Parent’s Day with Vivi Internet, at its best: Nicoletta Vulpetti’s account
There is a school, in the heart of the Esquilino district, that never really closes its doors. The Di Donato school, part of the Daniele Manin comprehensive school, keeps its doors open until ten o’clock in the evening, with activities for children and adults that make it more than just a school: a public square, a focal point for a neighbourhood in need of such a place. The families that gravitate towards it come from forty-five different countries, and the diversity of languages and cultures—which might seem like an obstacle—has, over time, become the hallmark of the place.
It is here that Vivi Internet, al meglio held its first Parents’ Day (21 May).
We were invited by Francesca, from the Di Donato School Parents’ Association. Her aim was clear: to provide training that put families – and parents first and foremost – at the centre, and that would help them guide their children towards a more informed use of digital technology. Parents’ Day was created precisely in this spirit: two hours in which adults and children think together about how to navigate the online world, to build, by the end of the series of sessions, a shared digital pact. Commitments written in the first person, to be brought into the family relationship [see the news item Parents’ Day to build trust].
In a school where many families come from far away and bring different languages with them, the workshop found its tool in the only truly universal language: drawing. Paper and felt-tip pens that allow everyone to be in the same space, to contribute and to be understood.
We started with two simple things. Passwords are like house keys: if you leave them under the doormat, sooner or later someone will find them. And the information we scatter online is like Pollicino’s breadcrumbs, trails that anyone wishing to take over our digital identity can follow right to the end.
Then we handed over to the workshop. Young and old worked side by side to imagine an object of the future capable of solving the privacy issues we had just discussed. The result is in the drawings, which are the outcome of a truly collaborative effort. It was the parents who came up with the Talking Advisor – a puppet to keep on your desk that tells you the right thing to do when you need it – and the Digital Bottle, a container in which to hide the data we don’t want anyone to see. It was a mum who devised the Digital Shield, which blocks external attacks and traps those who try to steal our data through deception. The children drew a Digital Card that works like a travel card: you access services without having to remember dozens of passwords. And then there were some of the younger children who built a password piece by piece, adding an element each time to make it stronger: numbers, letters, capital letters, special characters.
In the end, Massimiliano, aged eight, said exactly what we’d hoped for: “Now I’m going to tell my mum that my date of birth isn’t suitable for all her passwords.”
When you visit a school, you never know which seed will take root. This time, we already know one.
School as a community: a conversation with Francesca Valenza
Francesca, can you explain how the “open school” model actually works at Di Donato?
It’s an extremely interesting experiment. In the afternoons and on public holidays, part of the school is run directly by the Parents’ Association together with pupils and former pupils. We take care of security and cleaning the premises, but above all we bring these spaces to life with a wide range of educational activities: from language learning to sport. In a context of high migration, the schoolyard becomes a vital way to come together, learn to live together and build a community.
Why did you feel the need to run a workshop dedicated to the use of mobile phones and digital technology?
The reason stems from direct observation: we see very young children, as young as four or even in pushchairs, who already have mobile phones in their hands. As an association, we wondered how aware they are of how they handle this vast amount of information. We are torn between concern and curiosity, and we thought it was important to propose an educational challenge on these issues.
What is your objective with regard to families?
The key word is trust. We want to go beyond the traditional relationship between school and family to try and truly collaborate. The internet and social media, if well managed, can be exceptional tools for the community, but training is needed. Our aim is to offer a programme that helps parents, especially those who are more vulnerable and have not had many opportunities for education, to understand today’s world and to turn digital tools into a resource rather than a danger.
What are the main risks you foresee for children browsing the internet without guidance?
My fear is that, if they are ‘navigating by sight in uncharted waters’, children may access information that is distorted or harmful to their well-being – content for which they are not yet ready. This is why it is important that this afternoon session is also dedicated to parents: I myself have grown alongside my children at this school, which has been an opportunity for continuous learning for me.
