial indications, and - no less important - the preparation of teachers. Yet, from such a complex and, at times chaotic scenario, we believe that very important perspectives for teaching can emerge. In the immediate future, the models derived from the research will be able to facilitate the transition from a distance teaching run in an emergency to a distance teaching freely chosen and wisely adopted. In the future, these models will be able to help us to overcome the unproductive dichotomy "face-to-face teaching vs distance teaching" to aim at capitalizing, thanks to the research evidence, the wealth of experiences, resources and innovations that have emerged in recent months. This will allow us to work on new future “blended” scenarios, in which distance and presence can become components of a virtuous combination, capable of enriching the quality of university teaching as a whole.
Truth is that technology can only be fruitfully integrated in educational contexts by the means of transformed knowledge practices. Now more than ever, to reach this aim a partnership is needed between educational research and practicing teachers. Yet, this is a multifaceted problem requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Now more than ever it is necessary to rethink the role of the teacher as a designer called to plan rich and hybrid learning environments, strongly anchored to validated design principles.
Blended Learning
New methodological trends
Evaluation and assessment
Hybrid learning environment
DaD experiences and perceptions
Faculty development
Communities of Practices and Learning
Teachers Training
Action-Research
Nadia Sansone, Unitelma Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Stefano Cacciamani, University of Valle d’Aosta, Italy