The divergent models of attitudinal competences as motives to be engaged in the ECEC profession. A socio-cultural perspective about one initial education programme in Italy

In this contribution, a socio-cultural approach is applied, to investigate the development of attitudinal competences through initial education programmes at University level, as part of a larger comparative project in three countries. Through discourse analysis of three focus groups with teacher staff and students, two related components of the cultural models developed by novices and expert practitioners are reconstructed. The first one refers to the specific aspects that characterise the attitudinal competences; the second one refers to the relevant motives that affect the development of personal dispositions into attitudinal competences, to act creatively and effectively with children in professional activities. Through cultural analysis of the focus groups, different motives in connecting personal dispositions to the requirements of institutional practice are highlighted and their implications for the profession are considered. Creating opportunities to discuss different motives in the workshops at university level can support the development of a wider range of competences in prospective ECEC educators and teachers.