Abstract:

Effective teaching to increase learners' knowledge presupposes that teachers are aware of the teaching methods that are most incisive in this direction on the basis of scientific evidence, and also that they are themselves able to design a research in the classroom. A teacher will be able to solicit active processes of autonomous construction and elaboration of knowledge in his students only if she has learned to formulate and to solve problems by proposing and verifying hypothetical solutions; to collect, analyze, and finally draw operational conclusions from pertinent data (Pontecorvo, 1984, p. 378). The curriculum for teacher training, which cannot be limited to soliciting the development of theoretical knowledge, must both activate cyclical processes of action and reflection (Ciraci and Isidori, 2017), and use methodologies based on collaborative forms between peers (Chiappetta Cajola and Ciraci, 2019; Lewis et al., 2012). Much has been theorized on these issues but little has been done in the daily teaching practice in schools (OECD-TALIS, 2014; Council of the European Union, 2018). The survey presented was conducted on two distinct samples of teachers. The first sample consists of 158 teachers in training for the specialization on teaching support in all school grades; the second sample is made up of 138 teachers already in service. A total of 296 subjects have been interviewed (272 are female). The aim was to investigate through an online questionnair if teachers mastered the tools for collecting empirical data in the surveys as well as if they incorporated the results of research carried out at school into their teaching and academic research. From the data, it emerges that there are interesting elements such as the ability declared by teachers to obtain information on the most recent results of educational research and, for the subgroup engaged in teaching support training, the ability to address problems related to special needs by collaborating with colleagues in the classroom. But criticalities also emerge: the difficulty in implementing the results of academic research in one's teaching activity and knowledge of research methodologies. Most of the teachers interviewed, while claiming to master and use the tools for the collection of empirical data, declare that they have difficulties in structuring a research project in the classroom. The answers seem to depend on the experience of the teachers and therefore on the length of service. It should also be noted that the areas in which they would like to develop a research activity is the Learning area (study method, motivation, etc.) and the Relational and communication areas. In the sample engaged in training for support activities, frequently it turns out that the school in which the subjects work is unable to participate in research projects with universities, and to work together with other schools in the similar projects. A high percentage of respondents also shows that it is essential to strengthen research in the context of developing collaborative skills, useful both for building supportive and inclusive contexts, and for sharing empirical investigations with colleagues. We hope that our study will contribute to provide insights for professional training programs, and also to promote teaching practice based on empirical evidence.

Keywords:

Inclusive teaching, research competences.