Analysis and Classification of Didactic Materials

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Analysis and classification of didactic materials
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Eric Bruillard, Alessandra Anichini & Georges-Louis Baron (Eds.)
Changing media –
changing schools?
IARTEM 2017
14th International Conference
on Research on Textbooks and Educational Media
University Lusófona,
Lisbon, Portugal, 27–29 September 2017
E. Bruillard, A. Anichini & G.-L. Baron | Table of Content
Table of Content
E. Bruillard, A. Anichini & G.-L. Baron V. Ferreira & M.-C. Ricoy
Introduction 3 Teacher training on the use of textbooks 90
R.Borowicc and T. M. B. Garcia
New Textbooks The selection of textbooks by educators of settlement schools:
P. J. Santana Bonilla & J. Rodríguez Rodríguez criteria, dialogues and tensions 96
Does the use of educational digital resources at school E. L. de Souza & N. M. Dias Garcia
providepotentially new methodologies of The textbook for countryside schools:
teaching and learning? Some preliminary results Teacher’s perceptions and practices of students
from Digit@l School Research Project 10 in the initial years of basic education 102
H. F. Bronner Foltran Cordeiroa & T. M. Figueiredo Braga Garcia
Permanence and change in literacy textbooks from the
Production of educational resources
‘National Pact for Literacy at the Right Age (PNAIC) 16
(including special needs)
J. Kubrická
Getting the best of all worlds in classroom materials M. E. Cebrián
for tertiary ESP 22 Didactic material produced by NGDOs

as an alternative resource to promote
N. Romero
individualised learning 108
Cultural change in classrooms through the use of
educational materials 26 C. Vázquez Formoso & M. Castro Rodríguez
Analysis and classifiation of didactic materials
D. Bandeira, M. L. Tarran & E. Castro
for the inclusion of people with hearing impairment 115
Study on the theory and the practice of color with
the use of online resources 33 R. Fernández Iglesias & J. Rodríguez Rodríguez
The state of published research on teaching materials
in Early Childhood Education: a first approximation 122
Textbooks, media and resources
H.Ramires Jamur & G. da Silva Brito
in school subjects. History and science Use of digital didactic materials in the DL
A. Ilić Rajković, M. Senić Ružić & B. Ljujić from students’ point of view 127
Board games and acquiring knowledge of history: N. Hurst
research in university teaching 40 Local culture and beyond in Portuguese-produced
A. Eilard English language teaching (ELT) coursebooks 132
Images of the Crisis of White Patriarchy S. López Gómez and J. Rodríguez
in Swedish Primary School Textbooks 45 Videogames and education: initial reflections
F. Yera Barchi from a review of international research
Searching for Brazilian identity in the 1900s: carried out between 2010 and 2016 138
João Ribeiro and his textbooks 51
O. Rodrigues Júnior Music and Arts
Teaching materials for teaching history:
M. Prais de Aguiar Marim Gois & G. G.Ballande Romanelli
teachers’ perspectives 56
A survey of educational materials for children’s choirs
S. Sammler with an emphasis on playfulnes 145
New educational media for creative and socially open
Xavier Levoin
schooling. The aspirations and realities of Lower Saxony’s
Digital tools and media in music education:
educational renewal in the 1960s and 1970s 61
small-scape uses, niche market 150
C. Ferreira Aguiar & N. M. Dias Garcia
F. Gonçalves Pedrosa
The role of the Physics textbook
How are the didactic manuals for Brazilian
in a teacher’s curriculum development 68
five-string guitar course written?
C. Roux-Goupille Textbooks and educational media
A ReVEA project case study: in the teaching of stringed instruments 156
French biology teachers & educational media 72
M. Makovský & T. Voštová
How to cook without a (text)book.
Teachers and textbooks and Didactic materials for art education
educational media in the Czech Republic 162
L. Kojanitz M. Roumy Akue
Textbook development with the involvement Creative monitoring and resources coproduction
of teachers 79 as key levers of diffrentiation for design students’
education 168
M. Loffeda
How secondary school teachers organize their own resources?
Elements of conceptualization and presentation of some
results 84
E. Bruillard, A. Anichini & G.-L. Baron (Eds.) | Changing media – changing schools?
14th IARTEM Conference September 2017, Lisbon | 978-82-691343-2-2 2
E. Bruillard, A. Anichini & G.-L. Baron | Introduction
Introduction
Eric Bruillard
Paris Universtity, Paris, France | eric.bruillard@parisdescartes.fr
Alessandra Anichini
INDIRE, Firenze, Italy | a.anichini@indire.it
Georges-Louis Baron
Paris Universtity, Paris, France | georges-louis.baron@parisdescartes.fr
Changing media – changing schools?
In a time of continuous societal and technological change – and of disenchantment with schooling –
does the coexistence of printed and digital resources provide potentially new methodologies of teaching
and learning in schools? Or does it only increase the resources without changing fundamental practices?
How can a variety of formats enhance students’ commitment, curiosity, and scientific and critical
thinking? How can such formats promote inclusion and differentiation in order to support all learners?
Can a combination of printed and digital media reduce substantially the weight of learners’ school bags1?
This paragraph accompanied the invitation to par- book can still be consulted on the IARTEM web-
ticipate in the 14th IARTEM conference (the Interna- site2. This allows us to see the wide variety of work
tional Association for Research on Textbooks and themes of the research communities on textbooks
Educational Media), held at the Lusófona University, and educational media.
Lisbon, Portugal from 27 to 29 September 2017. In this introduction, we will make a quick mapping
As in previous editions, a day dedicated to doctoral of the themes addressed during the conference. We
students was organized just before the conference will then explain the process of drafting these acts
and various keynotes and round tables were held and briefly present the articles that make up this
during the conference. For the parallel sessions, book.
nearly 120 papers were presented. The abstract
An overview of the scope of the 14th IARTEM International Conference

