Special Tracks

Organizers:

• Gabriella Casalino – University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari (Italy)
• Carla Limongelli – Roma Tre University, Rome (Italy)
• Daniele Schicchi – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto per le Tecnologie Didattiche (CNR-ITD) – (Italy)
• Davide Taibi – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto per le Tecnologie Didattiche (CNR-ITD) – (Italy)

Aim and Scopes:
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving technology with the potential to transform various sectors, including education. As such, we are pleased to announce a special track that explores the opportunities and challenges associated with Al in education. We invite researchers, educators, and practitioners to submit papers that address this topic.
This special track’s main objective is to facilitate a constructive dialogue among researchers, educators, and practitioners on the use of Al in education. We aim to identify the key challenges and opportunities associated with Al-powered learning environments, showcase innovative research and practical applications of Al in education, and develop recommendations for the responsible and effective implementation of Al in educational settings.
This special track will significantly advance knowledge and practice in Al and education.

Potential Scopes of Interest

Applications of Al in Education:

• Personalized learning systems
• Intelligent tutoring systems
• Chatbots and virtual assistants
• Automated assessment and feedback
• Content creation using generative Al
• Al-powered educational games and simulations

Opportunities of Al in Education:

• Improved learning outcomes
• Increased engagement and motivation
• Teacher support and professional development
• Accessibility and inclusivity
• Educational equity and personalized learning pathways

Challenges of Al in Education:

• Ethical considerations and potential bias in Al algorithms
• Data privacy and security concerns
• Teacher training and support
• Cost and infrastructure requirements
• The changing role of teachers in the Al-powered classroom

The Future of Al in Education:

• Emerging trends and advancements in Al technology
• Responsible development and implementation of Al in education
• The impact of Al on the future of work and the skills students need
• Long-term research directions and priorities

Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) in Education:

• The role of XAI in promoting trust and transparency in Al-powered educational tools
• Techniques for making Al models in education interpretable and understandable for students and teachers
• The impact of XAI on student learning and engagement
• Ethical considerations of XAI in educational settings

Leader Organizer:

• Prof. Andre Luis dos Santos Domingues – Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR)

Co-Organizers:

• Osmar Pedrochi Junior (UFMA)
• Diego Fogaca Carvalho (UVA)
• Hallynnee Hellenn Pires Rossetto (Unopar I Anhanguera | Pitagoras | Uniderp)

Aim and Scopes:
This special track aims to foster academic dialogue and knowledge exchange on the conceptual, theoretical, and practical dimensions of formative assessment in higher education. It seeks to highlight the role of formative assessment in enhancing student learning, promoting continuous feedback, and shaping instructional practices and policies.

• Potential Scopes of Interest:
• Conceptual and theoretical models of formative assessment in higher education
• Integration of formative and summative assessment strategies
• Feedback-centered pedagogical approaches and instructional design
• Digital tools and learning management systems for formative assessment
• Learning analytics and adaptive assessment systems
• Institutional policies supporting formative assessment
• Formative assessment in distance, hybrid, and flexible learning environments
• Cultural and contextual dimensions of assessment practices
• Student and instructor perspectives on formative assessment
• Case studies and best practices across disciplines

Leader Organizer:

• Montone Antonella – Department of Primary Education, Psychology and Communication Sciences – University of Bari Aldo Moro

Co-organizers:

• Albano Giovannina – Department of Information and Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics – University of Salerno
• Fiorentino Michele G. – Department of Primary Education, Psychology and Communication Sciences – University of Bari Aldo Moro

Aim and Scopes:
In the current socio-cultural context, the use of technology and particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI)-is reshaping the educational landscape. Students are increasingly interacting with digital tools, such as AI-based platforms, intelligent tutoring systems, and automated feedback technologies. This evolution challenges university mathematics educators to reconsider traditional teaching approaches and explore the design of hybrid learning environments that integrate AI-driven and classical educational resources.

Potential Scopes of Interest:

• Digital Mathematics Education
• e-Learning in Mathematics Teaching
• Synergy between concrete and digital resources in mathematics education
• Integration of AI in mathematics teaching and learning

Organizer:

• Nadia Carlomagno – Full Professor Paed/02, Suor Orsola Benincasa University

Aim and Scopes:
This special track proposes an interdisciplinary dialogue on the role of art and performativity in online education. It aims to explore the role of art and artistic languages in the context of online learning in higher education.
Art—understood in all its forms, from visual arts to performance, from music to creative writing—can become a powerful tool to foster engagement, connection, critical reflection, collaboration, and meaning-making in e-learning environments.
The aim is to highlight educational approaches that make the learning experience more engaging, relational, and creative, even within digital spaces.
In an era where online education is increasingly standardized and technical, this track proposes a creative reversal: can art generate new pedagogical methodologies applicable to digital learning? What are the impacts of aesthetics, storytelling, improvisation, and artistic experimentation on distance education practices?
This track welcomes theoretical contributions, case studies, design experiences, and artistic practices that integrate art and online education. It encourages a multidisciplinary perspective that spans art, pedagogy, technology, philosophy, sociology, design, and communication.
The intention is to investigate art not only as content but as a pedagogical method to build learning environments that are inclusive, human-centered, aesthetic, and participatory.

