Raising Awareness of Students’ Professional Identity. An Online Internship Path for Future Educators at the University of Catania

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the educational systems at all levels, demanding rapid adaptation to emergency remote learning. The closure of many educational centres and the restrictions resulting from the spread of the virus have therefore required the need to rethink internship activities. The universities are forced to switch from their pre-planned ‘face-to-face’ model to alternative models, mainly on-line, to allow the students to experience their future work settings and to encourage reflective thinking about the internship experience. The abstract presents an online internship proposal designed and tested by the Degree Course in Educational Sciences (L-19) of the University of Catania. The design of the activities was mainly guided by the idea of self-directed learning, aimed at raising awareness of professional identity of students, through reflective and self-guided practices. More specifically, three courses have been designed: for early childhood educators, for community educators and for prison educators. Although the professional profiles are different, each path is divided into 4 modules that aim to promote analysis, planning and reflective skills. Activities are related to knowledge of the national and regional legislation, to the analysis of case studies related to educational planning, to video analysis of educational contexts. The last module is aimed at producing graphic or video material regarding students’ professional identity as educators. Through the use of the Eduflow platform, 143 students accomplished their online path from January to March 2021. The contribution presents the results of the final survey of the participants’ perception of the effectiveness and functionality of the on-line module. The data allow us to detect critical issues, but also the potential of a possible self-directed path device that allows students to learn how to manage themselves in their professional development.