Since March 2020, we have witnessed a movement of great power: research centres, organisations, publishers, scientific societies, groups and associations have become more engaged, creating networks to promote learning for teachers and schools through digital environments. The contribution tries to think about the digital solidarity initiatives built by Research Centre on Media Education, Innovation and Technologies (CREMIT): a series of webinars for schools, a special free issue of the magazine EaS, the challenge (#distantimaunitiperlascuola). Can we read these initiatives as a third space? The contribution tries to think about these questions, starting from the analysis of some data belonging to communication: the analytics of the social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), analysis of the posts collected in the social channels around to the initiatives promoted and analysis of the questions collected during the 13 webinars delivered.

material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

The paper focuses on the topic of e-tutoring within the context of Higher Education. The research target is a framework for e-tutor role and skills in a higher education environment. The research began with a systematic review of the scientific literature with the aim of having a vision on the scientific landscape about the approach of universities to online tutoring and on the role and skills of tutors. Subsequently, to investigate more in depth, the research had a second phase with the use of a questionnaire divided into five sections, administered to two different figures of and tutors (disciplinary tutors and online tutors) of eCampus, in one of the online Italian universities. The discussion on the results investigates how important e-tutoring is for students’ online learning, especially as regards the pedagogical, organization and pastoral dimensions.

Il lavoro si propone di delineare quali evoluzioni la figura dell'e-tutor stia attraversando nel contesto della didattica telematica alla luce dei cambiamenti che i media digitali e sociali introducono (Rivoltella, 2017; Ferrari, 2019). Resta fondamentale la dimensione comunicativa su cui tale ruolo si basa (Rivoltella, 2006), che evidenzia la necessità di competenze di moderazione online, allestimento di gestione dei gruppi e animazione di online communities.All'e-tutor, in particolare, è richiesta consapevolezza sull'attività di modellamento che svolge nei confronti dei corsisti attraverso le sue attività comunicative e didattiche (interattive ed erogative) all'interno dei corsi di laurea online: agevolando l'interazione tra i docenti e gli studenti, favorendo il corretto svolgimento e monitoraggio delle attività didattiche, supportando il corpo docente nelle attività di verifica della preparazione degli studenti, affiancando docenti e studenti nella prova finale.In questo contributo si presenta lo studio di caso svolto sul ruolo dell'e-tutor in un ateneo telematico italiano utilizzando una metodologia di analisi già validata in letteratura.

No abstract