School textbooks have always been a cornerstone of education and learning, serving as a fundamental resource for the transmission of knowledge. In recent years, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an acceleration in the digitalization of education, leading to a growing familiarity with digital technologies, particularly among young people. These digital natives can now navigate the digital landscape with ease, opening up new possibilities for rethinking traditional methods of accessing educational content, which, as we will see, no longer align with their needs. In the academic sphere, the replacement of physical textbooks with digital formats is becoming increasingly widespread due to budget constraints, accessibility, and convenience. However, in Italian secondary schools, printed books still dominate, with only a marginal integration of digital tools. This raises the question: is it possible to favour the adoption of digital school textbooks over paper ones and what is the role of the designer in this process? The use of printed textbooks has a significant impact on various fronts. This research will analyze the economic burden on families who must cover the annual costs of schoolbooks, as well as the environmental impact, including an ecological footprint analysis conducted by the AWARE group of the Politecnico di Milano, to assess the sustainability of both formats. The study aims to explore and develop a digital solution that not only addresses these challenges but also enhances the overall learning experience. Through an analysis in the field of cognitive studies, we will examine recent research showing that digital learning can yield positive results when the reading experience is properly designed. A well-structured digital interface can improve students’ concentration and engagement. Consequently, the research will explore how digital platforms can motivate and facilitate learning through appropriate design strategies. The design of digital educational materials represents a complex challenge that involves disciplines such as interaction design, usability, user experience (UX), user interface (UI) design, accessibility, and human cognition. The study will examine how digital tools can enhance motivation and ease the learning process by leveraging design techniques that optimize human-computer interaction. The implementation of guidelines for designing educational interfaces based on accessibility and user experience principles will be a key focus. Additionally, the research will analyze the role of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR) in personalizing learning paths and overcoming cognitive and educational barriers. The goal of this research is to assess the current state of digital education concerning technological, social, and cognitive aspects, in order to outline a pathway for the effective integration of digital textbooks into the Italian educational system.
I testi scolastici rappresentano da sempre un elemento cardine nell’istruzione e nell’apprendimento, costituendo una risorsa fondamentale per la trasmissione della conoscenza. Negli ultimi anni, specialmente a seguito della pandemia (COVID-19), si è assistito a un’accelerazione nel processo di digitalizzazione dell’istruzione, che ha portato a un progressivo aumento della familiarità nell’utilizzo delle tecnologie digitali. Questi sono ormai in grado di navigare con facilità in un contesto digitale, aprendo nuove possibilità per ripensare i metodi tradizionali di fruizione dei contenuti scolastici, il quale vedremo, non rispecchia più le necessità dei nativi digitali. In ambito accademico, la sostituzione di testi fisici con l’uso di supporti digitali è sempre più diffuso per motivi di budget, accessibilità e praticità. Tuttavia, nelle scuole secondarie italiane, i libri cartacei continuano a predominare, con un’integrazione marginale di strumenti digitali. Sorge quindi la domanda: È possibile favorire l’adozione dei testi scolastici digitali rispetto a quelli cartacei e qual’è il ruolo del designer in questo processo? L’utilizzo di testi cartacei comporta un impatto significativo su diversi fronti, la ricerca analizzera: l’impatto economico sulle famiglie che devono sostenere i costi annuali per l’acquisto dei libri scolastici ed ecologico includendo un’analisi dell’impronta ecologica condotta dal gruppo AWARE del Politecnico di Milano, al fine di valutare la sostenibilità ambientale di entrambi i formati. La ricerca intende esplorare e approfondire una soluzione digitale che non solo affronti queste sfide, ma migliori in parte anche l’esperienza didattica. Attraverso un analisi nella sfera degli studi cognitivi, vedremo come studi recenti dimostrano che l’utilizzo del digitale riporta riscontri positivi se vi è un’adeguata progettazione dell’esperienza di lettura digitale, la quale può migliorare la concentrazione e il coinvolgimento degli studenti. Verranno quindi esplorate le potenzialità del digitale nel motivare e facilitare lo studio, attraverso una progettazioen adeguata. La progettazione di materiali educativi digitali rappresenta una sfida complessa che coinvolge discipline come il design dell’interazione, l’usabilità, esperienza utente e interfacci autente, l’accessibilità e la cognizione umana. Verranno quindi esplorate le potenzialità del digitale nel motivare e facilitare lo studio, attraverso tecniche di design che ottimizzano l’interazione uomo-macchina. L’implementazione di linee guida per la progettazione di interfacce educative, basate su principi di accessibilità e user experience (UX), sarà oggetto di approfondimento. Inoltre, verrà analizzato il ruolo delle tecnologie emergenti, come l’Intelligenza Artificiale, la Realtà Aumentata (AR) e la Realtà Virtuale (VR), nel personalizzare i percorsi di apprendimento e abbattere barriere cognitive e didattiche. L’obiettivo della ricerca è quello di analizzare lo stato attuale della didattica digitale in relazione agli aspetti tecnologici, sociali e cognitivi, al fine di tracciare un percorso per l’introduzione efficace dei testi scolastici digitali nel sistema educativo italiano.
Nuvole nello zaino : ’eTextbook e la rivoluzione digitale
Foresta, Sofia
2023/2024
Abstract
School textbooks have always been a cornerstone of education and learning, serving as a fundamental resource for the transmission of knowledge. In recent years, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an acceleration in the digitalization of education, leading to a growing familiarity with digital technologies, particularly among young people. These digital natives can now navigate the digital landscape with ease, opening up new possibilities for rethinking traditional methods of accessing educational content, which, as we will see, no longer align with their needs. In the academic sphere, the replacement of physical textbooks with digital formats is becoming increasingly widespread due to budget constraints, accessibility, and convenience. However, in Italian secondary schools, printed books still dominate, with only a marginal integration of digital tools. This raises the question: is it possible to favour the adoption of digital school textbooks over paper ones and what is the role of the designer in this process? The use of printed textbooks has a significant impact on various fronts. This research will analyze the economic burden on families who must cover the annual costs of schoolbooks, as well as the environmental impact, including an ecological footprint analysis conducted by the AWARE group of the Politecnico di Milano, to assess the sustainability of both formats. The study aims to explore and develop a digital solution that not only addresses these challenges but also enhances the overall learning experience. Through an analysis in the field of cognitive studies, we will examine recent research showing that digital learning can yield positive results when the reading experience is properly designed. A well-structured digital interface can improve students’ concentration and engagement. Consequently, the research will explore how digital platforms can motivate and facilitate learning through appropriate design strategies. The design of digital educational materials represents a complex challenge that involves disciplines such as interaction design, usability, user experience (UX), user interface (UI) design, accessibility, and human cognition. The study will examine how digital tools can enhance motivation and ease the learning process by leveraging design techniques that optimize human-computer interaction. The implementation of guidelines for designing educational interfaces based on accessibility and user experience principles will be a key focus. Additionally, the research will analyze the role of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR) in personalizing learning paths and overcoming cognitive and educational barriers. The goal of this research is to assess the current state of digital education concerning technological, social, and cognitive aspects, in order to outline a pathway for the effective integration of digital textbooks into the Italian educational system.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/235371