Classified "A" by ANVUR in the fields 11/D1, 11/D2 Scientific in the field 14.
Abstract:
This paper examines the role of practicum and tutoring in the initial training of teachers, with particular attention to the development of professional identity and the mediation between theoretical knowledge and educational practice. By comparing the models adopted at Roma Tre University and the University of Malaga, the article highlights the centrality of the tutor–student relationship as a pedagogical and reflective device capable of supporting the development of didactic, design, and relational competences. In the Italian context, the practicum is progressively structured and regulated by national legislation, characterized by a dual system of academic and school tutoring, with a specific focus on the inclusion of students with disabilities and specific learning disorders. In the Spanish model, the practicum is conceived as an experiential and reflective space, grounded in the pedagogy of experience and in the dialogical construction of meaning. Both approaches demonstrate that the practicum, far from being a merely applicative exercise, constitutes a privileged locus for the construction of teacher identity and for the critical elaboration of one’s educational practice. Furthermore, the paper presents an ongoing qualitative study aimed at exploring students’ perceptions and expectations concerning their practicum and the relationship with tutors, with the purpose of investigating the dynamics through which professional awareness is developed and an inclusive and reflective teacher identity is built.
