Rethinking educational space in initial teacher education: between design, inclusion, and professional identity

Over the past decades, research on the renewal of school architecture has increasingly placed the relationship between physical space and learning processes at the center of pedagogical debate, promoting a rethinking of schooling through learning environments, both physical and digital. Drawing on the framework of Innovative Learning Environments (ILE), this paper presents a study conducted with 73 pre-service teachers within initial teacher education programs, as part of a course in Experimental Pedagogy. Participants were invited to reflect on the relationship between space, teaching, and inclusion. In particular, the study explores the meanings they attribute to learning environments and how these contribute to the construction of their professional identity. The data were analyzed through thematic coding supported by NVivo software. The findings show that engaging with learning environments fosters greater awareness among teachers of the pedagogical value of space and its impact on educational practices, contributing to the redefinition of their professional identity from an inclusive and transformative perspective.