Collaborative citizenship and inquiry process (in schools) – CICODEQ

Societies are increasingly socio-culturally diverse, and the issue of citizenship among young people, which is closely linked to the question of interculturality (Pretceille, 2018; Zapata-Barrero, 2015), is a priority for the countries of the European Union. It also has a direct impact on the life of schools, especially high schools (15-18 years). Nevertheless, the relationship that young people have with citizenship, an ill-defined concept (Schnapper, 2000) are little known (Hawthorne, 2021), and leading to gaps, or even misunderstandings, that question both the school and family institutions.

These misunderstandings are especially notable in the PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) academic region, which is characterized by significant socio-cultural diversity, in and around the school environment (Terrien, 2021). This provides fertile ground for our research topic. CICODEQ is a participatory research project, coordinated by the educational research federation SFERE-Provence (Aix-Marseille University), which has been developing participatory research for several years (SFERE-EAFC/ex-DAFIP projects, Rectorat). It builds on several previous quantitative studies of representations of otherness among secondary school students in the PACA academic region (Bergamaschi et al., 2021, 2022). These studies identified the questions and issues to be explored in greater depth, and justified the ethnographic and comprehensive approach. Our project recommends this approach to identify, transform or consolidate the representations and practices of students and teachers.

An ethnographic approach to young people's relationship with otherness (Bensa, Fassin, 2008; Olivier de Sardan, 2009) gives priority to fieldwork and mixed methods (observation, informal and formal interviews, videos, supplementary questionnaires). This allows us to describe the phenomenon and its variations from one establishment to another: specific characteristics of the public, institutions and contexts, identification of resources, constraints and obstacles. Then, we propose to develop communities of innovative educational practice involving all project stakeholders through an inquiry-based approach (Ladage, Chevallard, 2011). The aim is to develop their reflexivity (Schön, 1994). The high schools participating in the project were selected according to their social positioning index (SPI), in order to obtain a variable social mix.

This approach is also conceived as a pedagogical tool, enabling students to develop their investigative skills and professionals (teachers, educators) to engage in research-based professional development around socially and professionally sensitive issues (Simonneaux, Legardez, 2011; Chauvigné, Fabre, 2021; Lucy, Gouaïch, [forthcoming]), such as diversity, citizenship, secularism and discrimination. In this research, objects and knowledge are co-constructed, and involve all actors around classroom practices. This characterizes collaborative research (Desgagné, Bednarz, 2005; Morissette, 2015), which is a specific form of participatory research (Roy, 2021) that we favor. Our school device, which represents a pathway to citizenship education, aims to encourage a reflective and critical approach among young people, as well as teachers. Our intercultural approach to citizenship also aims to develop participants' skills, and can be adapted to the school curriculum, and expectations as part of training (Lucy, 2023), teaching and learning activities, in collaboration with teachers. These methods of elaboration enable us to link research to the field and training to research (Sembel, 2020). The aim is to share and disseminate a common scientific culture to fuel democratic discussion and encourage the co-construction of a school and a society that are more inclusive of the otherness that characterizes our times.