“Technology certainly develops at a very rapid rate, and for those of us who are not digital natives, it’s not always easy to follow, unless we need to take advantage of it. In this context, distance learning was a great stimulus to learn more about all its advantages and keep up to date. The lockdown forced us to use technology for a series of activities and this made us all more dependent on the web, but also better at using it.”
Maria Alberta Cambi teaches at the Istituto Comprensivo Cecco Angiolieri in Siena. In a short interview, she tells us about her experience with the educational sessions organised by Be Internet Awesome, the educational programme on on-line security promoted with Google, the Italian Postal Police and Altroconsumo.
“I believe that whoever works with young men and women, and therefore teachers, too, must understand their reference digital world in order to better understand, interact and raise their interests to face issues that can derive from an erroneous use of new technology.”
“Participating in Project Be Internet Awesome, I appreciated the practical webinar approach that provided clear indications for the solution of concrete problems in current didactic activities, presenting a wide range of cases. I also learned about tools and techniques that were recommended for a more critical approach to the information that can be found on-line.”
How does technology affect the relation between teachers and students? According to Prof. Maria Alberta, “technology allows for an immediate and rapid interaction amongst teachers and students, even at an individual level. Students and teachers, for example, can use digital class channels to communicate in real time. However, it is indispensable to establish clear rules and limits, to avoid a use of these tools at school that could be damaging to the dignity of individuals and the school itself.”
Does new technology integrate well with didactic activities in class? Are there any critical issues? “The greatest difficulty that I faced was trying to manage students’ use of their smartphones during field trips and other events,” explains the teacher. “Moreover, the same was true for tablets and the Internet, in relation to the activities that were supposed to be being performed.”
