Students interview Luca Scalzullo, winner of the 2021 Tullio De Mauro Award for innovative teaching
“There’s no need to teach how artificial intelligence works, but rather how to think with artificial intelligence.” This is one of the most significant quotes from the interview with Luca Scalzullo, a technology teacher at the Rita Levi Montalcini Comprehensive School in Salerno, conducted by students from the TG Tasso editorial team and published in Il Punto Quotidiano, in the Alboscuole section.
The meeting, which took place on 23 October, offered the young journalists the opportunity to explore some of the most topical issues relating to artificial intelligence: the relationship between humans and machines, the autonomy of thought, responsibility in the use of technology, and the role of schools.
Scalzullo, a chemical engineer and programmer with experience in university research, explained how AI is also transforming his day-to-day work. “Artificial intelligence has led to a staggering acceleration of processes, but paradoxically it has allowed me to slow down. The time saved on repetitive tasks frees me up to personalise teaching and provide better support for students.”
The conversation also touches on cinema and science, from Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein to quantum entanglement, to reflect on the relationships between technology, knowledge and responsibility. The message that emerges from the interview is, above all, educational: learning to verify information, ask questions, practise critical thinking and keep curiosity alive.
An innovative teacher honoured in 2021
In the article, the students also recall a significant accolade in their interviewee’s career. In December 2021, during the tenth edition of the Global Junior Challenge, organised by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, Luca Scalzullo received the Tullio De Mauro Special Award for Innovative Teachers, presented by Silvana Ferreri De Mauro [see the news item The Innovative Teacher].
The citation for the award highlighted an educational approach based on ‘creativity, critical thinking, social skills and empathy’, recognising the teacher’s ability to ensure educational and relational continuity during the health emergency. Tutorials accessible via smartphone, online lessons, science stories and virtual meetings had made it possible to keep the relationship with pupils and families alive, even during the most difficult months of the pandemic.
Five years on, discussions with the young editors reveal the continuity of that educational vision. The tools and technological challenges may change, but the focus on students’ development, the quality of relationships and the ability to use knowledge independently and responsibly remains central.
