Conference Program

Introduction

“Classi in rete” model uses digital tools (Webex and Knowledge Forum) to enable teachers and students in small schools to participate in new learning experiences and collaborate with other small and “standard” schools through shared planning and joint educational projects (Mangione et al., 2021). Designed to address the geographical and cultural isolation often affecting these schools, the model aims to promote teachers’ and students’ technological and collaborative skills. The paper focuses on the impact on teachers’ skill development, considering evidence (Kormos & Wisdom, 2023) that teachers in small and rural schools often show lower technological literacy and use technology less frequently than urban teachers.

Method

The study involved 26 participants: 18 teachers (16 females; M age = 50.06, SD = 10.79) and 8 school principals (7 females; M age = 56.88, SD = 6.94) of small schools in Liguria. Data was collected at the end of the programme through a purpose-built questionnaire with five parallel items for teachers and principals, enabling systematic cross-role comparison. The tool assessed perceived development of teachers’ collaborative (3 items) and technological (2 items) competences on a 5-point Likert scale (5 = Completely agree; 1 = Completely disagree). Given the ordinal measurement level and limited sample size, non-parametric inferential statistics were employed throughout. Between-group differences were assessed via the Mann–Whitney U test. Within-group comparisons were examined through Friedman's test; where significant effects emerged, pairwise post hoc comparisons were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Differences across the two technological competencies items were evaluated directly via the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Results

The analysis showed consistently high ratings (>3.5 on a 1–5 scale), indicating strong agreement among teachers and school leaders that participation in “Classi in rete” fostered teachers’ collaborative and technological competences. No statistically significant differences emerged between the two groups’ overall evaluations. For collaborative competences responses considered jointly revealed a significant difference (χ²(2)=10.25, p<.01): post hoc analyses showed stronger collaboration with teachers from other schools (M=4.61, SD=0.57) than with colleagues of the same school (M=4.19, SD=1.06; Z=-2.95, p<.01). For technological competences, no significant differences emerged between the use of the asynchronous (Knowledge Forum) and synchronous tool (Webex).

Discussion

“Classi in rete” can be framed within the framework of ‘extended school’ (Mangione et al., 2025) in digital space, where innovation in small schools is shaped by educational spatiality, plurality, and continuity. In this perspective, digital networking becomes a condition that expands educational action beyond geographical constraints. The evidence supports this framework: stronger teachers’ collaboration across schools than within schools suggests digitally mediated educational spatiality beyond institutional boundaries. Similar evaluations by teachers and principals indicate shared recognition of competence development (plurality), while comparable gains in synchronous and asynchronous technological competences reflect balanced collaborative practices, supporting educational continuity.