Professional development/learning: a strategic value for initial and in-service teacher training


Abstract

Teacher training, both initial and in-service, has been a topic of focus for several years, both within institutional school and academic policies, as well as by sector associations and trade unions (Pomponi & Bocci, 2024; Pomponi, 2025a; Pomponi 2025b). Numerous legislative interventions have affected the school system at all levels (the 0-6 system, secondary school, provincial adult education centers) and the teacher recruitment and training system (an example is the reforms of the PNRR). The need to intervene through legislative measures is dictated by the complexity that characterizes the school system, exposed to continuous emergencies that impact the quality of the education and training system and require a rethinking of "approaches" and "models" that are more oriented towards inclusive policies (Booth & Ainscow, 2014; Bocci, 2021). The contribution offers reflections on how the latter, interrelated with teacher agency (Calvert, 2016a; 2016b) can open up trajectories towards professional development/learning (Ibidem) and research-training practices (Asquini, 2018) understood in terms of a strategic value capable of "managing" uncertainty.