Already in July 2021, with the pandemic not yet over, the European Council pushed the accelerator on the creation of a new educational system that put young people and their needs at the centre. Single Platformofficially inaugurated at the end of October 2023 by the Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM), is an initiative that aims to simplify access to digital services dedicated to families and students, to facilitate school-family communications and support orientation of children in the educational field.
The Single Platform integrates two main functions: on the one hand it facilitates school enrollments, allowing families to conveniently manage the entire enrollment process. On the other hand, as mentioned above, the platform actively supports thestudent orientationthanks to the introduction of new tools and the figures of the tutor teacher and the guidance teacher.
What is Piattaforma Unica in detail and what does it offer
Single Platform is organized into three key sections: Resources for orientation and talent, Information on initiatives e Innovative digital services. Per access Unicasimply connect to the official website and then complete theauthentication through the management systemdigital identity which you prefer (SPID, CIE, CNS and digital identities issued by other member states of the European Union), thus benefiting from maximum security and reliability.
Students can also access the platform via smartphone app: it is possible to download the Unica application from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store on mobile devices with iOS (version 11 and later) and Android (version 6 and later) operating systems.
The app provides the same information available through Unica’s web platform. At the time of writing, however, the Calendar functionality is not yet active and will be enabled for all students who have an assigned tutor teacher.
How the E-Portfolio works
In the private area, once the authentication procedure has been successfully completed, students and families can find theE-Portfolioi.e. the digital tool created to provide an overall picture of the school path and the progress made.
It is a tool that helps to better direct subsequent decisions course of study. In the section Tutor teacherit is for example possible to request a meeting with the tutor teacher, assigned to students attending the last three years of secondary school.
In fact, we know how crucial it is, especially in view of entering the working world of today or of a continuation of studies in an academic field, carefully weigh the skills, experiential baggage and natural inclinations of each student. With the aim of making the right choice at the right time.
Parents and those with parental responsibility for pupils can access the service for enrollment in the first year of primary or lower or lower secondary school, as well as for professional training centers of the regions that have joined the service. You can also benefit from the services that give you access to concessions specials, like the one for educational trips.
In short, the E-Portfolio allows you to follow the skills development of the student, also making available a 360-degree overview of the training experiences gained in school and outside school, with the sharing of the various certifications obtained.
Course of study
The E-Portfolio section of the Single Platform is currently divided into four areas. On the page Course of study you can find information on the school, class and field of study that the student is attending in the current school year as well as the corresponding study plan.
The platform also makes available information such as study plan followed in previous years and the outcome of the final exam of each school year, any eligibility/supplementary exams taken and school credits acquired in the last three years of secondary school.
In the second part of the page, a list of training experiences carried out in the school environment is available, divided by type.
After obtaining the diplomathe same section adds information on the qualification obtained, the overall score obtained and the details of the scores for the various exam tests.
Skills development
The section Skills development of the Single Platform has a setting which looks to Europe and the guidelines defined at central level. It allows you to view in detail the activities carried out by students, allowing teachers to monitor development and learning.
The content of this area is fed by the information recorded by the school in its information system, offering a complete and updated vision of the development of the students’ skills. The bar associated with each skill indicates the progress made.
Skills development is one of the new features introduced in the Single Platform, implemented starting from 27 March 2024. Here you can also add any extracurricular activities and certifications that are included in the student’s CV.
This last document is taken into consideration by the second cycle state exam commission when conducting the interview and is attached to the diploma obtained upon passing the exam.
The concept of Masterpiece and Self-Evaluation
Il “Masterpiece” is a product of any type that a student in the last three years of secondary school considers most representative of his progress and acquired skills.
This is a useful tool forself evaluation and theorientationwhich facilitates students’ objective analysis of skills and analytical reflection on the training path undertaken.
The section Self evaluation, however, is not yet available today but will be in the near future. However, it is an area that acts as an aid for the evaluation of the skills acquired by students, starting from the third year of lower secondary school. Here students can self-evaluate the skills acquired and include evaluative, self-evaluative and orientation reflections on your study path.