Organizational and Instructional Frameworks of Teacher Qualification Pathways in Italian State Universities for Secondary Education: A Comparative Analysis of In-Person and Distance Modalities

Abstract

The study examines the 60-CFU teacher qualification pathways established by the Decree of 4 August 2023 through an analysis of the organizational and instructional arrangements adopted by Italian universities. The empirical design is based on the analysis of institutional documentation related to the second cycle of the reform implementation (academic year 2024/2025), with the aim of providing a system-level overview of the solutions adopted, highlighting recurring trends, structural criticalities, and potentially transferable good practices. The analysis, conducted across 57 italian universities for a total of 45,361 activated places, focuses on the distribution between in-person and distance learning, the organization of transversal and disciplinary teaching components, and the integrative solutions adopted to strengthen the methodological and instructional framework. The contribution also examines the implications of different training modalities for teachers’ professional development, in light of neuroscientific evidence and the consolidated literature in the field.