Panel I.03 — E-Education: Opportunities and Challenges of the Digitalization of Educational Contents
Convenors Valentina Goglio (University of Turin, Italy); Anna Lo Prete (University of Turin, Italy)
Keywords platform education; digital transformation; human capital; training; inclusiveness
The European Union has framed a Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027), to invest on high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education in Europe, with the aim to support the adaptation of national education and training systems to the digital age.
Digital education, which got momentum since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, offers new opportunities to disseminate materials and educational contents. New forms of online education and training programs, offered by higher education institutions on the support (digital platforms) provided by private companies, are shaping new models of provision of knowledge.
This session aims to derive insights on the inclusiveness and efficacy of e-education tools. Potentially available to everyone, every-time, and from any device, can new e-education contents reach their targets groups, and do increase the human capital of workers and citizens?
We invite submissions of empirical and theoretical contributions that analyze if e-education tools represent an effective and cost-efficient example of ‘democratizing’ access to education, and improving occupational prospects. Potential topics include (but are not limited to):
• e-education inclusiveness by users, and potential heterogeneity of access by people from different backgrounds and belonging to different groups (by age, gender, education, income level);
• effects of online and training programs on human capital accumulation and/or employment prospects and outcomes;
• role of institutions in shaping appropriate policies for workers and citizens inclusion on e-education platforms (e.g. provision of internet access and digital competence);
• technological skills for teaching in higher education;
• the role of academic credentials in the framework of the 4th Industrial Revolution, the emergence of extra-university higher education and the consequences for academic credentials;
• analyses of the role of national educational systems and State-accredited higher education institutions.