The Theory–Practice Gap in the Construction of Teacher Professionalism: Teachers’ Perceptions of the New Qualification Pathways

Abstract

The article presents the results of an exploratory qualitative study on the perceptions of teachers who participated in the new qualification pathways for secondary school teachers introduced by the DPCM of 4 August 2023. Focusing on the gap between theory and practice in teacher education, the contribution analyses how participants interpret the training effectiveness of the pathways, the role of the internship, and the conception of teaching and teacher professionalism that emerges. The findings reveal a predominantly critical perception, with a strong tendency to view teaching as a craft-based practice, not informed by scientific research, and the pathways as a bureaucratic requirement rather than an opportunity for professional development. Despite the limitations of a small sample, the study calls for an urgent debate on the structural conditions necessary to build a pre-service teacher education capable of meaningfully integrating theory, practice, and reflexivity.