Contribution of teachers to the development of students’ professional identity through the e-portfolio as a transformative tool

This paper explores the educational potential of the e-portfolio introduced by the Italian Ministry of Education to support guidance processes for upper secondary school students. Drawing on the theoretical foundations of the Ef.Ate project, it examines how the e-portfolio, when embedded in intentional and well-structured educational contexts, can foster individualized, metacognitive, and transformative learning experiences (Mezirow, 2003). Special attention is given to the development of strategic competences, understood as cognitive, emotional, and metacognitive resources that promote self-determination and self-regulation in learning (Pellerey, 2006). From this perspective, the e-portfolio is presented as a narrative space in which students can recognize and enhance their strengths, strategically direct their educational efforts, and develop a conscious and goal-oriented vision of their learning journey (Varisco, 2004; Di Stasio et al., 2021; La Rocca, 2020). Finally, the paper highlights the 30 hours allocated to the tutor teacher as a valuable opportunity to promote critical reflection and transformative guidance processes