Rupture politique et enseignement de l'histoire en Afrique du Sud: Les manuels de l'enseignement primaire

In all parts of the world, the teaching of history, because of its important ideological dimension, tends to be influenced by social and political changes. The recent upheavals in South Africa have confronted the nation with so many new tasks that it is difficult to decide which of them should have priority. These tasks include the establishing of a new educational curriculum which, paradoxically, no longer includes the subject of history as such. Instead, history is subsumed under the human and social sciences. This article analyses the content of history text books from the primary level upwards and from the 1980s to the most recent publications. On this basis it attempts to assess the extent and limits of the changes within a political setting marked by a tension between the historic struggle for equality and justice and the constraints imposed by the functioning of a liberal economy within the context of the globalization of modern capitalism. The considerable changes in the content of these books seem to be based on two different theoretical models: the multicultural model embodied in the idea of the "rainbow nation"; and the notion of the universality of humanity, transcending the diversity of cultures and confirmed by the findings of archaeology. While these two models can be a basis on which to refute racial inequality, they are not used to combat other forms of inequality, in particular social inequality.     

L'ecole sovietique: Perfectionnement du contenu de l'enseignement

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Curriculam reform in the Soviet school

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Curriculam-reform in der Sowjetsichen Schule

     

Sur l'enseignement de la relation transitive a l'ecole elementaire

A team, comprising teachers of mathematics and psychopedagogues, tried to define the prerequisites for the command of the transitive relation during the elementary period of education in France. The aim of this study was to bring to light the impact of teaching on a notion which was not specifically meant to be taught. After selecting a sample of pupils, the team set them a progressive test composed of transitive operations bearing on symbolic objects and structures. This study permitted us to observe what conditions are required for success, and how the command of the transitive relation develops.The interpretation of the results leads us to stress several important factors. First, confirming the studies of Piaget's disciples, observation shows a characteristic threshold in the learning of that notion around the age of 6–8. However, if the command of transitive relation bearing on objects is almost complete towards the end of elementary education, a certain stagnation of results can be noticed in the case of symbolic relations, except for the pupils who get very good results in mathematics. The authors feel they have brought two obstacles into light. One is resulting from the number of elements to be combined. A combination of more than three terms seems to present a considerable difficulty for many children. The other obstacle comes from the nature of the exercises set at school. Apparently, they require the children to use a type of problem solving quite unattainable for many of them. On the whole, the authors feel that education, to be efficient, should be more selective about the notions to be learnt and the conditions of their teaching.

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Sur l'enseignement de la relation transitive a l'ecole elementaire

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Le présent article est consécutif aux travaux d'un groupe d'enseignants réunis dans le cadre de l'I.R.E.M. de Poitiers en 1977–78.     

Fiabilité, validité et pertinence-critères de la recherche sur l'enseignement de la mathématique

The terms reliability and validity here are used in a broader context than that of testing. Educational research often stresses reliability, that is internal consistency at the expense of validity and relevance. How research may start, is shown by a study of the IREM of Grenoble, which exhibits the clash between text and context, in particular the magic context. As medicine did in the past, educational research may start with phenomenological diagnosis but then progress to etiology in order finally to focus on prevention, which requires a more profound understanding of individual development. Meanwhile we are faced with a new aspect of research: legitimation.

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Conférence faite le 29 novembre 1980 à l'UER de Didactique des Disciplines, Université Paris VII.     

Quelques aspects de la reforme de l'enseignement en France

Sans résumé     

Structure du raisonnement deductif et apprentissage de la demonstration

Resume Le raisonnement déductif ne fonctionne pas comme une argumentation. Cependant ces deux formes de raisonnement emploient souvent les mêmes connecteurs et se traduisent par des démarches linguistiques très voisines. C'est une des raisons pour lesquelles la plupart des élèves ne parviennent pas à percevoir les exigences propres d'une démonstration en mathématique. Cet article présente une analyse cognitive de l'organisation déductive du raisonnement par opposition à son organisation argumentative. La distinction entre contenu et statut opératoire des propositions y apparaît fondamentale. Pour illustrer cette analyse nous présentons des textes de démonstration rédigés par des élèves de quatrième, sur des problèmes de géométrie, au cours d'une expérience d'enseignement organisée pour faire mettre en oeuvre cette distinction. L'analyse de ces textes et l'interprétation de l'évolution observée au cours de cette expérience conduisent à prendre en compte une seconde distinction: celle entre la valeur de vérité et la valeur épistémique des propositions. Car la découverte du fonctionnement du raisonnement déductif s'accompagne, pour les élèves, d'une prise de conscience: il change la valeur épistémique de la proposition démontrée.

