Digital Licence, the Web-Surfing Awareness Project that Works and Looks to the Future

From the positive results of the experiment launched in 2019 to the need to increase the number of young people involved in order to provide as many Tuscan boys and girls as possible with the appropriate tools to surf the web and social networks with awareness and responsibility: the “Patentino Day” (Licence Day) held in Florence was an event where the results and future prospects of the Patentino digitale. Per l’uso consapevole del web e dei social (Digital Licence. For the conscious use of the web and social media) were discussed. The project is implemented by Corecom (Regional Committee for Communication) of Tuscany in cooperation with the Region of Tuscany, the Istituto degli Innocenti, the Postal Police and the Regional School Office, which signed a specific memorandum of understanding in 2019. The experiment yielded positive results, serving as a solid basis for expanding the participation of young Tuscans. The Patentino Day, held today in Florence at the headquarters of the Istituto degli Innocenti, was a crucial event to enable a discussion of the project by its protagonists, an analysis of the results obtained since its launch from the 2022/23 school year onwards, and planning of future direction. The project, which is currently in the large-scale dissemination phase throughout Tuscany, confirms the commitment of the promoters and institutions involved by looking towards a future in which digital awareness will increasingly become a prerogative of young Tuscan citizens.

The Digital Licence training course aims at sharing digital, legal, communication and behavioural skills necessary to navigate the web and social networks with a small but effective body of knowledge that creates awareness and responsibility. There are two training options within the project: distance learning workshops in synchronous mode for students, and short distance learning courses in asynchronous mode for teachers. Both types of activities take place exclusively on the distance learning platform https://patentinodigitale.istitutodegliinnocenti.it/.

The Digital Licence in Schools: Tuscany for Digital Skills

Thanks to the Digital Licence project, students take part in a training course at the end of which they are issued with a genuine “Aware Web Surfer” licence. In 2019, the project was piloted in three schools in Tuscany (Figline Valdarno, Scarperia and San Casciano Val di Pesa). In 2020, a second trial of the revised pathway was carried out in three other schools (Chianciano Terme, Follonica and Cavriglia). Because of the pandemic, the trial was held remotely. Since the 2022-2023 school year, the project has become a fully-fledged project and is delivered via a distance learning platform with the ultimate aim of large-scale dissemination in the region. In the 2022-2023 school year, 25 student tracks were implemented in six schools in Tuscany with a total of 571 students involved. The Licence is for students in the first classes of secondary schools and teachers in all primary and secondary schools. The aim is to improve digital literacy, skills and inclusion. In the next edition of the Digital Licence, the aim is to involve more schools and thus more students.

Structure of the training course, from questionnaire to licence

The training is characterised by video conference meetings led by a trainer who also involve parents and teachers. During the first meeting, students are asked to fill in a questionnaire on their Internet use habits in order to take a snapshot of their behaviour and knowledge on the topics. Then the actual training course begins, with ten lessons lasting about an hour, ending with a learning quiz on the topics covered. At the end of the lessons and once they have passed all the quizzes, the students obtain their digital licence. Two months after the conclusion of the course, a meeting is held with the students to complete a follow-up questionnaire. During meetings with students, a teacher from the class is also always present and connected.

The macro-topics that were addressed are:

- Knowing how to communicate and online dialogue - 3 lessons            

- Digital identity and privacy - 1 lesson                                                   

- Risks in online interactions - 2 lessons                                                  

- Liability and cybercrime - 1 lesson                                                        

- Games and e-commerce - 1 lesson                                                         

- Security - 2 lessons

The course starts at the request of schools wishing to join the project with one or more classes, indicating a contact teacher. Schools interested in taking part in the courses can express their interest by writing to info.patentinodigitale@istitutodeglinnocenti.it

The online platform of the Digital Licence also has a section for teachers, with four free courses of 5 hours each recognised by the Ministry of Education and Merit (via the S.OF.I.A. platform), on the topics of the Digital Licence. Each teacher can log in regardless of whether his or her class or school participates in the project. Each course is subdivided into asynchronous teaching units with videos, materials for further studies and learning evaluation tests. Courses can be followed at times and in ways chosen by the teacher. To register, use this link.