Fig. 1presents a grouping of the themes that were the study of textbooks and of the specific educa-
covered during the presentations. Resource manage- tional resources for the disciplines taught in schools
ment, including aspects of textbook regulation (se- (school subjects) has been developing within IAR-
lection, approval, adoption), remains an important TEM, whether in science, arts, languages, geography
theme, as well as analyses of the content of school or history. More specifically, issues linked with their
textbooks (inside books): identity issues, minority actual uses inside the classroom, have increasingly
representation, historical aspects. This content of- become more important, taking into account stu-
ten remains text, with stories and different narrative dents’ disabilities and teachers’ training.
forms, also integrating images and different medias. The contributions that make up this book consti-
Beyond the forms of presentation, textbooks and tute a small part only of the texts that have been
educational resources benefit from the possibili- presented. This is explained by the process followed
ties offered by digital technology, with the recurrent for selecting papers for this volume.
question of possible new pedagogies associated
with the new technologies used. For several years,
1 https://iartemblog.wordpress.com/conferences/lisbon/
2 https://iartemblog.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/iartem_2017_abstract_book_v1-4_a4.pdf
Fig. 1 Overview of Lisbon IARTEM conference themes (Bruillard, 2017)
A two-step process for the publication Overall, 28 texts have been selected and have been
of the conference proceedings included in this publication. They offer an interest-
Conferences mainly provide an opportunity to ing window on the current research in the IARTEM
present and to discuss work in progress, while oth- domain.
er forms of publication (e.g. journals) offer greater
recognition for more mature work.
All those who presented a contribution to the Presentation of the proceedings
Lisbon conference were offered to submit it for the We have grouped the texts around five themes.
proceedings; we left open the possibility to submit
an article for the eJournal or any other publication. Part 1: New Textbooks
Some researchers have published their work in the This first theme does not completely correspond
specific volume celebrating the 25th birthday of to the technology theme that was presented in the
IARTEM. In order to have a document of reasonable previous section. The proposals explore changes due
size, we requested that the texts do not exceed 3500 to the supply and use of digital educational resourc-
characters, as longer versions are more suitable for es, but also other changes (or continuities) concern-
other scientific publications. ing textbooks and their uses.
Fernando Guimarès has been in charge of the first Santana Bonilla and Rodríguez Rodríguez show how
phase for collecting the proposals. We selected two different agents (educational authorities, textbook
reviewers for each of them and sent back to the au- companies, teachers, students, and families) con-
thors the requests for changes and the reviewers' tribute to offers and uses of digital resources. They
comments. We then collected final proposals and show differences between 4 types of webportals or
verified that they took into account the reviewers’ platforms: institutional, commercial, teacher net-
remarks. works and web portals not for formal education.
Yvonne Behnke imagined a new design, created a Their main question is about a possible change of
matrix for the proceedings and then took care of educational practices associated with the design
bringing them up to state-of-the-art standards. and use of digital resources.
These successive phases have lasted longer than Haudrey Cordeiro and Tania Garcia investigate the
we expected but made it possible to produce quality transformations in a literacy textbook (reading and
proceedings in a format that may be used for other writing) after a new federal public policy of teacher
IARTEM publications. education in Brazil. Some continuities and chang-
es have been observed, showing that the explicit Felipe Yera Barchi has led a study on an important
guidelines provided in the new policy have been Brazilian intellectual, João Ribeiro, a well renowned
taken into account by publishers. literary critic, who published, at the beginning of the
Jana Kubrická describes the background, principles XXth century, textbooks in History, Grammar and
and pitfalls of material design for English for Spe- Literature, at a time when Brazil was in search of its
cific Purpose courses. She tries to outline the main identity. His main ideas, rather conform to dominant
assumptions and strategies applied currently in this ideas elsewhere, were marked by a sentiment of su-
domain, and highlights the role of autonomy, the periority of the whites, a poor idea of the first Euro-
role of technology, and the fact that students´ needs pean immigrants. Later on, this author changed his
remain at the center of attention. views toward more modernist views, but his text-
Nancy Romero analyzes the current uses of edu- books kept on circulating for more 30 years after his
cational materials in the classrooms of Argentinian death.
primary schools. Adopting an ethnographic view- Osvaldo Rodrigues Júnior interested himself to
point, she describes cultural change in classrooms students following a course on the production of
through the use of educational materials and con- didactic material in a master program on history
firms the key role of textbooks, and also other ma- teaching. His research shows that, if the surveyed
terials. Above all, she highlights the role of teachers teachers said they constantly used textbooks, they
who create class contexts based on numerous deci- also used a diversity of supplementary books, blogs,
sions related to time, space, materials, motivations video-lessons, didactic sequences, and dictionaries
of children, academic objectives. etc. Another result is the interest for materials of
Denise Bandeira, Maria Tarran and Eliane Castro a para-didactic nature about regional and/or local
describe the design and development of a specific themes.
online resource about color theory and its teaching Steffen Sammler, has led a study of the history of
in a university course (training teachers and visual the development of new educational media in low-
arts professionals). They underline the interest- er Saxony in the 1960s and 1970s, mainly in social
ing role of applications and digital tools to teach studies. His study shows that the high expectations
the theory of the color in the contribution of some of policy makers, educationalists and media crea-
learning practices and the development of networks tors regarding the transformative power of the new
between art courses and the community. forms of media appear to have been excessive.
Camila Ferreira Aguiar and Nilson Marcos Dias
Part 2: Textbooks, media and resources in school Garcia, for their part, led an ethnographic work of
subjects. History and science the relationships between the use of a textbook
School subjects are like the skeleton of education: and the curricular practices of a secondary science
they organize the educational offer. The curricula teacher in the school environment. They verified the
that are taught and hence what students learn are importance of the textbook in the classroom life.
heavily dependent upon them. Seven papers of these They also remarked that the teacher actually based
proceedings are devoted to this issue, being case herself on sources that were not registered in her
studies on situations occurring in diverse countries. work plan.
Aleksandra Ilić Rajković, Mirjana Senić Ružić and Finally, Camille Roux-Goupille presents results from
Bojan Ljujić first present a case study about how a case study on the way French teachers of biology
designing and evaluating historical board games. and geology (curiously a single subject in the French
They show that this kind of approach may help stu- system) design, search, select and use resources in
dents acquiring and revising historical knowledge. secondary education. She shows how the teachers
Angerd Eilard then presents a study about cultural she observed have a high agentivity, adapting re-
stereotypes present in Swedish chemistry textbooks sources to their local conditions, relying on commu-
for years 4–5 of primary school. Results show the nities of practice to which they contribute.
expression of “reversed gender roles”, where men”
are portrayed as old and rather primitive in contrast Part 3: Teachers and textbooks and educational
with women depicted as young and modern. How- media studies
ever, the author also identifies an underlying sym- This Part focuses, in particular, on the relationship
bolic white (ethno-racial) structure, materialized by between the teachers’ activities and textbooks, with
the numerous depictions of white hands in the ico- reference to various aspects including: teacher train-
nography. ing on the use of the textbook as the main teaching
tool, the processes and criteria for the selection of Roseli Borowicc and Tânia Maria Braga Garcia
books carried out by the teachers themselves, their address the issue of the selection of textbooks, in
involvement in evaluation of textbooks produced the particular context of schools located in Agrarian
by publishing houses up to initiatives of textbook Reform Settlements, in southern Brazil. The analysis
production. The interventions in question refer to shows how the presence of different educational
specific institutional contexts and indeed under- proposals creates tensions and highlights the reduc-
line the deep link between textbooks and politi- tion in the autonomy of rural school educators in
cal choices and thereby providing a rich and varied the choice of textbooks.
framework that allows us to explore geographically Again in the Brazilian context, the work of Edna
distant realities. Moreover, although the studies in Luiza de Souza and Nilson Marcos Dias Garcia pre-
question sometimes deal with areas of investigation sents the results of a survey investigating the ways
dedicated to a specific subject, the results achieved in which science textbooks are used in country
are easily generalizable because they are inherent to schools that have received these materials from the
wider problems of frame. In this case, talking about Brazilian National Program of Textbooks (PNLD Field
Science or Music books allows us to address more 2016). The results point out that the local culture
general issues related to the use of the textbook by dimension is absent in textbooks and that teach-
teachers. A significant question emerges that con- ers use textbooks by adapting and integrating them
cerns schools and educational institutions as well as with other materials.
other social realities today: it is the difficulty in find-
ing one's way around the amount of digital materi- Part 4: Production of educational resources
als that the Internet makes available today and that (including special needs)
require refined instruments of orientation as well as This part is dedicated to the Educational resources,
archiving. as a significant part of the teacher's tools, replacing
László Kojanitz reports the results of a project car- or integrating the textbook. In this section attention
ried out in recent years in Hungary: a three-year test- to digital and the opportunities it offers is more evi-
ing process that involved teachers, students and par- dent. The papers here collected are dedicated to this
ents in the evaluation of new experimental textbooks issue, in spite of their diversity, and range from liter-
and digital materials prepared for the primary and ary reviews to experiences of the use of open digital
secondary levels. A new Hungarian educational policy resources by school classes.
foresees a new National Curriculum and the renewal Marta Esplugues Cebrián analyses how didactic
of teaching methodologies, to be implemented also materials (Open Educational Resources) produced
through ICT support. It underlines the importance of by Non-Governmental Development Organizations
the attempt to directly involve teachers in the search (NGOs) can be used as an optional resource in daily
for pedagogical innovations at national level. lessons as an alternative to traditional textbooks
The article by Magali Loffreda presents an ongo- in subjects such as: citizenship; rights; governance;
ing research that has been conducted in the field of gender; economic and social sustainability; studies
Personal Information Management (PIM), a field of on peace and interculturality.
research that is now very useful to schools. The quali- Self-produced resources are often aimed at meet-
tative survey carried out in a high school shows how ing particular needs related to specific contexts as
the organization of teachers' materials plays a very well as special educational needs. The study by Carla
important role in the process of building knowledge. Vázquez Formoso & Mª Montserrat Castro Rod-
Vânia Ferreira and María-Carmen Ricoy deal with ríguez deals in particular with the analysis of didactic
the theme of teacher training, with particular atten- materials and resources developed for the deaf, to-
tion to the use of textbooks and other educational gether with other materials not originally conceived
tools. The research focuses specifically on a survey for this group, but which may be useful to facilitate
conducted among Music teachers in the third cy- their inclusion in ordinary classes. The study offers a
cle of basic training in Portugal. The conclusions review and classification of the materials in question
show how teachers' qualifications do not include according to a taxonomic scheme so that they can
any training in the use of textbooks. Teachers often be accessible to teachers and the community in gen-
train themselves. No attention is paid to a teaching eral for use in the classroom or in society in general.
tool that, moreover, in order to be appreciated and The paper of Rebeca Fernández and Jesús Rod-
well used by students, must first be well known by ríguez presents a bibliographic review on teaching
teachers. materials in Early Childhood Education. Five topics
are identified: a) studies about classroom materi- account? A study of different authors leads to the
als and teacher training and opinions about them, observation that playfulness is an essential knowl-
b) studies about digital materials in Early Childhood edge for the conductor in his/her children’s choir
Education, c) studies about robotics as teaching ma- teaching practice, but with a lack of didactic mate-
terial in Early Childhood Education, d) studies about rial conceived specifically for children’s choir con-
toys as teaching material in Early Childhood Educa- ducting.
tion, e) studies about teaching materials and the Xavier Levoin tries to explain the contrast between
areas of the curriculum in Galicia at this stage, and a very wide “social” injunction to a digital conversion
f) other studies about teaching materials in Early of teaching, and very limited and disparate practic-
Childhood Education. es of digital tools and media in music teaching. He
Helenice Ramires Jamur and Glaucia da Silva Brito concludes that the overall characteristics of the en-
take into consideration the students' point of view vironment of music teaching are more a matter of
and in particular analyze the way in which the study craftsmanship than of industrialization, leading to a
habits of university students in distance learning phenomena of industrialization in musical training,
may influence the process of digital educational rather than of industrialization of musical training
production. The research first results indicate the itself.
importance given by the students to the develop- Frederico Pedrosa studies printed and virtual text-
ment of cooperative materials, with particular at- books for Brazilian fie-string- guitars course (violas).
tention to co-authorship and debate on the content Based upon the analysis of a sample according to a
produced. list of parameters (presence of the score, of tabla-
Nicolas Hurst presents a study conducted on a ture, of rhythmic tablature, of fingering for the left
specific sample of textbooks: coursebooks of English hand and the right hand…), he shows divergences in
language teaching (ELT), Portuguese-produced, writ- the ways of writing for the violas nowadays and in
ten by local authors, generally experienced teachers. the past, but most conserve the traditions of musi-
The research highlights the importance of this as- cal conservatories, trying to find the best way to no-
pect of authorship, which allows us to detect in the tate relevant techniques for the violas.
books examined an approach to teaching content Miloš Makovský and Tereza Voštová deal with
aimed at promoting language learning, as well as didactic materials for art education in basic educa-
providing support for collaborative learning experi- tion. According to them, selection of these materials
ences. lies entirely within the teachers’ authority, among a
Silvia López Gómez and Jesús Rodríguez try to wide range of officially unapproved texts of differ-
identify the main lines of research in videogames ent quality and methodology, which do not reflect
and education through a review of the international contemporary visual arts and culture. This observa-
literature, focusing on work published since 2010. tion questions the artistic practices that can develop
They confirmed that the relationship between vide- in the classroom.
ogames and potential behavioral effects, such as ag- Last but not least, Magali Akue explores the ability
gression, was widely studied, as were the cognitive of a blended creative monitoring system to support
effects on users such as motivation, attention and a renewed and singular creative cultural knowledge
problem-solving. Recent lines of research include base for design students in which they coproduce
the effects of videogames on students with func- resources for themselves and their peers. For that
tional diversity, the use of videogames to increase purpose, a specific pedagogical platform has been
physical activity, and the creation of videogames by designed and opened in 2015 and an experiment
students themselves. took place in France during the academic year 2016-
2017. The platform faces the issue of balancing con-
Part 5: Music and Arts tributions without denying the singularity of each
Music and the arts could be included in Part 2, but contributor’s choices.
even if they are subjects present in the school, they
are also included outside the school, sometimes in
particular institutions. To conclude
The first three contributions are devoted to music. International conferences surely are the best means
Micheline Gois and Guilherme Romanelli are infor strengthening the reflection of a research com-
terested in educational material for children’s choir munity, provided something of the ideas that are
singing. How is the playfulness dimension taken into presented remains visible in some durable form. For
that, institutions capable of maintaining publish- The issues studied in this volume, focusing on the
ing structures are needed, since they are a means to ways new resources and traditional media do evolve
keep track of the evolutions. and combine for contributing to teacher practice
Over 25 years, IARTEM has been such an institu- and student learning, are thus in direct connection
tion, taking the responsibility to analyze and to an- with the interest manifested as early as 2005 for the
ticipate evolutions in the field of textbooks and edu- IARTEM in Caen (France): Caught into textbooks or
cational resources and federating several sub-com- lost in the web. At the same time, they also allow to
munities. Its scope has remained the same, adapting document the spectacular evolution towards the
itself to the evolution of technology and keeping a use of digital resources that however do not super-
very open view regarding research methods. The sede textbooks. No doubt that the reflections and
25th birthday IARTEM volume is published at the the results presented here, as a testimony of what
same moment as these proceedings. Taken together, the research is producing will lay ground for future
this reflects the vitality of the research field and its research.
timeliness.
Editors??????
Changing media –
New Textbooks
changing schools?
IARTEM 2017
P. J. Santana Bonilla, J. Rodríguez Rodríguez | Does the use of educational digital resources at school provide potentially new
methodologies of teaching and learning?
Does the use of educational digital resources at school provide

