From primary to secondary school, right through to teachers: new free courses on digital citizenship and artificial intelligence are now underway
Digital identity, online safety, combating disinformation, digital wellbeing and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. These are some of the key skills at the heart of the educational programme offered by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, which provides schools with free courses leading to the award of the Digital Licence, with activities aimed at pupils and teachers across all levels of education.
The initiative is inspired by the guidelines of the Ministry of Education and Merit and the Policy Statement of the Communications Regulatory Authority (Agcom, Resolution No. 177/24/CONS), incorporating the European DigComp and DigCompEdu frameworks. The aim is to support children, teenagers and teachers in developing digital, critical and interpersonal skills through modular programmes, practical activities and resources that can also be used within the curriculum.
The courses designed for pupils can enrich citizenship education activities, whilst teacher training provides tools for designing learning experiences and addressing the opportunities and risks of emerging technologies in the classroom.
The Digital Citizenship Certificate: three courses for pupils
Primary school | First steps in digital citizenship
For Years 3, 4 and 5 of primary school, as part of the ‘Vivi Internet, al meglio’ project, supported by Google.org, there is a course comprising five one-hour online sessions, dedicated to the foundational skills of digital citizenship.
The activities cover recognising fake news and online scams, cyberbullying, respect for diversity, the protection of personal data and striking a balance between time spent online and offline. The sessions, which are practical and interactive, are accompanied by teaching sheets and supplementary materials that teachers can use in the classroom. Micro-certificates are awarded at the end of each module, and a final certificate is awarded upon completion of the course.
Schedule of sessions, from 10.00 to 11.00
- 5 November: Don’t be fooled: fake news and digital scams
- 12 November: Words that matter: cyberbullying and hate speech
- 17 November: The internet is for everyone: respect and inclusion online
- 26 November: Protect your data: privacy and security
- 2 December: Time online, life offline
Lower secondary school | Growing up with digital awareness
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The programme for girls and boys aged 11 to 14 comprises nine one-hour modules, with live activities and content available asynchronously. From managing digital identity to preventing cyberbullying and hate speech, the programme progressively explores how algorithms and platforms work, digital wellbeing, artificial intelligence and opportunities for participation via the internet. This programme also includes micro-certificates, in-depth teaching materials and a final certification.
The first four modules are available asynchronouslyGo to the FMD Academy
- Being smart online: my digital identity
- Don’t be fooled: fake news and online scams
- Words that matter: cyberbullying and hate speech
- The internet is for everyone: respect and inclusion online
Schedule of live sessions, from 11.00 to 12.00
- 4 November: Protect your data: privacy and security
- 10 November: Behind the screen: how algorithms and platforms work
- 18 November: Time online, life offline
- 25 November: AI and creativity: learning with emerging technologies
- 30 November: Active digital citizens
Upper secondary school | Skills for active citizenship
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November also marks the start of the programme for upper secondary school pupils, comprising nine online webinars designed to explore the challenges of digital citizenship, with a particular focus on individual responsibility, the ability to critically evaluate content and platforms, and an understanding of emerging technologies. The programme addresses topics such as digital identity, disinformation, cyberbullying, privacy, how algorithms work, online wellbeing and the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence. The training is led by Susanna Bulgheroni, Walter Feliciani, Claudia Campisi, Edel Beckman and Roberta Moretti.
Upper secondary school | AI Ready: four sessions to learn about and use artificial intelligence
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Alongside the Digital Citizenship Licence, AI Ready kicks off on 9 November – a series of four webinars dedicated to upper secondary school pupils, designed to explore how artificial intelligence works and to experiment with its critical, creative and responsible use. The programme, led by trainers Elisa Chierchiello and Claudia Campisi, guides classes in understanding artificial intelligence technologies, their potential applications, and their ethical and social implications. The aim is to develop greater awareness of the opportunities offered by AI, whilst at the same time training students to recognise its limitations and risks.
Interested schools may also request a session dedicated to the Personal Ecosystem Canvas (PEC), a self-assessment tool that helps pupils identify their skills, personal resources and areas for improvement, in order to set educational and professional development goals. Sessions are organised with individual schools based on the number of registrations received.
The Digital Licence for Teachers
From knowledge to teaching practice
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Teachers also play a key role in the training programme, with a Digital Licence specifically for teachers, designed to strengthen the skills needed to guide pupils in digital citizenship. The programme integrates knowledge of technologies and their impacts with lesson planning, offering tools to address issues such as online safety, disinformation, digital wellbeing and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. The activities are accompanied by resources and in-depth materials to facilitate the transfer of skills into educational practice. The Fondazione Mondo Digitale is an organisation accredited by the Ministry of Education and Merit for the training of school staff.
How to take part
All training activities are free of charge. To enrol classes on the courses designed for pupils, teachers can use the Fondazione Mondo Digitale registration platform by entering the school’s registration code, selecting the project of interest and completing the procedure with their details.
For courses dedicated to teachers and for AI Ready, information and registration details are available in the respective course descriptions. With this initiative, the Fondazione Mondo Digitale reinforces its commitment to continuous and progressive digital education, capable of supporting pupils’ development and strengthening the role of teachers. This investment in skills involves the entire school community and helps to make digital citizenship an integral part of the educational experience.
