Devolution and Autonomy in Education

Allowing learners to take some responsibility may seem obvious yet what is actually afforded to them, and how this process works, remains difficult to grasp. It is therefore essential to study the real objects of devolution and the roles played by the subjects involved. Devolution and Autonomy in Education questions the concept of devolution, introduced into the field of education in the 1980s from disciplinary didactics, and described in Guy Brousseau’s Theory of Didactical Situations in Mathematics as: the act by which the teacher makes the student take responsibility for a learning situation (adidactic) or problem and accepts the consequences of this transfer. The book revisits this concept through a variety of subject areas (mathematics, French, physical education, life sciences, digital learning, play) and educational domains (teaching, training, facilitation). Using these intersecting perspectives, this book also examines the purpose and timeline of the core process for thinking about autonomy and empowerment in education.

Table of Contents:
Foreword xi Claire MARGOLINAS Introduction xxvii Pablo BUZNIC-BOURGEACQ Part 1. Didactics and Devolution: Specificities of Disciplines and Audiences 1 Chapter 1. Potential of Peer-to-Peer Research and Proof Situations in Mathematics Classes and Devolutions 3 Jean-Philippe GEORGET 1.1. Introduction 3 1.2. Characteristics of PRP situations 6 1.3. Potential of PRP situations and management of devolution processes 7 1.4. Two examples of analysis of problems with potentials 11 1.5. Conclusion 13 1.6. Appendix: solution to the rectangle problem 14 1.7. References 14 Chapter 2. Some Comparative Analysis of Mathematics and Experimental Science 17 Faouzia KALALI 2.1. Introduction 17 2.2. Didactics of mathematics, didactics of science: contrasting epistemological choices 18 2.2.1. Institutional context and intellectual landscape 18 2.2.2. Two different scientific projects 18 2.3. Devolution versus appropriation 20 2.3.1. On devolution 20 2.3.2. Origin of appropriation: unifying the approaches to “scientific and technological awakening” in elementary school 21 2.4. Investigative approach, a devolution process? 22 2.4.1. Example of Camaret tides 23 2.4.2. Generalization 24 2.5. Specificity of scientific learning 25 2.6. Conclusion: what is the outcome of the redeployment of the subject? 27 2.7. References 29 Chapter 3. Double Devolution of Action in Physical Education 31 Benjamin DELATTRE 3.1. Introduction 31 3.2. The current state of the notion of devolution in didactic writings in PE 33 3.3. The “veiled” presence of a double devolution of action in PE didactics 38 3.4. An “adaptive” backdrop in the didactic concepts of PE 40 3.5. An adoptive and organological perspective for the double devolution of action in physical education 42 3.6. From adaptation to adoption “by the double”; a few examples 44 3.7. Conclusion 49 3.8. References 49 Chapter 4. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Education: An Issue that is Still Relevant Today 53 Hervé DAGUET 4.1. Introduction 53 4.2. Theoretical framework, devolution and digital in schools 54 4.2.1. Some points of reference on devolution 54 4.2.2. Digital technology and learning 54 4.2.3. Problematization, digital technology and devolution 57 4.3. Research field and methodology 58 4.3.1. The situation: the D’Col device 58 4.3.2. Survey methodology 60 4.4. Analysis of results 62 4.4.1. Mediatization and devolution within the D’Col LMS 62 4.4.2. Mediation and devolution within the D’Col system 64 4.5. Conclusion 65 4.6. References 66 Chapter 5. Reflection on the Devolution of Knowledge in French Kindergarten Teaching: Worksheets 69 Sophie BRIQUET-DUHAZÉ 5.1. Introduction 69 5.2. Contextualization and issues 69 5.3. Theoretical framework of the devolution of knowledge in kindergarten and the use of worksheets 71 5.4. Theoretical framework of devolution in French teaching 74 5.5. Analysis and discussion 75 5.6. Conclusion 78 5.7. References 78 Chapter 