For much of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person classes in Italian schools and the universities have been substituted by didattica a distanza (DAD), or ‘distance learning’. Instead of innovation or hope, DAD seems to represent the real social struggle of Italian teenagers and students: it is often called euphemistically disagio a distanza or, ‘discomfort at a distance’.

The first wave and the limits of DAD

In the beginning, DAD was considered the only option in the emergency, ensuring a limited but still indispensable education for millions of children, teenagers and students in Italy. Both teachers and the pupils were largely convinced that it was worth it to stay safe and to limit the spread of the virus. Indeed, it was even seen as a potentially positive step in the effort to digitize the Italian educational system.