The Small and Rural School Italian Network for Digital Technologies Flourishing in “Non Standard” Educational Context

Abstract

The topic of small and rural schools offers numerous investigative perspectives within educational research. Digital technologies hold significant potential for “non-standard” educational contexts, driving the need to reconsider the structure of schools based on regional partnerships. After summarizing key international studies that have identified the challenges of using technology in rural educational settings, this paper adopts a phenomenological approach, based on narratives of exemplary cases, to present a diachronic analysis (before, during, and after the pandemic) and exemplify disruptive use of technologies in small schools. The Italian Network of Small Schools promoted by INDIRE has supported numerous transformative scenarios that extend the use of technologies beyond the emergency period and guide small schools into a future where also AI can helps solidify their role as centers of democratic values and quality education.