potentially new methodologies of teaching and learning?
Some preliminary results from Digit@l School Research Projectⁱ
Pablo Joel Santana Bonilla

Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain | psantana@ull.edu-es
Jesús Rodríguez Rodríguez

Universidade de Santiago De Compostela, Santiago De Compostela, Spain | jesus.rodriguez.rodriguez@usc.es
Abstract
The production and use in the classroom of edu- increase the resources without changing educa-
cational digital content is a relatively new phenom- tional practices? The main features of the EDR an-
enon. The study of the introduction of such materials alyzed prevent the development of new ways of
give us the opportunity to know how different agents teaching and learning: subject centeredness, one
(educational authorities, textbook companies, teach- size learning design, traditional social values orien-
ers, students, and families) contribute to those pro- tation, among others. According to teachers the key
cesses. In this article we present some preliminary issue is the methodological framework within EDR
results of two studies, developed within a wider re- are used. Some of them even stated that what is
search, undertaken to analyze the educational digital important it is not the number of educational digital
content offered by different webs and the views of resources used but their suitability to educational
teachers and students about such materials. purposes and students’ needs.
The main question is: Does the use of educational
Key words: educational digital resources (EDR),
digital resources (EDR) at schools provide potentially
educational digital content, ICT, primary education,
new methodologies of teaching and learning, or just
learning methodology, teaching.
1 Introduction
We begin presenting two recent reviews on educa- The first article aims to evaluate the quality of EDR.
tional digital resources and summarizing the main In order to fulfil it proposes a number of criteria and
features of the research project in which our paper is recommendations that can guide any teaching tool
embedded. Later on, we expose the purpose of this design. The evaluation instrument proposed in-
contribution, present the results that give answer to cludes academic, pedagogical, didactic and technical
our main research question, and offer a provisional criteria. Some of the main conclusions of this study
conclusion. were the following:
a) The EDR analyzed are merely electronic versions
of traditional courses that will not bring anything
The design and evaluation special to the learner.
of educational digital resources b) Learning with digital resources takes place in a
We will mention just two recent articles on the is- very different context from traditional learning,
sue of educational digital resources (El Mhouti, Er- where human interactions become mediated;
radi & Nasseh, 2013; Xie, Di Tosto, Chen & Vongkul- in this new environment where the learner finds
luksn, 2018). The design and evaluation of educational him/herself alone in front of the machine, the
digital resources (EDR) are pressing and challeng- need for educational support is of great impor-
ing issues. They warrant an investigation of what tance as most EDR are not based on solid teach-
exactly are the features that increase the quality of EDR. ing and learning foundations.
1 La Escuela en la era Digital: Análisis y propuestas para la creación y uso de contenido educativo digital. Escuel@ Digit@l (EDU2015-64593-R). Main Researcher: Manuel Area.
c) To create products that meet most of the digital The main features of the wider research
didactic and pedagogical criteria, explanatory project
work must be led by the pedagogy agents to The research project is entitled Schools in the
guide the manipulation of media by the learner Digital Society: Analysis and proposals for the
and this work must be done at the design stage; development and use of digital educational content –
any product must be evaluated before putting it Escuel@ Digit@l (EDU2015-64593-R) which is part
at the hands of learners in order to identify defi- of the National Research, Development and Innova-
ciencies and make necessary adjustments before tion (R+D+i) Programme (Ministry of Economy and
implementation. Competitiveness, Government of Spain2). It aims to
d) The EDR should entail teaching and learning analyze the current state of the production, distribu-
models in line with the current practices of edu- tion and use in the classroom of educational digital
cational paradigm that emphasizes the active, content for primary education in a sample of three
reflexive and social learning nature. Learners are regions of Spain (Canary Islands, Galicia and Valencia).
not recipients of information, but must be seen
as active builders of knowledge in the context of The initial general hypothesis
a learning community. The ubiquity of digital technology in its many for-
According to El Mhouti et al. (2013), all EDR should mats (tablets, smartphones, multimedia, laptops,
reflect the learning process that students develop etc..) has not only penetrated most productive, eco-
during different activities: “a situation problem which nomic and service sectors in our society, but has also
induces an action and a resolution process in which altered the ways of producing, distributing and con-
skills are practiced and new knowledge is identified. suming culture and knowledge. The latter is having a
This action is followed by activities to consolidate direct impact on traditional cultural industries that
learning and everything is accompanied by a forma- package and disseminate information (music, film,
tive assessment” (Gilis, Lo Bue & Mélin, n.d. as refer- media, etc…), and has caused a crisis in the traditional
enced by El Mhouti, Erradi & Nasseh, 2013). model of production and access to cultural products.
The second article analyze the review data of 1200 Something similar is beginning to occur with tra-
resources produced by a professional development ditional educational materials, such as textbooks,
program. In that professional development pro- whose oligopoly in the classroom is being challenged
gram, the authors trained and supported teachers in and replaced by other technological resources such as
evaluating and selecting EDR with the aid of a scien- interactive whiteboards, laptops and/or tablets that
tifically validated rubric. The rubric covered four di- mediate the use of educational digital resources.
mensions: Content, Pedagogy, Standards and Tech- The project aims to analyze the impact these new
nology, based on the TPAC+S model (Xie & Luthy, materials, the educational digital resources, have on
2017). The aim of this second work was to provide a teaching and learning practices in schools and class-
big picture of the quality of currently available prod- rooms. We differentiate five kinds of educational
ucts, and to identify the features that characterize digital resources (Area, 2018):
quality digital resources. The main conclusion of > Digital Object. A digital media o multimedia
this study points to the fact that the commonalities without an explicit educational function nor
among evaluations reviewed in this project suggest a specific curricular scope. A picture of a ther-
that digital resources generally fit into one of three mometer can be used in Physics or Health
areas of instructional design: individualized instruc- Sciences, and can be included in a conceptual
tion, inquiry-based learning and situated learning. map, a learning activity or an evaluation activity.
The predominance and significance of requests for This is equivalent to the first level of AENOR’s
features that allow users to differentiate instruc- Standard UNE-71361:2010.
tional material in these ways point to the need for > Digital Learning Object (DLO). A digital object
classification and Discovery tools for each of these produced with a short-term educational purpose
areas. The findings of this review suggest the need that requires some action on the part of the
for digital repositories to reflect or make visible how student. Use to adopt the shape of isolated ac-
resources fit particular instructional design models tivities or exercises. This is similar to the second
(Xie, Di Tosto, Chen & Vongkulluksn, 2018). level of AENOR’s Standard.
2 In project participate three research teams: The Education and New Technologies Lab (EDULLAB) from the University of La Laguna; The Curriculum, Resources and Educational
Institutions Research Group (CRIE) from the University of Valencia; and the Stellae Research Group from the Universities of Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña. A group from
the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria also collaborates. The project spans the period 2016–2019.
> Digital Educational Resources (DER). A structured > Apss, Tools and Platforms (ATP). Include software
package of digital learning objects designed to with a general purpose and software created for
facilitate the development of students’ experi- an educational purpose. This kind of digital ob-
ences around a unit of knowledge or a compe- ject can be classified in the first level of AENOR
tence. For example: a lesson, a course, a space for Standard AENOR’s Standard (general purpose) or
collaborative work in order to develop a project, in the second level (educational purpose).
an environment to create a PLE or student port- The initial general hypothesis of the wider research
folios. These are equivalent to the third or fourth project is the following: the transition from printed-
levels of AENOR’s Standard: Didactic Sequence based educational materials to digital formats will
and Training Programme, respectively. have very profound effects on the way teachers
> Resource for Teachers’ Use (RTU). A combination teach and students learn. Digital materials make
of digital objects which provide teachers ideas it possible for teachers to customize materials
and resources (classroom planning, practical to student characteristics and, thus, open the pos-
experiences, intervention proposals, publishing sibility to create more enriching diverse learning
spaces as blogs) for training and professional de- environments. In short, educational digital materials
velopment. This kind of digital object has not its articulate new forms of interaction between lear-
equivalent in AENOR Standard. ners and knowledge.
2 Methodology
The methodology for this research project is mixed. approaches. Each study has its own specific aims,
We propose four different studies with different methodology and procedure (see Tab. 1).
Study Specific Aims

