Proposals for the Design of a Methodological Protocol to Analyze Cooperative Didactic Engineering

Research methodologies including collective work between researchers, teachers and other educational actors have been developing since the fifties, both in France and internationally. These methodologies are very varied. For our part, we have been involved in several cooperative didactic engineering (CDpE, 2019; Gruson, 2019; Joffredo-Le Brun et Gruson, accepté; Joffredo-­Le Brun et al., 2018; Sensevy et al., 2013) for about 10 years, especially in relation with the “LéA” network (Lieux d’éducation Associés) translated into “AeP” (Associated educational Places) supported by the French Institute for Education. More recently, our work has been focused on the analysis of the impact of cooperative work on the development of the professional skills and scientific knowledge of ALL the participants (teachers, trainers, researchers, etc.) to such research. However, studying this development raises theoretical and methodological questions. For this communication, we will focus more particularly on the methodological aspects in relation with a research entitled PhAnCh for Physics, English and Chemistry that is part of a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) programme. This research seeks to design and analyse collectively a teaching sequence focused on electromagnetic waves and to try and understand how the teaching of a discipline (physics) in English can enable students acquire new knowledge in both disciplines (science and English).

In our past studies, we already set up a specific methodology to collect and analyze data over a long period of time, which, for example, allowed us to better understand how the different participants in the engineering dialogue gradually build a common background, and to what extent this co-construction affects their practice and knowledge. Following these studies, we will put to work the subsequent research questions: what are the effects of cooperation on the practices and knowledge of the members of a cooperative didactic engineering, in particular those of the researchers? How can their evolution be attested? For this, we will describe the different methodological tools that we put in place at the beginning of the research: logbooks, films of lessons and meetings, interviews, etc. 

Then, we will discuss the constraints we have identified in relation to the use of these tools. We will thus show that in addition to these organizational issues, there are ethical and epistemological difficulties, which hopefully can be overcome so that the collective work leads to a transformation of all the actors.

References

Collectif Didactique pour enseigner (2019). Didactique pour enseigner. Rennes: PUR.

Gruson, B. (2019). L'action conjointe en didactique des langues : élaborations conceptuelles et méthodologiques. Rennes : PUR.

Joffredo-Le Brun, S. et Gruson, B. (accepté). Mise à l’épreuve de concepts pour l’étude du travail collectif au sein de deux ingénieries didactiques coopératives : Léa Réseau ACE Ecoles Bretagne-Provence et Lycées Argentré-Macé. Dans R. Monod-Ansaldi, B. Gruson et C. Loisy (Dir.). Le réseau des lieux d’éducation associés à l’Institut français de l’éducation (IFÉ, ENS de Lyon) : un instrument pour la recherche en éducation. Rennes : PUR.

Joffredo-Le Brun S., Morellato, M., Sensevy, G. & Quilio, S. (2018). Cooperative Engineering in a Joint Action Paradigm. European Educational Research Journal. Vol 18, issue 1, 187–208

Leutenegger, F. (2000). Construction d'une clinique pour le didactique. Recherches  en didactique des mathématiques, 20(2), 209-205.

Sensevy, G. (1999). Éléments pour une anthropologie de l'action, (Habilitation à diriger des recherches). Université de Provence.

Sensevy, G., Forest, D., Quilio, S., et Morales, G. (2013). Cooperative engineering as a specific design-based research. ZDM, 45(7), 1031–1043.