Human Capital Formation and ICT: an Analysis of Educational Policies

The aim of this paper is to analyze issues related to the transformation of media environment, with a specific focus on the role of ICT in human capital formation. In fact, ICT skills are today perceived as fundamental “key competencies” in the same way as literacy and numeracy. The wide diffusion of ICT in modern life has a relevant impact on our life. Taking into consideration this phenomenon, many governments are providing schools with ICT and other infrastructures. But some questions remain unanswered: how is ICT used? For what purpose? The paper is organized as follows. In the first part it highlights the importance of ICT diffusion in developed countries. In the following parts, it turns to a detailed analysis of specific ICT education policies and projects, showing a critical review of national policy assessment and evaluation efforts, with a particular attention to the Italian case. The final section presents conclusions, which underline the changing role of teachers and students and the importance of informal education for learners and for teachers, trying to explore the links between ICT and media literacy.