Study 1 1.1 Design and validate an instrument for analyzing digital educational resources for
Analysis of the pedagogical Primary Education.
features of a sample of commercial and 1.2 Analyze a sample of commercial educational digital platforms as well as institutional
institutional digital educational plat- portals created by the Education Departments of Canary Island, Galicia and Valencia.
forms and portals, and educational 1.3. Analyze a sample of educational digital resources for Primary Education (5th and
digital resources for Primary Education 6th grades) from the selected platforms.
(2016–2017) 1.4. Conduct a comparative analysis of the digital platforms and educational digital
resources previously studied.
Study 2 2.1 Identify the representations that different educational agents (teachers, students
Identification of the views of the and families) have regarding educational digital resources in primary education.
different agents involved in the design, 2.2 Analyze the representations that managers of institutional portals and com-
dissemination and use of educational mercial platforms have regarding the didactic features and market potential of
digital content (2016–2017) educational digital content in Primary Education.
Study  Select a sample of schools in the three autonomous communities to carry out case
Case studies on the use of educational studies on the use of digital content in order to develop a cross-case analysis.
digital resources in primary schools
(2017–2018)
Study 4 Develop and publish a guide of good practices with suggestions derived from the
Development of a good practices guide research findings.
for the production, distribution and use of
educational digital resources (2018–2019)
Tab. 1 The wider research project: summary of specific studies. (Authors)
Some results from Study 1 elaborated by teachers and managed by different

Below we show the main findings from Study 1 agents; portals not designed for formal educa-
(which is already complete). From the analysis of the tion mastered by different agents; and commer-
different webs we arrived at the following findings: cial platforms operated by a publishing company.
1.
We identified four kinds of web: institutional They have different features (see Tab. 2).
portals set up by an educational administration;
teacher networks portals which contain materials
Institutional Web Commercial Teacher networks Web portals not for

portals Web platforms Web portals formal education
set up by an educational operated by a publishing mastered by diverse agents managed by different agents:
administration company (publishing companies, teach- association, city council,
ers’ associations…) foundation, trade union…
repositories of open access Restricted access to kind of open access to certain open access to all resources
digital educational resources digital textbook (payment resources and restricted to
by school or family) others
resources produced by the resources developed by resources produced by teach- resources produced by agents
educational administration or technical teams ers or developed by with diverse profiles
by teachers technical teams
No unified underlying peda- Explicit pedagogical model No unified underlying No unified underlying
gogical model; each digital not always responding to pedagogical model; each pedagogical model; each
resource responds to a differ- an innovative educational digital resource responds digital resource responds
ent model approach to a different model to a different model
Some processes for filtering No usual processes for filter-

the inclusion of resources ing the inclusion of resources
Differences between plat- Some focused on specific

forms that only commercialize themes, providing contex-
digital resources or also tualized information; others
produce printed textbooks (more general) address
themes not tackled in printed
textbooks
Tab. 2 The four types of web providing educational digital resources. (Authors)
2. We found that commercial web platforms are platforms can be seen as Large Stores, as El
different from web portals in several aspects Corte Inglés, Harrods or Macy’s, and web portals
(see Tab. 3). Using a metaphor, commercial web as street market.
Commercial Web platforms Web portals

Organized according to an explicit logic Organized according to an implicit logic or combine
various criteria
Contain finished or complete products (i.e.: digital educational Contain mainly discrete elements (digital learning objects –
resources –DER) usually organized around lessons with the DLO-, resources for teacher use –RTU – and apps-ATP) with
same curricular structure for a subject and a whole school year different curricular scope and structures which can be
combined in different ways and for different purposes
Relatively easy to locate the resource searched for if you want to find something you have to get used with
the portal before
Tab. 3 Differences between commercial platforms and portals. (Authors)
Let us summarize. In one hand, the web portals and digital materials produced by teachers, and most
platforms analyzed use to offer a variety of digital commercial webs platforms include tools to assist
resources: digital textbooks, teaching units, acti- teachers in the design of digital educational resour-
vities, games, videos, apps, computer graphics, teach- ces.
ers’ guides, etc. These are addressed mainly to teach-
ers and students. On the other hand, institutional
web and teacher network web portals contain many
3 The purpose of this contribution

The purpose of this contribution is to offer an initial classrooms will not make any difference in students
answer to the following question: Does the use of learning unless there is accompanied by changes in
educational digital resources (EDR) at schools pro- teachers’ methodology. According to teachers the
vide potentially new methodologies of teaching key issue is the methodological framework within
and learning, or just increase the resources without EDR are used. Some of them even stated that what
changing educational practices? is important it is not the number of educational digi-
tal resources used but their suitability to education-
al purposes and students’ needs.
Educational digital resources
and new methodologies The views of teachers can be summarized as follows:
The analysis of a sample of digital resources from 1. They consider that the best way to proceed is
the four kinds of web portals and commercial plat- to use EDR alongside printed and other materi-
forms -Study 1- let us highlight that there is a long als. They reported to use a variety of EDR, gener-
way to walk because most educational digital really blending them: web platforms, multimedia
sources analyzed do not entails new methodologies. materials, videos, pictures, and different kinds of
1. Commercial platforms and portals contain mainly apps.
digital resources which are useful for a specific 2. The advantages attributed to EDR by teachers
school subject. Few materials entail an integrated are the following: their flexibility (the possibility
or interdisciplinary curriculum approach. to be used for different purpose and many times;
2. Most digital resources do not consider the diver- to stop, go backwards and forwards…), their
sity of students. They use to be not accessible accessibility from different devices, the opportu-
nor flexible for students with special educational nity they give to students to be active, the fact
needs. that can contribute to the development of the
3. The social points of view conveyed by the digital digital competence (to search information, to
materials are the traditional ones. Still predomi- create digital content and materials), the pos-
nates a sexist viewpoint about women. The fami- sibility for personalization, and for teachers and
ly model portrayed is the heterosexual associated students to share information with others.
with reproduction. The images represent mostly 3. According to teachers, the use of EDR can have a
white people, predominantly men. The visual positive impact on the processes of attention and
references to persons with functional or cultural motivation, operational and visual memory, logi-
diversity, or to elder persons are scarce or null. cal thinking and reasoning, and computational
4. The digital resources offered by portals consists thinking. However, all depends on the specific
mainly of digital learning objects (DLO). Commer- material utilized.
cial platforms contain mainly digital educational 4. Among the disadvantages of EDR they mention
resources (DER), usually in the form of digitalized the following: dependence towards the device,
enriched traditional textbooks. and a negative impact in the processes of reading
5. The materials offered by commercial platforms and writing.
are usually presented as potentially innova- 5. The main problems for the use of EDR at schools
tive, however a closer analysis reveals that most are: the lack of infrastructure (internet connec-
of them entails a methodology based on direct tion), equipment obsolescence, the lack of devices
instruction. replacement, the fact that the EDR can be useful
6. Most EDR are designed to be used off-line, not for one group of students but not for another,
taking advantage of the huge possibilities of the resistance of colleagues, and of some parents
Internet to develop processes of searching, select- who expect their children to work with printed
ing, sorting out and presenting information. textbooks.
6. Teachers who do not create EDR considered that
Our research question has a second facet: the possibility of students, families and teachers
Does the use of educational digital resources just to be in touch depends on the teaching method-
increase the resources without changing fundamen- ology more than on the digital resources utilized.
tal practices? Based on the narrative data gathered However, teachers who create EDR are persuaded,
by interviews to teachers and students -Study 2- we by their own experience, that the use of them
can conclude that the mere presence of EDR in the facilitates and enhance the communication
with their students, even help some students to the answer to the question: “Do I create and use
overcome their shyness. According to them it also suitable resources for what I want my students to
facilitates communication with families. achieve?” They argue that develop digital materials
7. Teachers who create EDR are critical with digital because do not find EDR suitable to their students’
textbook that consist on a digital replica of print- needs. Some of them told they use Project Based
ed textbooks and demand interactive online EDR. Learning and cooperative learning as metho-
Some of them underlined that what is important dological frameworks.
it is not the number of digital resources used but
4 Conclusions
Most educational digital resources analyzed do not tal practices when teachers continue teaching based
entails new methodologies. This first conclusion is co- on direct instruction. This is our second conclusion.
herent with some findings of El Mhouti et. al. (2013). The key issue is the methodological framework
The EDR analyzed in that study were merely electron- within EDR are used. Some teachers stated plainly
ic versions of traditional courses that will not bring that what is important it is not the number of edu-
anything special to the learner, and most EDR were cational digital resources used but their suitability to
not based on solid teaching and learning foundations. educational purposes and students’ needs.
The use of educational digital resources just can
increase the resources without changing fundamen-
References
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H.F. Bronner Foltran Cordeiro, T. M. Figueiredo Braga Garcia | Permanence and change in literacy textbooks
from the ‘National Pact for Literacy at the Right Age (PNAIC)’
Permanence and change in literacy textbooks from the

‘National Pact for Literacy at the Right Age (PNAIC)’
Haudrey Fernanda Bronner Foltran Cordeiro
Universidade Federal do Paraná – UFPR/NPPD, Curitiba, Brazil | haudreyfernanda@gmail.com
Tania Maria Figueiredo Braga Garcia

