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MET-VET – Metacognition for
Environmental Thinking in VET
Project number:
2021-2-PL01-KA220-VET-000050783

Verband der Lehrkräfte an beruflichen Schulen in Bayern e.V. in its position paper Education for
sustainable development drawn up a 10-point action program. The implementation of these points is
essential for better sustainability education and thus for achieving the climate targets and a sustainable
and future-oriented economic activity for the benefit of all. Among those 10-point action, there are
the following topics: mandatory anchoring of ESD in teacher training phase 1 and 2 and mandatory
anchoring of ESD in teacher and school management training.

In Italy VET teachers are typically employed in public VET schools with well-defined recruitment
processes. They often face issues like ageing workforce and geographic imbalance in teacher
distribution. Trainers, instead, work in VET centers with varying contexts and less regulated
recruitment, often on private contracts.
Continuous professional development (CPD) is crucial for both teachers and trainers to keep pace with
technological and educational changes. The Italian legislation emphasizes the necessity of CPD for VET
teachers, with specific references to environmental sustainability and digital competencies.
Legislative frameworks such as the "Buona Scuola" reform highlight the need for integrating these
aspects into the curriculum. However, there are distinct regulations for teachers and trainers, with
teachers often subjected to more rigorous national standards. Trainers, particularly those in private
institutions, follow less standardized guidelines, which can vary significantly. The pivotal Law 107 of
2015 (“Buona Scuola”) established that school staff training should be compulsory, permanent, and
strategic, recognizing it as an essential component for professional growth and educational innovation.
This law laid the foundation for the subsequent National Plan for Teacher Training 2016-19, which was
closely linked with the National Digital School Plan (PNSD). This plan included a substantial investment
of EUR 325 million to support in-service teacher training, focusing on key areas such as teaching for
competences, methodological innovation, and digital competencies. Schools were required to
incorporate these training initiatives into their Three-year Educational Offer Plan (PTOF), ensuring a
structured approach to teacher development. Within the realm of Initial Vocational Education and
Training (IVET), each educational pathway includes a Technical Scientific Project Committee. This
committee, comprising the director of the training institution, the pathway referent, and two teachers,
is responsible for overseeing the implementation of accompanying actions and training for teachers
and trainers. The aim is to ensure that educators are well-equipped to impart relevant competences
to students, especially in evolving fields like green technologies and digital skills. In the digital domain,
Italy has been proactive in leveraging European initiatives to bolster digital skills among teachers. The
SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering Innovation through Educational Technologies)
tool has been widely adopted, coordinated by the National Research Council (CNR). During the
2017/18 pilot phase, 201 schools and 31,912 users participated, making Italy the largest contributor
to the SELFIE Pilot initiative. Following this, the European Commission launched the SELFIE for Teachers
tool, designed to help educators self-assess and improve their digital competencies. Italy participated
in the pre-pilot phase involving eight regions, ten schools, and about 500 teachers, with the tool
becoming widely available in autumn 2021. The Italian government has also integrated digital skills
development into the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). One of its measures aims to
reform teacher recruitment and training, emphasizing digital skills integration and continuous in-
service training. Additionally, the NRRP includes the School 4.0 Plan, aimed at fostering the digital
transition of schools through the development of innovative and digitalized teaching models, aligned
with European frameworks like DigComp 2.1 and DigCompEdu. On the environmental front, Italy has
committed to integrating sustainability into the educational framework, guided by the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development. Training programs are designed to develop self-assessment skills and
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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not
necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither
the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.