Compétences et formation à distance : des prescriptions du dispositif aux attitudes des étudiants

Abstract

In French higher education, training is usually tailored to the logic of disciplinary contents. This paper reports on a study addressing a system aimed at student’s acquisition of competencies. The investigation focuses on the representations and expectations developed by students in a higher level course in management and ICT, in response to the prescriptions of the competency framework of the system. They work in one of two possible forms (distance/presence) and their responses are compared. The paper first abstract the organizing principles of the system (multipartners consortium with shared resources, design articulating training, logistics, end-user approach, hybrid forms and differentiated instrumentation of learning processes. The second part describes the theoretical and methodological approach of the investigation with the two groups. The third part explains the results. Some were expected: instrumentation (whether physical or symbolic) perceived as more informational at distance, more socio-relational in presence. Other results are counter-intuitive: reversal between distance/presence students of expected appraisals concerning the constraints and flexibility of the system. Within the system, the study reveals structural connections between criteria nationwide (generic training offer) and local (adjustment to regional socioeconomic features, individual student follow up). Various forms of learning instrumentation are identified beyond basic technological informational levels. They clarify problems of the training environments which hybrid different forms of pedagogy unheeding of consequences in terms of work reorganization and learning follow-up.

Keywords

• open and distance training
• higher education
• digital technologies
• training systems
• competency framework