Universidade Federal do Paraná – UFPR/NPPD, Curitba, Brazil | tanbraga@gmail.com
Abstract
This article investigates the transformations in a lit- selection, purchase and free distribution of text-
eracy textbook approved in the National Textbook books for public school students, which takes place
Program (PNLD), after the implementation of the every three years. From the production of empirical
federal public policy of teacher education called Na- data it was possible to analyze the permanence and
tional Pact for Literacy in the Right Age (PNAIC). The changes in literacy textbooks in relation to the con-
aim of this research was to verify the permanence ception of literacy revealed through theoretical and
and changes in two editions of the same literacy methodological orientations, besides the activities
textbook approved in the PNLD in 2013 and 2016. The presented, revealing a proposal based on the study
qualitative research was based on the documen- of textual genres, in the systematization of the writ-
tary analysis and used the content analysis to detail ing system and in the need to monitor student learn-
and investigate the two literacy textbooks. As the ing. The concern with the evaluation only appears in
research involved two federal government pro- the edition presented in the PNLD 2016, citing the
grams, it is important to note that the PNAIC is a guidelines of the PNAIC, as well as its frames of
Brazilian federal program aimed at training teachers monitoring of the learning
to improve literacy outcomes in the initial grades.
Key words: Textbook. Teacher training. PNAIC.
PNLD is a Brazilian federal program for the analysis,
1 Introduction
Considering the importance of teacher training, in the country. The PNAIC encourages teachers to
after the year 2000, the Ministry of Education of use the books chosen by schools and has also influ-
Brazil began to produce a large volume of didactic enced the production of textbooks.
materials to support and guide teachers. To support The research aims to present the articulation be-
teachers in the challenge of literacy, the Ministry tween PNLD (2016) and PNAIC (2012), in a case study.
structured a federal public policy for the training of The specific objective was to analyse how the PNAIC
literacy teachers at the end of 2012, called the Na- – National Pact for Literacy in the Right Age, started
tional Pact for Literacy in the Right Age (PNAIC). in 2012, is present in a literacy textbook approved in
This policy has provided 60 manuals containing PNLD 2016, compared to its version of 2013.
theoretical and methodological guidelines on how to The public notice for participation in PNLD is pub-
develop literacy processes in the first three years of el- lished one year in advance, so for the 2013 edition,
ementary school. In addition to having a specific pro- the notice was published in 2012, and for the 2016
gram for the training of teachers with this material. edition, the notice was published in 2015. As the
The program articulates with the National Pro- PNAIC was started at the end of 2012, the influence
gram of Textbooks – PNLD, which evaluates and dis- could only be perceived in the subsequent edition,
tributes textbooks for all Basic Education students that of 2016.
2 Literacy textbooks
The literacy textbook has undergone significant and curricular. Afterwards, the books are evaluat-
changes when comparing the editions presented to ed, without the disclosure of authors and titles, by
the PNLD. According to Albuquerque and Morais experts based on criteria congruent to the public
(2011), in the last twenty years, literacy textbooks notice published. These same experts produce the
have undergone theoretical changes, resulting from book reviews that will compose the PNLD guide. The
the implementation of the PNLD, with the distribu- schools then review the approved books, as well as
tion of books in public teaching networks, and eval- the book reviews, and choose which books will be
uation of them since 1996. The theoretical changes adopted. The textbooks chosen must be used for
regarding teaching of reading and writing are linked three years by the school. Therefore, the PNLD takes
to the theory of the Psychogenesis of Written Lan- place every three years. The Ministry of Education
guage (Ferreiro; Teberosky, 1986), besides the stud- deals with publishers, buys books and distributes,
ies on literacy in Soares (2017). free of charge, to public schools throughout Bra-
Until the 2007 PNLD, students in literacy classes re- zil. With the implementation of the PNAIC in 2012,
ceived two textbooks: a literacy textbook that slowly teacher training was intensified in the perspective
left behind the spelling book structure and texts, and of literacy and social practices, according to Soares
the first volume of the Portuguese language. Begin- (1998), presenting theoretical and methodological
ning with PNLD 2010, 1st year students started to strategies to achieve the double objective. In order
receive a single copy that included the appropriation to do so, he emphasized the need to systematize the
of Writing Systems as well as social practices. Alphabetical Writing System, the use of textual gen-
In this way the PNLD organized literacy textbooks res from various spheres of communication, day-to-
for the first two years of the E.F. and books of the day lucidity, the use of different didactic materials,
Portuguese Language collection for subsequent including textbook, methodological adequacy and
years. However, these changes in literacy books evaluation of learning, as an essential monitoring of
have been gradually given to each PNLD. the entire teaching-learning process.
The PNLD followed the progress of research and The research by Cordeiro and Garcia (2016) shows
studies on literacy. This is because the notice for the how the two public policies (PNAIC and PNLD) are
submission of textbooks to the Program, as well as interconnected and support each other simultane-
the evaluations and elaborations of the guide, were ously. The PNAIC indicates the use of the textbooks
carried out by the Ministry of Education in partnership and the PNLD Guide 2016 indicates the PNAIC train-
with the universities that were present in the daily life ing books.
of the schools and, therefore, of the literacy classes. In this research, the analysis of a textbook that was
The PNLD works like this: The Ministry of Education approved in two subsequent editions (2013 and
publishes a public notice with guidelines for publish- 2016) is the object of analysis for the first percep-
ers who want to present their didactic collections. tions about the presence of the PNAIC in literacy
In this edict there are indications of diagramming textbooks.
3 Methodology
For comparison and analysis of literacy activities, The book of 2013 is divided into three parts:
the textbook selected was “Porta Aberta: letramen- 1st – presents topics related to first name, school
to e alfabetização” – 1st year, of authorship Isabella and the way to school.
Carpaneda and Angiolina Bragança. This textbook 2nd – presents 16 sections, each one referring to a
has been approved since PNLD 2007, that is, four word beginning with the consonant letters, in al-
consecutive editions in PNLD. phabetical order. The words present the syllabic pat-
For this study were selected the textbooks ap- tern consonant and vowel, the most common and
proved in PNLD 2013 (2011 edition) and 2016 (2014 easy of the Portuguese Language.
edition). 3rd – presents 22 sections, each one referring to a
word started with a syllabic pattern different from
the consonant and vowel, or that presents letters
that represent different sounds according to the
word.
The texts that accompany the keywords of each sec- The research was supported by the procedures of
tion are short, in great majority, belonging to Bra- content analysis (Bardin, 2008). Thus, the following
zilian folklore. There are several activities of word steps were performed:
writing, multiple choice, with syllables, to draw, to a) Selection of the materials to be examined.
circumvent the options, among others. b) Floating reading.
The book of 2016 is divided into 9 units. Each unit c) Analytical reading of the two editions of the
presents two texts (short, long and imagery) for the textbook (guidelines for the teacher and se-
reading of different textual genres, as well as com- quences of proposed activities).
plementary texts with curiosities about the studied c) Elaboration of categories to guide the analysis
subject. of materials considering the permanence and
The activities refer to the writing of words with changes in the textbooks after PNAIC.
emphasis on the initial letters, but also presenting d) Organization and systematization of the
different syllabic patterns, different positions of the results found.
letters within the words, different sounds that the e) Qualitative analysis of the results.
same letter can express, oral production, written
textual production, besides play activities.
4 Results and data discussion

To analyze the data produced, three categories of tices of the Writing System, so that the children per-
analysis were established, considering the frequency ceive the symbols proper to writing, how it is organ-
of the items, when performing the analytical read- ized, what the relationships of symbols and sounds
ing, (guidelines for the teacher and sequences of according to position of the letters in the words and,
proposed activities). to this end, the need to use pedagogical resources,
1. Senses of Literacy such as moving letters, to understand how writing is
2. The meaning of texts and textual genres built is fundamental.
3. The role of Evaluation The observed changes are presented in the follow-
ing frame.
The categories were established based on the infor-
mation analyzed and the data produced. 2013 2016
Decipher the Writing System. Understand the Writing
About the category 1, “Senses of Literacy”, what System.
reimaned was: Highlight phonemic aware- Highlight phonological
a) The idea that literacy must be linked to social ness, that is, to perceive awareness, that is, abilities
practice, that is, real texts that circulate socially. sounds individually. to count letters, compare
Systematic work with sounds words, among others.
b) The reflection on the difference between the and letters. Systematic work with texts,
symbols of writing and other symbols. words, syllables, letters and
c) The emphasis for learning the writing system. sounds
d) The importance of the relationship between Tab. 1 Changes in textbooks – Category Senses of Literacy
letters and sounds for literacy. (Authors)
e) The constant use of moving letters to support

