Psychological Sciences and Techniques

MODULE I – Technologies Supporting Learning and Identity Development UD1 – Why Technologies in Learning This unit introduces the educational meaning of digital technologies in today’s context, going beyond the idea of mere tools. It explores their role as cultural and cognitive mediators, capable of supporting identity construction and active participation within authentic and situated learning environments. UD2 – TLA: Trialogical Learning Approach The unit explores the Trialogical Learning Approach by comparing the metaphors of transmission, construction, and participation. It analyzes the guiding principles (Design Principles) of the TLA, focusing on the collaborative production of knowledge artifacts as a way to integrate individual development and social learning processes. UD3 – Designing and Redesigning Education through DBR This unit presents Design-Based Research as a methodological framework for designing and redesigning educational interventions grounded in solid theories and observable practices. It highlights the importance of design iteration, impact assessment, and the active role of the teacher as a designer of complex and reflective learning environments. UD4 – Technologies, Identity, and Artificial Intelligence: Reflections for a Conscious Use This unit offers a guided reflection on the relationship between digital technologies, identity construction, and the development of socio-relational skills, introducing the growing impact of Artificial Intelligence in educational contexts. Through conversational activities with generative systems, students explore how AI can become a tool for supporting thinking, communication, and co-construction of knowledge, anticipating its more disciplinary and operational applications in the next module. MODULE II – Technologies for Education UD5 – Educational Technologies This unit provides a critical comparison between the digital teaching framework and that of educational technologies, highlighting their goals, tools, and pedagogical implications. Topics include classroom management through models such as BYOD, the relationship between technology, assessment, and formative feedback, and a final reflection on digital platforms as complex and relational learning environments. UD6 – Media Education and Digital Identity The unit explores Media Education as an educational field aimed at developing critical skills and active citizenship in media-rich environments. It examines the role of digital media in shaping personal and social identity, the quality of relationships, and the transformation of educational spaces, offering tools and guiding questions to bring these themes coherently into classroom practice. UD7 – Pathways and Strategies for Technology Integration This unit encourages moving beyond a merely instrumental view of technology to focus on the conditions under which it can positively influence learning. It highlights the role of learning communities and connected schools, where technologies act as catalysts for participatory and reflective processes. Strategies include, but are not limited to, critical and contextualized approaches such as edutainment. UD8 – Disciplinary Teaching and Artificial Intelligence The unit analyzes how digital environments, tools, and methodologies can support teaching across different disciplines, fostering hybrid and meaningful learning experiences. Topics include computational thinking, the design of authentic tasks, and the integration of digital tools into disciplinary practices. The unit concludes by revisiting the reflections initiated in Module I on the relationship between technologies, identity, and learning. Based on the disciplinary examples analyzed, a critical overview is offered on the potential and limitations of Artificial Intelligence in education, reaffirming the central role of the teacher as a pedagogical and cultural mediator. MODULE III – Critical Reflection on the Learning Path Module III does not introduce new content but offers a follow-up activity designed to foster critical reflection on the course journey, content, and activities. This reflection activity will be conducted through a webinar. The overall program includes synchronous teaching with direct interaction with instructors, asynchronous learning for independent study, and interactive and collaborative activities that foster active learning and cooperation among students.

In light of the learning outcomes and the content of the course “Technologies for Learning”, the prerequisites for academic success can be defined as follows: - Basic familiarity with digital technologies (e.g., web browsing, use of digital platforms, productivity tools such as Word, Canva, or Padlet). - University-level relational and communication skills, essential for effective participation in collaborative activities, forums, peer reviews, and online/offline discussions. - Ability to engage in personal and critical reflection, including in written form, to address metacognitive activities and assignments based on individual experiences. - Basic knowledge of educational or learning psychology, in order to understand references to socio-constructivist, trialogical, and socio-cultural models. - Willingness to plan and manage one’s own learning process independently, including in asynchronous and distributed contexts. - Motivation to explore the role of technologies in educational settings, both from a theoretical and practical perspective, with curiosity toward innovative tools such as generative AI.

Attendance to the proposed activities is optional, although highly recommended. Moreover, in addition to watching the video lessons, thorough study of all the assigned readings is absolutely required in order to pass the exam.

For students who participate in the interactive activities included in the course, the assessment will take into account the quality of their participation and the artifacts produced, awarding up to a total of 4 points for these components. These activities are designed to assess the students’ ability to apply and understand knowledge, make independent judgments, and demonstrate communication skills. To evaluate the knowledge acquired, a written exam will be administered at the end of the course. The exam will cover the assigned readings and course materials and will consist of: 5 multiple-choice questions (10 points), 3 sets of 5 true/false statements (6 points), and 3 open-ended questions (15 points). The total score for the exam is 31 points, to which the score obtained from the interactive activities will be added. Scores equal to or higher than 31 will receive honors (cum laude). Note: To better prepare for the open-ended questions, students are encouraged to practice by responding to the activation prompts provided before the related video lessons. The exam duration is 60 minutes.

In line with the online learning model of the Degree Program, the course is structured as a combination of synchronous and asynchronous content delivery, supported by interactive and experiential activities designed to foster active, reflective, and collaborative learning. Synchronous teaching includes live lessons, webinars, and online meetings that allow for immediate interaction between instructors and students; asynchronous teaching comprises video lectures, audiovisual materials, and documents that can be accessed at any time, promoting flexible and independent study. Finally, interactive teaching involves individual and group practical activities aimed at encouraging participation, peer cooperation, and the application of knowledge in meaningful contexts. The course content (syllabus) is organized into two thematic modules, each composed of four instructional units, followed by a third concluding module. The third module does not introduce new content but offers a space for critical reflection on the learning journey. Content delivery takes place through synchronous webinars and structured video lectures, enriched with integrated presentations and academic reading materials. Each unit includes a series of video lessons and webinars, whose number may vary depending on the type and complexity of the topics addressed. Each video lesson is preceded by an activation phase consisting of short exercises or prompting questions, designed to foster orientation, motivation, and the preliminary elaboration of knowledge. The course runs over a period of nine weeks. Each week, a new instructional unit is made available, accompanied by synchronous and asynchronous interactive activities (collaborative project work, peer feedback, exercises, and formative assessments). Materials from the previously released units remain permanently accessible, allowing students to personalize the pace and mode of their learning. The development and assessment of students’ application, comprehension, independent judgment, and communication skills are supported through a wide range of activities, including: a) educational conversations with Generative Artificial Intelligence, aimed at stimulating reflective thinking, guided reasoning, and engagement with complex content; b) collaborative construction of pedagogical scenarios inspired by the Trialogical Learning Approach (TLA), developed in small groups through guided tasks and iterative co-design phases; c) self-assessment tests with immediate formative feedback, created using a variety of Moodle tools (true/false, multiple choice, completion, matching) to support deep comprehension and self-regulated learning; d) live webinars, both plenary and in small groups, designed to complement content delivery, provide support, foster discussion, and offer opportunities to share and reflect on project outcomes; e) structured collaborative activities, guided by evaluation rubrics and clear instructions, to support group work and the creation of multimedia artifacts. Participation in these activities is optional but strongly recommended, and allows students to earn bonus points that will be added to the final exam grade, in proportion to the quality of the outcomes achieved.