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The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) on students' learning experiences and perceptions through a master’s-level course. The study specifically focused on student engagement, comfort with GenAI and ethical considerations.

The study used an action research methodology employing qualitative data collection methods, including pre- and post-course surveys, reflective assignments, class discussions and a questionnaire. The AI-Ideas, Connections, Extensions (ICE) Framework, combining the ICE Model and AI paradigms, is used to assess students' cognitive engagement with GenAI.

The study revealed that incorporating GenAI in a master’s-level instructional design course increased students' comfort with GenAI and their understanding of its ethical implications. The AI-ICE Framework demonstrated most students were at the initial engagement level, with growing awareness of GenAI’s limitations and ethical issues. Course reflections highlighted themes of improved teaching strategies, personal growth and the practical challenges of integrating GenAI responsibly.

The small sample size poses challenges to the analytical power of the findings, potentially limiting the breadth and applicability of conclusions. This constraint may affect the generalizability of the results, as the participants may not fully represent the broader population of interest. The researchers are mindful of these limitations and suggest caution in interpreting the findings, acknowledging that they may offer more exploratory insights than definitive conclusions. Future research endeavors should aim to recruit a larger cohort to validate and expand upon the initial observations, ensuring a more robust understanding.

The study is original in its integration of GenAI into a master's-level instructional design course, assessing both the practical and ethical implications of its use in education. By utilizing the AI-ICE Framework to evaluate students' cognitive engagement and employing action research methodology, the study provides insights into how GenAI influences learning experiences and perceptions. This approach bridges the gap between theoretical understanding and the real-world application of GenAI, offering actionable strategies for its responsible use in educational settings.

In this chapter, I examine the populism of the Northern League and Berlusconi. I attempt to provide an institutional explanation as to why Italy, more so than other Western European democracies, has experienced such diverse forms of populism. Stated in full, the thesis advanced is that the rise and persistence populism in Western European democracies, such as Italy, is an indication of an institutional crisis of representation.

This chapter argues that despite the proverbial claim that populism is ill-defined and has too broad a conceptual net, the literature on the subject tends to converge toward four core elements of populism that provides a conceptual and analytical unity. Furthermore, the conceptual core of populism explains why the concept has been able to encompass a wide range of populist manifestations without becoming an empty analytical shell. Also, the conceptual cores have helped provide the empirical basis that has given rise to a diverse and innovative literature that seeks to measure and compare cross-nationally populism.

The chapter analyzes the characteristics of a new political subject, the Five Star Movement, which arose in Italy in 2005 (as local civil lists), was officially constituted in 2009, and became the most voted-for party in the 2013 general election, when the country was hit by a strong surge of populism. This party was founded by the Italian comedian Beppe Grillo and launched via his Internet blog. The chapter will be divided into five parts: a brief introduction about the general context and a description of the Italian political framework and the general crisis of traditional parties, setting the scene from which the discussion will develop. Then, in Section “‘People against the Parties’: The Five Star Movement’s Populist Messages,” I will describe the global characteristics of the Five Star Movement, with an analysis of Grillo’s party communication style, especially its use of social media, its people call (with its enemies), and its mobilization strategies. In Section “Inside the Movement: The Party’s Structural Characteristics,” I will describe the party’s internal organization, in order to underline some controversial elements. In the conclusion I will hazard some hypotheses about the party’s destiny, compared to other populist examples.