This paper presents an empirical analysis that maps the short-term and middle-to-long-term responses of Italian universities to the COVID-19 crisis by focussing on teaching activities. A representative sample of eighteen public universities was analysed to evaluate how they planned their teaching activities for the 2020-21 and 2021/2022 academic…

Background: Italy was one of the first European countries to be affected by COVID-19. Due to the severity of the pandemic, the Italian government imposed a nationwide lockdown which had a great impact on the population, especially adolescents. Distance-learning, moving restrictions and pandemic-related concerns, resulted in a particularly…

This study investigated the psychological characteristics of online learning on Italian students with and without hearing loss (HL) and on their parents, who were forced into isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey collected information on socio-demographic data and opinions concerning online learning from 61 children (mean age…

This study aimed to investigate whether students' Distance Education (DE) acceptance is influenced by the same factors affecting the acceptance of new digital technology. Furthermore, we also study competencies and motivations as factors affecting DE's acceptance. The study was cross-sectional, and linear regressions tested the hypotheses. 165…

The transformation of higher education practices needs to be accompanied by the deployment of university guidance. This is especially important when activities have to be carried online and remotely. Online students expect to receive precise information to be successful learners, just as they would if they were in a face-to-face setting, but even…

Finding teaching methods that foster students' development of geometric thinking and visualization skills is still a current challenge. This study analyses the effects of the combined use of paper folding and dynamic geometry on high school students' geometric thinking and visualization skills. A quasi-experimental study pretest/post-test design…

The transition to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic uncovered criticalities in the participation of students with special educational needs. The BESt-DaD project responded to these difficulties by developing a user-friendly online platform aimed at accommodating these students' neurocognitive profiles, ultimately promoting inclusion.…

In this paper, we continue describing the project and the experimentation of "Ricerca Operativa Applicazioni Reali" (ROAR; in English, Real Applications of Operations Research), a three-year project for higher secondary schools, introduced. ROAR is composed of three teaching units, addressed to Grades 10, 11, and 12, respectively, having…

The COVID-19 lockdown affected children, especially those with autism spectrum disorder, due to the disruption in rehabilitation and educational activities. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 315 preschool-aged children, 35 of which had autism, to investigate this impact. A questionnaire was administered to explore socio-demographic status,…

The COVID-19 emergency compelled teachers to reshape their teaching approach. Teachers were able to better recognise technologies as a means of interaction and digital transformation as a driver for professional growth. The present paper addresses the Europeanisation of teacher education and professionalisation. This process, which recognises the…

In spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid shift to distance learning worldwide. Although recent research has focused on the impact that this transition had on students' education and well-being, little has been done in particular on math education and on math anxiety (MA). Since MA is believed to be linked to the teaching methods, it…

This study investigated the effect of the isolation during the lockdown period on psychological distress and well-being in a sample of professors (N=150), students (N=150) and technical administrative staff (N=150) from 3 Italian Universities, in the region of Tuscany. We administered a self-reported online questionnaire to collect…

In the context of the COVID-19 emergency, the closure of Italian schools from March 2020 has imposed the full use of distance learning, as well as a general rethinking of time, space and teaching/learning methodologies. In this study, we will introduce the outcomes of an analysis carried out on the planning of Service Learning (SL) activities that…

In this study, we address the issue of mathematics teachers' personal and professional responsiveness to changing circumstances, such as the shift in external demands made on teacher practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For investigating a such delicate issue, we take a theoretical approach, which is quite novel in the field of mathematics…

This article aimed to assess the impact of school closures in Italy on children's lives, particularly in Early Childhood Education, as a result of the COVID-19 containment measures. A set of documents published by the Italian government related to the measures to contain the COVID-19 were analyzed. Based on content analysis, three categories of…