Teachers, Teacher Education, and Professional Development
In Italy a university degree in primary school education (Scienze della formazione primaria) is a requirement for obtaining teacher qualification at the primary and preprimary levels. The degree may be completed in five years and includes 600 hours of internship, beginning in the second year of the course. Student teachers are required to write a final graduation thesis and a report on their internship in order to complete the degree and the certification requirements for teaching at the primary and preprimary levels.20
A university degree and a period of specialization and training in schools are requirements for obtaining teacher qualification at the secondary level. Tirocinio Formativo Attivo (TFA), an active training internship first implemented in 2010, presents an alternative route to obtaining teacher qualification at the secondary level. TFA programs are managed by universities in collaboration with local authorities at the regional level, and identify host schools where student teachers may complete their internship under the guidance of a school supervisor or tutor. Acceptance to TFA programs is competitive—applicants are required to pass an entrance examination, and places are limited. TFA course topics are defined at the national level and include pedagogical competencies, disciplinary contents, and active training and observation in a school under the guidance of an expert teacher tutor for approximately 400 hours. TFA programs also include an English language course (intermediate level B2) and a course in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills. TFA students must pass a final examination and submit a final written report on their training in order to obtain teacher qualification.21
A significant reform of the Italian educational system was approved in July 2015 (legge 107/15); the law anticipates the redefinition of entry requirements for the teaching profession and the elements of preservice training for secondary school teachers, the details of which will be determined in future legislation. Based on the results of a compulsory national competitive examination taken after graduation, the top tier of teaching graduates will be awarded apprenticeship contracts that last three years. The first year of the apprenticeship will comprise academic courses culminating in a teaching degree for the secondary level. The following two years will comprise paid internships for the new teachers in schools. A positive internship evaluation is required for new teachers to become secondary school teachers with the award of a national contract.22
Requirements for Ongoing Professional Development
Newly employed teachers are required to complete 50 hours of compulsory training, 20 hours of which will be conducted through an online platform that was implemented in February 2016. In addition to offering training courses, the online platform aims to create a digital environment to facilitate communication, discussion, and exchange of materials among teachers during their first year of service.23