Potential Scopes of Interest:

• Art as a didactic method and pedagogical approach in online environments: the use of visual arts, performance, music, and creative writing in educational processes.
• Performativity and embodiment in distance learning: theatrical, cinematic, and choreographic approaches to enhance presence and participation.
• Aesthetic and narrative practices that support engagement, critical thinking, and emotional connection in digital learning.
• Collaborative and participatory artistic processes that promote relational learning communities and inclusion online.
• Digital platforms as creative learning spaces, including virtual studios, interactive installations, and multimedia environments.
• Case studies and design-based research on the integration of artistic languages in e-learning.
• Multidisciplinary approaches that connect art, pedagogy, philosophy, technology, design, and sociology to foster educational innovation.

Organizer:

• Annamaria Miranda – University of Salerno

Co-Organizers:

• Laura Fedeli – University of Macerata
• Natalia Sgreccia – Universidad Nacional de Rosario Argentina

Aim and Scopes:

The aim of the special track is to present insights into the use of Artificial Intelligence within the higher education context, contributing to the international debate through empirical data, systematic reviews, and/or theoretical considerations that address the emerging need for inclusive, effective, and adaptable instructional practices (Chang, et al. 2023).
Special emphasis is placed on research focused on the development of critical thinking (Walter, 2024), metacognitive skills, and self/group-directedness, exploring how AI can foster reflective learning, self-regulation, and learner autonomy (Jin et al., 2023) as well as cooperative learning.
The special track explores the transformative potential of AI in education through three distinct yet complementary dimensions:

1. Al as a design partner, supporting and guiding future schoolteachers and university faculty in their instructional design activities.
2. AI as a student or group “critical friend”, capable of evaluating students’ completed activities and providing constructive feedback for enhanced reflection.
3. AI as a student/group work participant coming into play at the end of the activity by proposing its solution to be compared with the human participants’ one and discussed by them to choose the better one developing critical thinking and assessment skills.

Potential Scopes of Interest:

• Al-powered adaptive learning platforms
• Al-assisted syllabus and course design
• Al in assessment and formative feedback
• AI tools for instructional design and strategic planning
• Accessibility, inclusivity, and personalized learning support
• Al as a cooperative working participant coming into play to be evaluated by humans and developing assessment skills in a critical discussion

Leader Organiser: Raffaele Di Fuccio – Università Telematica Pegaso
Organisers:

• Raffaele Di Fuccio
• Lia Daniela Sasanelli – Università Telematica Pegaso

Aim and Scopes: This special track explores the theories, practices and impact of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in higher education practices, A special focus of the special track is aimed at discussing the integration of the Artificial Intelligence (Al) for accessibility, focusing particularly on digital, distance and blended learning contexts. It provides a multidisciplinary forum for lecturers, researchers, instructional designers and policymakers to discuss and collaborate, sharing experiences, tools and research to promote more inclusive, flexible and personalised university learning environments. The session will encourage reflection on how the UDL framework, enhanced by Al technologies, can improve accessibility, participation and success for all university students.
A specific focus is about the pre service teacher education that represents a relevant field where Al is applied for the training of the “teachers of tomorrow”.
The track aims at encouraging an institutional culture that is committed to equity, educational innovation and valuing diversity. Particular attention will be paid to implementation strategies, university policies and the role of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in European and international higher education, as well as emerging challenges and opportunities.

Potential scopes of interest:

• Pre-service and in-service teacher education and interceptions with the digital education.
• Implementation of UDL in university courses, both face-to-face and online/blended;
• Digital tools, emerging technologies and Al solutions supporting UDL in higher education;
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of UDL and Al- driven strategies, and their impact on student outcomes;
• Training and professional development of university teachers in UDL, Al and inclusive education;
• Policy, institutional guidelines and governance for the systemic adoption of UDL and Al;
• Organisational challenges and opportunities in integrating UDL and Al into university curricula;
• Analysis of case studies, design experiences and good practices according to UDL principles, with a focus on Al integration;
• UDL and artificial intelligence: future perspectives for personalisation, accessibility, and adaptive learning.