the literacy process. The idea of understanding the Writing System ex-
pands the concept of deciphering, since the decipher-
The continuity of the perspective of literacy related ing is directly related to the reading process, being an
to social practices is endorsed by Magda Soares important step in this learning (Cagliari, 1999). How-
(2017) when affirming that literacy is not detached ever, in speaking of the comprehension of the Writing
from the social. These studies began in 1985 and System, it is linked to the two simultaneous process-
proved that when literacy is significant, it makes es, that is, to understand to write and to read. Thus,
sense, providing reflection on why reading and the Writing System is considered a Notational System
writing, children have more satisfactory results. with rules and properties that need to be cognitively
However, the same studies pointed to the need to reconstructed by the learners so that there is under-
teach systematically in addition to the social prac- standing, according Morais (2012, p. 48–49).
Another issue to be highlighted is that in 2013 the Like reading, the production of texts is also taught
emphasis was on phonemic awareness, that is, the systematically and, considering social practices, it
perception of individual phoneme sounds. For this, presupposes writing with purpose, aiming at an
the proposal was based on the systematic work with interlocutor; therefore, the importance of consider-
sounds and letters. As early as 2016, the approach ing the communicative situations.
turns to phonological awareness, considering differ- The observed changes are presented in the follow-
ent abilities regarding comparison, counting, word ing frame.
analysis, perceiving regularities and irregularities in
relation to sounds, letters and syllables, from texts. 2013 2016
This means an increase in phonological skills to be Speak about the diversity Speak about the diversity
developed in the literacy process. of texts. of textual genres
An example to be observed in the textbook is (texts with social function).
related to the perception of rhymes in 2013. Already To discover, reflect, and To observe, understand and
in 2016, it expands to counting letters and sylla- build knowledge that use the Alphabetical Writing
bles, as well as rhymes. This means to understand students need to read System, using this knowledge
and write. in reading and writing texts.
that the systematization of writing goes beyond the
rhymes. According to Morais (2012), all these skills Seek Reading with Reading is understanding.
refer to phonological awareness and are essential understanding.
for the literacy process. Tab. 2 Changes in textbooks – The meaning of texts
Another factor to emphasize when considering and textual genres. (Authors)
the comprehension of the Writing System is in the
presentation of one letter at a time, in the 2013 Bakhtin (1997) states that we communicate
edition, resembles the booklets of the 1970s. Let- through textual genres. Such an understanding
ters in the alphabet sequence, A to Z, emphasizing of what textual genres are the texts that circulate
common syllables of the Portuguese Language, as socially, expands the proposal to simply use texts. It
consonant followed by vowel, and after, the difficul- is another meaning for the concept of text and tex-
ties such as digraphs and consonant meetings. tual genre.
In 2013 the textbook presents separate systema- To observe, to understand and to use the System
tizations, as in relation to the letter R. There is sys- of writing resigns the idea presented before to dis-
tematization of the initial R, intermediate R and RR cover, to reflect and to construct. It is interesting to
usage. In 2016 the textbook presents simultaneous note that the principle of USE-REFLECTION-USE is
systematizations: initial R, R intermediate, use of RR. present in the National Curriculum Parameters of
It thus considers the learning of the Writing System 1997. Thus, the 2016 edition reinforces the need to
as something global that needs to be seen in a wider give the apprentice the perception of the language
context to later make systematizations. The idea in use, perceiving regularities and conventions.
is for the learner to think about how the Alphabet Another aspect to emphasize is the understanding
Writing System works. that to read is to understand, considering that read-
ing is an interactive process between reader and
About the category 2, “The meaning of texts and text in search of satisfying the objective that guides
textual genres”, what remained was: reading, according Solé (1998).
a) Emphasis on reading skills that allow text com- An example to highlight is that in 2013 a little
prehension. poem is used as a pretext to systematize a letter of
b) Reading and writing activities with purpose. the Alphabet (C). In 2016 the textual genre “tale” is
c) The idea of dialogue with the texts read. used for reading, providing a diversity of genres. The
d) Proposals to produce textual genres according textbook 2013 edition only presents little poems
to the proposed situation. and songs, while 2016 edition presents a variety of
textual genres.
The studies of Rojo (2004) and Solé (1998) indi-
cate the importance of developing reading skills
so that one can truly understand the text. Reading
also needs a systematic teaching, so it is neces-
sary to use the different textual genres that en-
able the development of reading comprehension.
About the category 3, “The Role of Evaluation”, it so that it is possible to plan from the needs of the
was possible to observe that: students. And for this, the mention of the PNAIC
is constantly in the teacher‘s guide. The PNAIC
2013 2016 presents orientations about the processes of evalu-
Evaluation The proposal is to: ation in literacy, suggesting monitoring frames for
is not > Evaluate the reading beyond the decipher- learning.
mentioned. ment of words: read and understand texts.
Resolution n. 7 of December 14, 2010, of the Na-
> Evaluate textual production.
> Evaluate orality. tional Education Council, article 32 mentions evalu-
>E valuate the learning of the Alphabetical ation as an integral part of the curriculum, consider-
Writing System. ing its procedural nature, in a continuous and diag-
>U se frameworks suggested by the PNAIC
to monitor learning nostic manner. This presupposes a follow-up of the
learning path, in a timely manner, monitoring what
Tab. 3 Changes in textbooks – The Role of Evaluation. (Authors) each student has learned and what they still need to
learn. Albuquerque (2012) affirms that evaluation
serves to map students‘ learning pathways and to
It is noteworthy that there is no mention of moni- verify that teaching strategies are delivering expect-
toring student learning in the teacher manual ac- ed learning. This means understanding the evalua-
companying the 2013 PNLD textbook. In the 2016 tion as necessary to resume planning by tailoring it
edition, the need for this monitoring is emphasized to students‘ learning needs.
5 Conclusions
The data constructed, based on the careful analysis Thus, the comprehension of the function of writing
of the two editions of the textbook “Porta Aberta”, and reading becomes significant, because there is
allowed to list three categories of analysis: senses a communicative situation involved in this process.
of Literacy, the meaning of texts and textual gen- In this way, the comprehension of the function of
res and the role of evaluation. These categories writing and reading becomes significant, because
allowed us to analyze how the textbook in question there is a communicative situation involved in this
presented continuities and changes in relation to process.
the 2016 edition. It is important to remember that Regarding the changes observed in the three cat-
the curricular orientation that guides the produc- egories, including the role of evaluation, they can be
tion of the two editions is the National Curricular considered positive as they provide theoretical and
Parameters (1997), but that in 2012, with the begin- methodological advances. By observing the term
ning of the Teacher Training Program, denominated “understanding” of the writing system, the com-
PNAIC, some changes have already been noticed in plexity of the learning of a notational system is at-
relation to literacy textbooks. This observation was tributed to the literacy process, which presupposes
made following the public notice for the publishers to know already established rules of functioning and
to present their books in the National Textbook Pro- appropriating these rules, in a gradual way, under-
gram (PNLD), as well as the analysis of the Teacher standing them, and not through memorization.
Manual accompanying the textbook “Porta Aberta”, In addition, in indicating the need to systematize
as well as the activities presented in the student‘s the writing system, focusing not only letters, but
own book. extending to syllables, words and texts, emphasizes
The permanence and changes were observed in the social uses that accompany the literacy process,
the categories: meanings of literacy and meaning indicating the work with texts that present com-
of texts and textual genres. The continuities are municative situations, instead of false texts, mean-
related to the linkage of literacy, emphasizing the ingless, without context, that only exist within the
systematic teaching of writing, with social practic- school. That is, work with textual genres, according
es, a process studied by Soares (1998). These con- to Bakhtin (1997), which are the texts that circulate
tinuities are considered positive, they agree with socially, is evidenced in the 2016 edition, in conso-
the post-80 studies that value the approximation nance with studies that consider the text as a start-
between literacy and social practices, based on the ing point for any linguistic reflection, as indicated by
diversity of textual genres that circulate in society. Koch and Elias (2009) and Antunes (2003).
Another change that broadens the view on literacy is ing of items already taught or to use differentiated
the work with phonological awareness, which aims strategies for teaching, according to Leal (2003).
to perceive similarities and differences between These changes observed in the “Porta Aberta”
words, analyzing number of letters and syllables, as textbook, published in 2016, show the presence of
well as the perception of rhymes, initial, medial and explicit guidelines of the PNAIC, with an emphasis
final syllables and other phonological abilities which on the understanding of the alphabetic writing sys-
can be developed to support the literacy process, ac- tem, the use of textual genres and, above all, the
cording to Morais (2012). importance of constantly evaluating. The observed
In relation to the evaluation process, it is not a continuities and changes indicate a new meaning
change, but a very significant insertion of the con- for literacy, in a more dialogic and interactionist per-
ception. The presence of guidelines on the evalua- spective, which understands the need of the other
tion process of literacy, in a procedural and continu- for the construction of knowledge, for interaction
ous way, carefully perceiving the progress in student through oral and written texts, understanding that
learning, as well as being an instrument for the all this learning is a process, that does not depend on
teacher to decide on the need to resume the teach- memorization.
References
Albuquerque, E. (2012). Concepções de alfabetização: o que Cordeiro, H.F.B. F. & Garcia, T.M.B.F. (2016). Significados
ensinar no ciclo de alfabetização in Brasil. Pacto Nacional e funções dos livros didáticos nos manuais do Pacto
pela Alfabetização na Idade Certa: currículo na alfabeti- Nacional pela Alfabetização na Idade Certa (PNAIC). Con-
zação: Concepções e princípios: ano 1: unidade 1. Ministé- ferencia Regional para América Latina de la International
rio da Educação, Secretaria de Educação Básica. Brasília: Association for Research on Textbooks and Educacional
MEC. Media (IARTEM). Balance y análisis de la investigación so-
bre el libro de texto escolar y los medios digitales.
Antunes, I. (2003). Aula de português: encontro e interação.
Memorias. Colombia. Pereira: Universidad Tecnológica de
São Paulo: Parábola Editorial.
Pereira.
Bakhtin, M. (1997). Estética da criação verbal. Os gêneros do
Koch, I.V. & Elias, V.M. (2009). Ler e compreender os sentidos
discurso (2nd ed.). São Paulo: Martins Fontes.
do texto. São Paulo: Contexto.
Bardin, L. (2008). Análise de Conteúdo. Lisboa: Edições 70.
Leal, T.F. (2003). Intencionalidade da avaliação na Língua Por-
Bragança, A. & Carpaneda, I. (2011). Porta aberta: tuguesa. In Silva, J.F., Hoffmann, J. & Esteban, M. T. Práti-
letramento e alfabetização. São Paulo: FTD. cas avaliativas e aprendizagens significativas em diferentes
áreas do currículo (pp. 21–33). Porto Alegre: Mediação.
Bragança, A. & Carpaneda, I. (2014). Porta aberta:
letramento e alfabetização. São Paulo: FTD. Morais, A. G. (2012). Sistema de escrita alfabética. São Paulo:
Melhoramentos.
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Brasília. didáticos na alfabetização: mudanças e possibilidades de
uso. In T. F. Leal, & A. Silva (Eds.). Recursos didáticos e en-
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e muito mais (pp. 135–155). Curitiba: CRV.
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Rojo, R. (2004). Letramento e capacidades de leitura para a
Certa: currículo na alfabetização:concepções e princípios:
cidadania. São Paulo: SEE:CENP.
ano 1: unidade 1. Ministério da Educação, Secretaria de
Educação Básica. Brasília: MEC. Soares, M. (1998). Letramento: um tema em três gêneros.
Belo Horizonte: Autêntica.
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Contexto.
Solé, l. (1998). Estratégias de leitura (6th ed). Porto Alegre:
Artmed
J. Kubrická | Getting the best of all worlds in classroom materials for tertiary ESP
Getting the best of all worlds in classroom materials

