Syllabi Analysis Report - National Report: Italy

This document presents the analysis of syllabi and the exploration of practices related to the ethical use of artificial intelligence in Italian university courses, building on the Methodological Approach outlined in Work Package 2 (WP2) of the ETH-TECH project (available on Zenodo: Methodological Approach WORKPACKAGE 2: ETH-TECH Framework). Guided by Activity Theory (Engëstrom, 1987, 2012), this WP2 activity focuses on the sampling and analysis of educational technology courses, combining text mining with qualitative methods to examine ethical content, alignment, and rationale. The process also builds on Biggs' (1996) concept of curricular alignment. This National Report presents the qualitative analysis of 77 syllabi related to educational technologies, collected from a representative sample of Italian universities. The analysis identified four main thematic areas: >Integration of Technology in Teaching: many courses emphasize the pedagogical use of digital tools, with particular focus on instructional design and teaching methodologies. >Digital Competences & Frameworks: programs often refer to established frameworks such as DigComp, highlighting the importance of developing educators’ digital skills. >Focus on Accessibility and Inclusivity: some courses explicitly address inclusive practices and accessibility through digital environments. >Domain-Specific Applications: several courses adapt technologies to specific disciplinary contexts, demonstrating the versatility of digital tools in supporting teaching and learning. The findings show that most courses prioritize the pedagogical integration of digital technologies and the development of educators’ digital competences, while issues of accessibility and inclusivity, though present, receive comparatively less systematic attention. The study provides insights into how technology-enhanced learning is currently framed in higher education programs for future educators and education professionals. Data collection complied with GDPR standards, ensuring pseudo-anonymization of sources and secure data storage.