On October 22nd, the Archivio Antico of Palazzo Bo hosted “Rethinking School in the Age of AI”, an event organised as part of the Padova Digital Week, promoted by the Department of Information Engineering and led by Prof. Emanuele Menegatti.
The event brought together voices from academia and schools to reflect on how artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming education — and how schools can navigate this transition while remaining true to their educational mission. Susanna Sancassani (Politecnico di Milano) reflected on the evolution of large language models and agentic AI and their implications for learning; Simona Michelon (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia) addressed the governance of AI in educational contexts and the need for shared ethical frameworks; Piervincenzo Di Terlizzi, headteacher and coordinator of a network of 55 schools in Friuli Venezia Giulia, presented guidelines for the responsible use of AI developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
My contribution explored how AI tools can be meaningfully integrated into classroom practice to enhance learning. The focus was on supporting teachers in developing the awareness and practical skills needed to use these tools critically and responsibly, and on fostering a participatory approach where teachers and students navigate this transition together.
What emerged from the day was a shared awareness: rethinking school in the age of AI means rethinking knowledge itself: its languages, its relationships, and the responsibilities that come with it. AI does not replace the school. It invites it to renew itself as a space for critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.
