Italy: Tutoring Online Program (TOP): A Successful Gobal Experience

The "Tutoring Online Program" (TOP), launched in Italy in 2020, is an online educational reinforcement tutoring program that offered support to high school students affected by the pandemic. The program's inaugural edition took place between April and June of 2020, engaging 1,059 participants. Over the course of its four editions from 2020 to 2023, it has impacted nearly 3,000 middle school students. The sessions, lasting between 3 to 6 hours each week, were customized to meet the unique needs of each student and facilitated by volunteer university students. The evaluation of the program through a "Randomized Controlled Trial" (RCT) showed a significant increase in academic performance (0.26 SD) and improvements in socio-emotional skills and well-being. The impacts were particularly notable among students from low socioeconomic statuses and immigrant children.