for tertiary ESP
Jana Kubrická
Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic | kubricka@fsps.muni.cz
Abstract
In this paper the author describes the background, authors. ESP at tertiary level is a domain where the
principles and pitfalls of material design for Eng- identities of learners (both their language and aca-
lish for Specific Purpose (ESP) courses. Foreign lan- demic identities) are a powerful instrument that has
guage teaching in the “post-method era” strives for to be taken into account and developed to maximise
an ambitious format that reflects current trends of learning. The aim of this paper is to offer an insight
autonomous learning, collaborative learning, scaf- into the background, starting points and elements
folding and CLIL, develops creativity and critical of material design in tertiary ESP which draws on re-
thinking while combining traditional and new me- search into identity in language learning.
dia. Building on these approaches and incorporating
Key words: English for specific purpose, syllabus de-
their elements into ESP materials effectively and in a
sign, language identity, digital media, scaffolding
purposeful manner presents a daunting task to the
1 Introduction
English for specific purposes (ESP) is a type of Eng- their professional life?”. Although as a starting point
lish Language Teaching (ELT) which is characterised this question can guide teachers as to the content
by its emphasis on students´ needs and practical of the course the question that arises is what prin-
outcomes of teaching (Belcher, 2004). Rather than ciples and methods they should employ. Moreover,
a methodology or a specific set of materials or tech- with the diverse and ample opportunities that infor-
niques ESP is broadly viewed as only an “approach” mation technology offers, teachers may feel over-
to teaching (Dudley-Evans & St John, 1998). The whelmed and puzzled as to how to select, structure
primary goal of ESP courses is to prepare students and adapt these tools in order to create conditions
for their profession so the underlying and determin- for the best possible learning outcomes. This article
ing question that teachers of ESP should ask before attempts to outline some of the options that are
designing their courses and materials would prob- available and discusses their relevance and potential
ably be “What language will my students need in for ESP teaching.
2 ESP in the post-method era

In this article we discuss ESP in tertiary education the content of teaching derived from the declared
which is nowadays (along with English for Academic needs of the students while the methods of teach-
Purposes – EAP) a very common method of teaching have been neglected (Basturkmen, 2012) or
ing languages at universities in the Czech Republic reduced to issues of the needs of the market.
due to the gradually improving level of language Belcher (2006) problematizes this content driven,
skills of university students and a greater demand problem-solving approach and considers whose pur-
on language teaching that would cater to their poses are being served by customising the language
specific needs as future scientists, medical profes- for ESP courses. She questions the assumptions that
sionals, teachers or lawyers. As ESP is not a descrip- are frequently made about the needs of students
tive methodology it is an area of foreign language and calls for a more reflective, dialogical method
teaching that poses specific challenges to teachers. of teaching which is based on the ideas of critical
It has been argued that Language for Specific Pur- pedagogy. In practice such an approach means close
pose (LSP) literature has been overly concerned with cooperation between the teacher and the student
where the roles are equal and supportive rather of anxiety or lack of self-confidence. Calling upon stu-
than hierarchical and power distance is reduced so dents as experts in their field of study can reduce this
that students have an opportunity to decide or co- anxiety and contribute to their well-being in the class
operate on the syllabus and materials. To illustrate (Janks, 1997). Here we take the position of Norton
this point, students enrolled in an ESP course choose (2000) who argues that language learners and lan-
their area of expertise, do their research on a given guage learning context are intertwined in the sense
topic and present it to their peers. In the course of that it is through language and social meaning of in-
such learning, the students develop not only their teraction in the language that learners construe their
language skills, but ideally also their knowledge of second language identities. Although Norton refers
the subject. In addition, by setting their own learn- primarily to second language learning in the target
ing goals and organising their learning they become language environment, we believe that these identi-
more autonomous learners (Smith, 2003). By involv- ties are created in an ESP classroom too. An example
ing the students actively as co-managers of an ESP of practice in ESP which develops the identity of a con-
course and drawing on their expertise course we fident language learner is a diary into which students
also develop their professional identities. can note down the language and communicative situ-
The issue of professional identities is closely linked ations they came across while studying for their non-
with motivation. The motivation to actively partici- language subjects which is then used as a springboard
pate in a class can be inhibited by a student´s feeling for discussions and activities in a language class.
3 Technology and ESP

As mentioned above, it is the content objectives sional communication such as registers (Hradilová,
that are usually given precedence in ESP. Neverthe- 2016). Other authors in this field (e.g. Arno-Macia,
less, there are several key approaches to the teach- 2012) emphasise the importance of setting mean-
ing of EAP that have been adopted in ESP: induc- ingful tasks that require interaction and simulations
tive learning, process syllabuses, learner autonomy, of authentic situations.
authenticity, technology and team teaching Next, e-learning materials tailored to the needs
(Watson Todd, 2003). Let us examine technology of the students can help reinforce their knowledge.
and its role in ESP in more detail. There are many Various online tasks can also have the function of
purposes technology in ESP can serve. scaffolding learning, e.g. vocabulary tasks provided
Primarily, the internet is a convenient source of to students before a lesson or other materials that
discipline-specific materials that ESP teachers and contribute to the flipped classroom where students
students can draw on to familiarize themselves with do their reading before the class and use the face-to-
authentic target language contexts. Warschauer, face time in the classroom for discussion or further
Shetzer, and Meloni (2000) first coined the acronym elaboration on what they have studied at home.
ALIVE to summarise the significant shift in language Another scaffolding technique in ESP is providing
learning in the age of the Internet, specifically the writing templates to students that they can adapt in
concepts of authenticity, literacy, interaction, vitality, their own writing. These scaffolds are then gradually
and empowerment. Empowerment in ESP teaching removed and students are more challenged.
and learning appears to have a special significance A phenomenon that emerged recently and has
as the learners are aspiring to become members of since become an integral part of ESP and EAP cours-
certain professional communities. By accessing tech- es are language corpora. These databases and the
nical texts on the Internet they are simultaneously instruments for their analysis have provided us with
with general language acquiring the knowledge of a new insights into the specificities of various genres
specific professional discourse. Furthermore, when and discourses (McCarten, 2007). These days ESP
exploring discipline-specific sources students can students can even create their own corpora select-
develop their critical thinking skills, e.g. when assessing the texts they themselves consider relevant
ing the reliability of online sources, their genre and for their language learning. These databases and
register (Barahona & Arnó, 2001). concordance data that they provide serve as a refer-
Online communication such as emailing or video ence when checking collocations, the correct use of
conferencing is another powerful tool for ESP and terminology, etc. but can also be used for grammar
can be used to teach very specific aspects of profes- practice, e.g. demonstration of the use of passive
voice in formal texts, both in pre-writing and post- of study by doing their research and planning their
writing stages. The corpora have been identified contribution but at the same time there is a lot of
as an empowering tool (Starfield, 2004) for both language work involved, particularly in the skills of
teachers and learners as it gives us evidence and sta- reading and writing. This activity by focusing mainly
tistical data as to what vocabulary and grammar to on the content is very close to the method of CLIL in
include in our teaching or learning as it helps iden- which the students learn the content and language
tify errors and compare student´s writing with other in an integrated way.
sources that are considered the “norm”. That, how- Overall, information technology provides nu-
ever, raises another issue worth discussing with our merous benefits to ESP teaching as it is becoming
students, and that is on “whose English” we want to increasingly more realistic and authentic in the com-
rely – be it the language of scholars from Great Brit- munities that students are members of in online
ain, the USA or international writers. environments (Arno-Macia, 2012). The aspects
Another learning platform for ESP made possible that have great potential for ESP are therefore in-
by the new media are asynchronous forums, such creased motivation of the learners, collaboration,
as wikis. These forums have specific features of real-life tasks and the development of intercultural
face-to-face discussions but they also exhibit cer- competence in more varied online communities.
tain traits of academic writing (Hopkins, 2005). The Nevertheless, all of the tools described above can
academic writing trait is mainly associated with the only be effective if the support and guidance of
fact that students, when contributing to the forum, teachers is provided and the tasks are structured
can plan their posts and support their statements and scaffolded to cater for the needs of individual
with arguments that they have had time to consider. students. Furthermore, teachers need not only
At the same time the style of writing includes the to have skills and knowledge of the technology
dialogic nature of these forums, that is references to but also strategies for evaluating and adapting it
other participants´ contributions or questions. Writ- (Warschauer, 2002) to make the best possible use
ing a wiki entry in collaboration with others entails of it. Technology may represent a very attractive in-
a great deal of interactivity, which raises the stu- strument, like shiny new textbooks in the past, how-
dents´ awareness of target reader, genre and makes ever, it is the goals of the course that should remain
them organise their posts more carefully (Kuteeva, the priority of a teacher. Only then it is possible to
2011). This activity therefore represents a very effec- combine all the options that are available to “get the
tive and popular instrument whereby students col- best of all worlds”.
laborate on a specialised subject close to their field
4 Conclusion
In this paper we have attempted to outline the main tively participate will foster both their professional
assumptions and strategies applied currently in ESP. growth and their language learning beyond the
We have discussed the role of autonomy in ESP and classroom.
the options for building learner´s confidence, moti- ESP has always had students´ needs at the cen-
vation and professional identity in ESP classes. De- tre of attention and therefore over the last decades
signing materials in ESP in tertiary education is an it has embraced and incorporated various tools of
area where the expertise of students in the field of ICT that allow greater engagement of students and
study often surpasses the knowledge of the subject more extensive use of authentic materials. It is also
by language teachers and it is therefore important important to emphasise that declaring the needs
that language teachers acknowledge the students of the learner as a priority is philosophically and
as co-operators and co-designers of the syllabus and methodologically a positive starting point for teach-
teaching materials. ers to contemplate the goals, content and methods
We also discussed the role of technology in ESP of their courses, the ICT tools they will use and the
and pointed out the instruments that are available tasks and projects that will lead towards achieving
to teachers to empower their students as language those goals. We believe that the concepts of authen-
learners and future professionals. We believe that ticity, interaction and collaboration that are facili-
raising students´ awareness of reliable Internet tated by ICT will enable ESP teachers maximise the
sources or online platforms in which they can ac- learning outcomes in their classes.
References
Arno-Macia, E. (2012). The role of technology in teaching Kuteeva, M. (2011). Wikis and academic writing:
languages for specific purposes courses. The Modern Changing the writer-reader relationship. English for
Language Journal, 96, 89–104. Specific Purposes, 30, 44–57.
Barahona, C. & Arnó, E. (2001). English for academic McCarten, J. (2007). Teaching Vocabulary: Lessons from the
purposes: Learning English through the Web. Barcelona: Corpus, Lessons for the Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge
Edicions UPC. University Press.
Basturkmen, H. (2012). Language for specific purposes Norton, B. (2000). Identity and Language Learning.
curriculum creation and implementation in Australasia Pearson Education Limited.
and Europe. The Modern Language Journal, 96, 59–70.
Smith R.C. (2003). Pedagogy for Autonomy as (Becoming-)
Belcher, D. (2004). Trends in teaching English for specific Appropriate Methodology. In D. Palfreyman & R.C. Smith
purposes. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 24, (Eds.) Learner Autonomy across Cultures (pp. 129–142).
165–186. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Belcher, D.D. (2006). English for specific purposes: Teach- Starfield, S. (2004). “Why does this feel empowering?”:
ing to perceived needs and imagined futures in worlds of Thesis writing, concordancing, and the “corporatising”
work, study, and everyday life. TESOL Quarterly: A Journal university. In B. Norton & K. Toohey (Eds.). Critical
for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and pedagogy and language learning (pp. 138–157).
of Standard English as a Second Dialect, 40(1), 133–156. Cambridge, England: University of Cambridge Press.
Belland, B.R., Kim, C. & Hannafin, M.J. (2013). A framework Warschauer, M. (2002). A Developmental Perspective on
for designing scaffolds that improve motivation and Language Education. TESOL Quarterly, 36, 453–475.
cognition. Educational Psychologist, 48(4), 243–270.
Warschauer, M., Shetzer, H. & Meloni, C. (2000). Internet
Dudley-Evans, T. & St. John, M. J. (1998). Developments in for English Teaching. Alexandria, VA: TESOL
English for Specific Purposes. Cambridge: Cambridge
Widdowson, H. (1979). Explorations in applied linguistics.
University Press.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hopkins, J. (2005). Talking to the cyberwalls? Interaction
in an asynchronous Web-based language course (Unpub-
lished master´s thesis). Universitat Oberta de Catalunya,
Barcelona, Spain.
Hradilova, A. (2016). Videoconferencing in English for Law
Courses: Cooperation and Politeness Principles Revisited.
Humanising Language Teaching, Pilgrims, 18(2), 1–8.
Janks, H. (1997). Teaching language and power. In R. Wodak
& D. Corson (Eds.) Language Policy and Political
Issues in Education. Vol. 8, Encyclopedia of Language and
Education (pp. 241–52). Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic
Publishers.
N. Romero | Cultural change in classrooms through the use of educational materials
Cultural change in classrooms through the use

