Partner: University of Florence
The University of Florence (UniFi) is an Italian public research university located in Florence, Italy. It is an important and influential centre for research and higher training in Italy, with 1,800 lecturers and internal research staff, 1,600 technical and administrative staff, and over 1,600 research assistants and doctoral students. It offers a wide range of study programmes at various levels and in all areas of knowledge. 126 Degree courses, organised in 10 Schools, with a population of about 51,000 enrolled students, 1/4 of which come from outside of Tuscany. There are over 9,000 degrees awarded each year in Florence. UniFi has a natural international vocation and the development of internationalization is one of its strategic priorities. It is one of the largest and most productive public research systems in Italy thanks to the number of researchers working in a wide range of disciplinary fields, and to an intensive participation in research programmes of national and international relevance and to the significant scientific results achieved. External funds support the research and knowledge transfer activities. This qualifies UniFi as a modern research university and accounts for its excellent position in national and world rankings.
The Department of Education, Languages, Interculture, Literatures and Psychology (FORLILPSI) at UniFi is made up of about 50 scholars, including full and associate professors, assistant professors and researchers. In terms of research and knowledge production, particular interest is placed on individual, relational, social and environmental wellbeing; on building social, health and educational services based on cultural, legal and scientific evidence, and the emerging needs of civil society; on developing innovative approaches to teaching and learning with a particular focus on the use of digital media and the promotion of media and digital literacy; on supporting research and training in intercultural contexts to promote equity, social inclusion and democratic citizenship.
Why are we interested in 360 video?
The University of Florence is interested in the educational opportunities afforded by cutting-edge 360 video technologies for both scholars and learners. The 360 videos have the potential to impact teaching, learning and research by providing more efficient, flexible and immersive experiences. Team and Digital Champion involved in the study of the SEPA 360 project demonstrate and promote the best way to use 360 videos in the various disciplines, from archeology to engineering, from agriculture to medicine.
Team Members: SEPA 360 Erasmus + project
Maria Ranieri, PhD in “Telematics and Information Society”, is an Associate Professor in Educational Technology (M-PED / 03) at Department of Education, Languages, Interculture, Literatures and Psychology (FORLILPSI) at the University of Florence. She is the Director of the “Educational Technology Laboratory” (http://www.lte.unifi.it) at UniFi and of the post graduate Masters Programme in “The new digital competences: open education, social and mobile learning”. Her main research areas include theory and methodology relating to media and technology in education, as well as work around teachers’ practices and students’ learning. On these topics she has published more than a hundred papers and ten books, and has coordinated several European projects.
Research interests
Educational technologies, Media education, Teacher training, Digital scholarship
Contact: maria.ranieri@unifi.it
Francesca Pezzati, Graduated in Mathematics with a Master in “The new digital competences: open education, social and mobile learning”, she is responsible for the E-Learning and Computer Training Unit of the University of Florence, and is responsible, together with her staff, for the IT management of UNIFI Moodle platforms and coordination of all technical activities related to eLearning
Research interests
Educational technologies, IT management, eLearning
Contact: francesca.pezzati@unifi.it
Stefano Cuomo, graduated with honors in Electronic Engineering from the University of Florence, he obtained the PhD in Environmental Engineering. His curriculum has constantly alternated academic and entrepreneurial research. Professionally he has focused his activities in the sector of innovation – technological and non – for companies and research institutions. For more than twenty years he has been Project Manager and Coordinator in numerous research projects funded by both the European Commission and national funds. Since 2013 he collaborates permanently with the Department of Education, Languages, Interculture, Literatures and Psychology (FORLILPSI) in writing and management of research projects.
Research interests
Impact evaluation, technological and social innovation, new technologies in teaching and communication.
Contact: cuomo.stefano@gmail.com
Isabella Bruni, is a researcher, trainer and Media Educator, currently working at the University of Florence as instructional designer and coach in the professional development project DIDeL – Didactics in eLearning. For over 10 years she has been designing, implementing and conducting educational activities online and offline with students of all grades, future teachers and in-service teachers on media and digital literacy and on the affordances of technologies for teaching and learning. At the same time, she carried out researches on the same areas. She is a member of MED – Italian Association for Media and Communication Education.
Research interests
Media education, E-learning, Mobile learning
Contact: isabella.bruni@unifi.it
Damiana Luzzi, PhD in “Text Sciences” – Literature, visual culture and communication, she is a research fellow at the Department of Education, Languages, Interculture, Literatures and Psychology (FORLILPSI) at the University of Florence, and Adjunct professor of Computer Science at the University of Bologna. For the past 20 years, she has been involved in university, business and professional education. She designs courses and innovative teaching strategies using gamification, simulation, virtual and augmented reality. She analyzes, evaluates and proposes methodologies, tools and applications to optimize work flow, communication, learning, collaboration and the availability of information and knowledge.
Research interests
New technologies in teaching and communication, E-learning, Mobile learning
Contact: damiana.luzzi@unifi.it