DIgital Literature Educational Competences for Teachers: Intercultural iNclusive Good-practices for Second-language learning

DILECTINGS was developed to address the growing need for digital literacy in foreign/second-language teaching within European schools. The project responds to the lack of pedagogical resources for Digital Literature Literacy (DLL) and Literature Digital Reading (LDR), particularly in multilingual and intercultural settings. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgency for teachers to develop digital competencies to create inclusive, engaging learning environments. Digital literature, an interactive narrative form across various media, remains underexplored in research, necessitating a systematic overview of its impact on reading practices. Aligned with European educational policies, DILECTINGS aims to equip teachers and students with tools to enhance digital reading skills, foster intercultural understanding, and strengthen ICT competencies. By addressing the evolving reader-text relationship, the project supports the pedagogy of reading in multilingual contexts, promoting accessibility and inclusion.

DILECTINGS aims to enhance and expand Digital Literature Literacy (DLL) and Literature Digital Reading (LDR) skills in European schools by developing, assessing, and sharing digital competencies among educators and students. The project seeks to establish sustainable infrastructure, resources, and guidelines to support DLL and LDR, fostering ICT skills alongside reading, language, and cultural competencies. By strengthening these skills at the primary and lower-secondary levels, DILECTINGS also aims to facilitate a smoother transition between educational cycles, ensuring students and teachers are equipped for the evolving digital learning landscape. In concrete, the project achieved to: • Develop an innovative pedagogical framework for digital literature literacy. • Create a European online learning platform for DLL and LDR skills. • Train in-service teachers through pilot programs and workshops. • Design a smart toolkit for assessment and implementation of digital literature. • Publish an eBook with pedagogical guidelines for schools.

The project involved multiple TPMs, training activities and research phases. Consortium members collaborated online and in-person, ensuring effective progress and quality assurance. Key activities implemented are: 1. Pedagogic Framework of DLL best practices, leading to the drafting of Guide Lines possibly integrating DIGICOMP and the European platforms for teachers and schools, e.g. eTwinning/ESEP. 2. Moodle-based DLL/LDR Teaching platform creation (https://dilectings.uniroma3.it/) for achievement, assessment and exchange of DL Skills and competences, acting as a hub connecting teachers, pupils and schools involved. The platform, particularly usable in mobility and on mobile devices through the automatic adaptation of the graphical and textual elements, is offered open-access (registration requested). 3. Development of an innovative Smart Toolkit to enhance achievement, assessment and exchange of DLL and LDR Skills (i.e. a CANVAS, an assessment grid, a materials evaluation grid), integrated into the DILECTINGS platform and left at the disposal of pre/in-service teachers. 4. Intercultural awareness and inclusion promotion in schools, educators and students enhancing shared experiences and cooperation on DLL and DR projects.

The main results of the project are: - PR1: A Conceptual Framework for achievement, assessment and exchange of DLL and LDR Skills. - PR2: A European DLL Platform hosting online training modules for the training of teachers, a space for interactive intercultural digital activities to enhance Story reading, digital reading, story digital writing.The platform, hosted by Roma Tre, aims to function as a Hub, a central reference point for DLL and LDR in Europe beyond the project's duration. - PR3: A training activity was provided to the teachers of the schools involved, so as to cater them with the necessary competences to translate the contents of the modules into their teaching practice, and serve as an assessment/feedback for the toolkit’s usability and effectiveness. The training resuted in the development of an eTwinning project among the 4 partner schools, awarded the National and European eTwinning award in two countries. - PR4: Implementation of a Smart Toolkit supporting learning, assessment and exchange of DLL and LDR skills for teachers - PR5: e-book guidelines for teachers/schools for achievement, assessment and exchange of DLL and LDR Skills, also helping define what areas they need support in.