6. Between a Willingness to Adapt and Real Devolution, what Material Works for which Form of Learning? A Case Study in a Localized Unit for Inclusive Education (Ulis) 81 Laurence LEROYER 6.1. Introduction 81 6.2. Theoretical frameworks 82 6.2.1. Adaptation and learning supports 82 6.2.2. Devolution and learning supports 84 6.2.3. Devolution practices understood on the basis of the learning supports and the adaptations that they have 84 6.3. Methodology 87 6.4. Case study: Mathieu, teacher specializing in Ulis 88 6.4.1. The teacher and the pupils enrolled in the Ulis 88 6.4.2. The session presented by the teacher 89 6.4.3. Focusing on one of the learning supports of the session 92 6.5. Analysis and discussion 94 6.6. References 95 Part 2. Devolution Beyond Disciplinary Didactics 99 Chapter 7. Before “Devolution” 101 Hubert VINCENT 7.1. Introduction 101 7.2. Preliminary remarks 103 7.3. Michel de Montaigne 104 7.3.1. Alternation and school forms 1 and 2 104 7.3.2. The work of examples 109 7.3.3. Curiosity and creativity 111 7.4. Alain 112 7.4.1. Modeling learning 112 7.4.2. Devolving devices 115 7.5. Conclusion 119 7.6. References 121 Chapter 8. Devolution and Problematization Among Trainee School Teachers: What Kind of Appropriation is There? 123 Florian OUITRE 8.1. Introduction 123 8.2. Theoretical framework 125 8.2.1. Making the experience of learners the object of the first overall devolution in the learning process 125 8.2.2. Professional problems and problematization of professional practices/activities 126 8.2.3. A teaching approach likely to take care of these problems in order to overcome the obstacles 128 8.2.4. Problematization and devolution 130 8.2.5. Limits of a linear presentation for reporting the problematization process 134 8.3. Some results from the appropriation of this approach and these devolutions among new school teachers 137 8.3.1. Appropriation of the approach: attempts on the big loop 137 8.3.2. Concerning small loops (SLs) 142 8.4. Conclusion and discussion 144 8.5. References 146 Chapter 9. Professional Writing as a Complex Space in Devolution 149 Bruno HUBERT 9.1. Introduction 149 9.2. Devolving a storytelling space–time 150 9.2.1. Developing the narrative 151 9.2.2. From oral narrative to the devolution of writing 153 9.3. Developing fiction writing 155 9.3.1. Becoming a character in the text 155 9.3.2. A fairy tale character to move beyond reporting 157 9.4. Devolving the text as a space for mutual understanding 160 9.5. Storytelling as the devolution of a professional teaching space 161 9.6. Conclusion 165 9.7. References 165 Chapter 10. The Subject Area: Devolving One’s Own Trials 169 Pablo BUZNIC-BOURGEACQ 10.1. Devolving oneself 169 10.2. Trials as a subject area 172 10.3. Devolving your own trials: the passionate subject and the good teacher 177 10.4. Teaching about trials, maintaining the passion 179 10.5. References 182 Chapter 11. A Game to Play and a Game Played: A Devolution “Under Influences” 187 Vanessa DESVAGES-VASSELIN 11.1. Introduction 187 11.2. Thèque: a game to be played in extracurricular activity periods 188 11.2.1. TAP: a little formalized institutional context 188 11.2.2. The game to be devolved: thèque 189 11.3. A theoretical framework for thinking about the devolution of a game and the associated methodological approach 191 11.3.1. A game 191 11.3.2. A subject 192 11.3.3. Methodological proposals 193 11.4. Jules’ influence on devolved games 194 11.4.1. From the game to be devolved to the devolved game: gaps identified 194 11.4.2. Jules’ influence on devolution 196 11.5. Conclusion: towards a theory of game devolution 198 11.6. References 199 List of Authors 201 Index 203

About the Author :
Pablo Buznic-Bourgeacq is a researcher at CIRNEF and a trainer at INSPE Normandie Caen, both of which are part of Normandie Université, France. His work is based on an interdisciplinary approach within the humanities and is inspired by the educational sciences; the didactic and clinical fields being particular areas of interest.