Pathways for Transversal Competencies and Orientation (PCTO) as a Device for Developing Personal Resources and Contrasting Scholastic Dispersion

PCTOs (Pathways for Transversal Competencies and Orientation) in the Italian education system represent a strategic methodology for the global development of upper secondary school students and the orientation of their educational and professional choices (Keeley, 2007; Vitale, 2016). The project here presented, which is funded with PRIN 2022 funds, aims to analyze the characteristics of PCTOs and evaluate their influence on personal resources, as well as student dispersion and orientation measures. The project consists of three studies. The first study aims to explore if and how the implementation and objectives of PCTOs are described in the Three-Year Training Offer Plans (PTOF) of 200 institutes randomly selected at the national level. This study will highlight any variations and adherence to ministerial standards through a document analysis (Bianquin et al., 2018; Bolasco, 2021). The second study includes conducting six case studies involving 6 secondary schools, two for each region involved (Lazio, Lombardy, and Emilia-Romagna). This phase aims to collect data at different levels, including institute, teachers, and students, through the Training Research methodology (Asquini, 2018), to understand the factors that hinder and facilitate the planning of PCTOs and their effects on students’ educational and professional development choices. The third study involves conducting a retrospective survey among first-year university students to evaluate the impact of PCTOs on their career choices and individual well-being. The project aims to create an open-access digital platform for schools to self-evaluate and improve the effectiveness of PCTOs. The theoretical-cognitive, educational, and technological implications of the project will contribute to informing educational policies and improving school practices, promoting continuous evaluation and an improvement cycle to raise the overall quality of educational paths. This contribution aims to elucidate the stages and objectives of the research project in detail, seeking to share the methodologies and objectives with the scientific community, thereby facilitating collaboration, discussion, and the exchange of knowledge within the field.