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Deductive thinking does not work like argumentation. However these two kinds of reasoning use very similar linguistic forms and propositional connectives. This is one of the main reasons why most of the students do not understand the requirements of mathematical proofs. In this article we present a cognitive analysis of deductive organisation versus argumentative organisation of reasoning, and the didactical applications of this analysis. We present also proofs written by young students for geometrical problems, in the frame of an experience, the goal of which was to realize dissociation between content and operative status of propositions. The analysis of proofs written by the students requires a second distinction between truth value and epistemic value of propositions: by splitting content and operative status, students discover how deductive reasoning works and, at the same time, become aware that deductive reasoning change also the epistemic value of the proved proposition.

     

Interaction sociale et acquisition de la conservation du volume

Numerous experiments have shown that social interaction often plays a positive role in the acquisition of new cognitive operations. However, some experiments do not show such effect. One possible reason for such a lack in specific interaction situations could be the absence or paucity of systematic confrontations between partners’ viewpoints. The present experiment (N: 141) on the acquisition of the notion of volume shows that when brought to systematically alternate their interventions in an interaction situation, subjects progress relatively more as compared to a control group (individual condition), than subjects who interact without obligation to alternate.     

Elaboration des programmes de l'enseignement general du second degre

Sans résumé     

Processus de la mathématisation dans l'enseignement

Sans résumé     

Les enjeux pedagogiques et institutionnels du partenariat dans l'enseignement technique et professionnel

This article examines the pedagogical and institutional challenges in Africa in the area of technical and professional education facing the partnership between schools and the world of work. It is based on the study of monographs, seminar reports and various other written sources, as well as on the author's own experience with regard to this cooperation. Having identified various existing forms of cooperation, the author highlights some of the major obstacles, such as lack of regulatory documents and the existence of contradictory interests.     

Fabrication de problèmes de fraction par des eleves a la fin de l'enseignement elementaire

Résumé Une expérience d'enseignement a été menée avec des élèves de Cours Moyen (Grade 4 et 5). Les élèves ont participé à une activité spécifiquement élaborée, la production de problèmes de fractions, à l'aide d'une terminologie spécifique, grâce à la production et à l'observation d'un ensemble de critères. Ainsi, les interactions au sein de la classe ont été organisées dans le but d'élaborer un système commun de significations, basé sur des outils sémiotiques appropriés, qui ont permis au maître et aux élèves de partager des significations mathématiques. De telles interactions nécessitent une négociation de nouvelles normes sociales qui détermine, pour le maître et les élèves, un nouveau contrat didactique.

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A longitudinal teaching experiment was conducted with fourth and fifth graders. Students participated in a specially designed activity, the production of fraction problems using a specific terminology developed through producing and applying a set of criteria. The interactions within the class were organised with the goal of developing a common system of meanings, based on appropriate semiotic tools, allowing teacher and students to share mathematical significations. Such interactions require a negotiation of new social norms determining, for teacher and students, a new didactic contract.

     

La notion de continuité dans l'enseignement du second degré

Sans résumé     

Vers l'intégration de la théorie et de la pratique dans la formation initiale et continue des enseignants du second degré

The article examines issues pertaining to the training of the ‘second degree’ in France—i.e. those who teach Secondary pupils aged 11 to 18. The different categories of suck teachers, and the different forms of training received, are identified, and the article focuses specifically on the situation of lycée (upper‐Secondary) teachers. Historically, the element of pedagogy has been undervalued in this area.

In‐service education is very important. Many courses are provided, although Secondary teachers do not have statutory rights to INSET release.

Recent examination of training for this sector has revealed a number of weaknesses, among them a tendency to compartmentalisation and the fact that university trainers themselves lack pedagogic background. The de Peretti Report is referred to.

The article concludes with a close examination of aspects of the theory‐practice issue, based on the writer's extensive experience.     

L'homme de la reponse et l'homme de la question

Sans résumé