of educational materials
Nancy Romero
FLACSO, Buenos Aires, Argentina | romeronancy@live.com.ar
Abstract
This paper analyzes the current uses of educational (motivate, create, exercise, evaluate). When teachers
materials in the classrooms of Argentinian primary select materials, they emphasize the participation of
schools. Educational materials are essential for the children through oral and written words; the expres-
development of a class. Their uses are based on sion of emotions; the relationship between knowl-
educational intentions that seek to respond to the edge to learn and everyday life.
needs of daily practice, needs that relate the school In this set of practices and contemporary senses,
to other cultural dynamics. traditions and novelties are combined, giving rise to
The research strategy consisted of a case study, new pedagogical definitions, including the current
where field work was carried out in two primary place of children in school and the ways in which
schools of the City of Buenos Aires during 2013 and they learn, how to teach and the textbook as educa-
involved classroom observations, interviews with tional material
principals and teachers, and children’s focus groups.
Key words: Textbook; Primary school;
The results of the study showed that teachers select
School culture.
a variety of materials to teach the same subject. Each
material is assigned a function to promote learning
1 Introduction
What is the most valuable and relevant knowledge dered meaningless. This analysis perspective on the
for the future life of students? Which are the learn- school leaves little place to the recognition of nuanc-
ing experiences that students are worth gaining in a es that comprise changes and permanent dynamics
cultural context of ceaseless change? activated by individuals themselves.
These issues, frequently asked in schools, interpel- In this research, I assume another position in which
lates their historical function focused on the forma- the study of school dynamics and its multiple rela-
tion of the national identity, access to literate and tions with the social field takes variations, continuities
printed culture, and the disciplinary organization of and ruptures into consideration, that is to say, a way of
knowledge. thinking the present by resorting to the past, analyzing
These questions challenge the capacity of schools what it is and what it can be, making room for other
to recreate experiences of cultural transmission rele- problems and hypotheses that appear in the school
vant to students, participants in a communicational world.
ecosystem that forms multiple and changing iden- In that sense, the materials used in schools are an
tities, which generates new forms of relationships opportunity to identify continuities and changes in
and is illustrated by the growing specialization of school culture. Until a few years ago, research found
knowledge, among other features. that textbooks were the most frequently used edu-
As regards the issue we are dealing with, “Ma- cational materials in schools. Although they con-
terials Change, School Changes”, I can say that the tinue in force, their uses are varied. On the one hand,
relations between school and the social scope (in a they seem to be indispensable for preparing classes,
broad term) have been defined by pedagogy in dif- they are used in the planning stage because they
ferent forms: crisis, decline, alteration, exhaustion, offer information and useful resources. Books are the
all of them remarking the idea that there has been greatest source of consultation for the teacher. On
a certain stability which is presently questioned and the other hand, its place as a resource for teaching
that there has been a certainty that is now being and learning is shared, increasingly, with a heteroge-
resented, and the idea of school has been even ren- neous set of materials that, although they have not
been thought for the school, become educational Vidal 2008). A culture that is changing from the en-
through the use that teachers assign them. try of new materialities.
Beyond the contexts, in the classrooms there is In this paper, I expose some results of an empirical
always an object that functions as a blackboard or research carried out in primary schools of the City
its analogue -digital blackboard- desks or tables, of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Through these results, I
maps, sheets, books, tablets, among others. A sys- have come to the conclusion that teachers are gener-
tem of objects supports the development of a class. ating new teaching practices to respond to the ques-
The choice of each one, their spatial distribution in tions asked. These practices are based on trials, on
the classroom, the moment in which they are used, guesswork about the uncertain, and in these tests,
the people who use it, reflect a system of school educational materials are a key. These changes are
relations mediated by them. associated with digital conversion, which is a novel
These objects build the material culture in the and extended process that modifies knowledge and
school because they are necessary as information sup- school practices with an innovative imprint.
ports and “modelers” of school practices (Gonçalves
2 Theoretical framework
The aim of the research was to analyze the current to the permanences and resistances (Vincent,
practices of use of textbooks in relation to expecta- Lahire and Thin, 2001; Tyack and Cuban, 2001) and
tions, actions, interactions with other materials and others emphasize production and change (Julia,
the bonds arising from them, built up by teachers 2001; Chervel, 1995; Forquin, 1993); Viñao Frago,
and children from the second cycle of primary level 2001). In this investigation, the contributions of
in two schools of the City of Buenos Aires. those who approach the second position were tak-
I assumed the theoretical perspective of school en. Therefore, it is recognized that beyond innova-
culture. The school culture is defined as a set of tions and pedagogical reforms, in the school small
norms and school practices produced with differ- daily changes are made that are capable of trans-
ent purposes contemplating the schooling objec- forming the interior of the educational system. In
tives of each period and transmitted over time. this conception, school culture is understood as an
Different individuals – teachers, children, families – invention. That is, the school as a space of socializa-
actively participate in its processing creating specific tion is a place where culture is learned and taught,
cultures. These ways of doing and thinking exceed and where a culture of its own is produced and
the walls of the school and project into social life. reproduced, called “school culture”.
This perspective allows to interrogate school prac- The analysis of the role of individuals in the con-
tices and the internal functioning of the school to struction of the curriculum allows to recognize that
explain processes that are not usually described. For the school is a place of contact of diverse cultures:
example, how the uses of textbooks are linked to family, teachers, children. This conception conceives
the daily school dynamics, the pedagogical relation- of “consumption” as a set of singular procedures
ship, teaching and learning. of appropriation, emphasizes productivity and
In school culture studies, three aspects stand out the innovative character of intercultural mixtures
for their analysis: continuities and changes, the role (Canclini, 1990). Then, it shows that, instead of a
of individuals in the construction of the curriculum passive consumption of educational materials at
and material culture. school, individuals make original uses of new and old
The analysis of continuities and changes in school materials, printed and digital.
culture can be applied to the knowledge that is The analysis of material culture composed of text-
transmitted, the technologies that go through books and other objects allows, on the one hand, to
teaching practices, the behavior of teachers and stu- describe representations, knowledge and practices
dents, the organization of space and time, the mate- and, on the other, conditions school practices de-
riality of objects, among other dimensions. The re- fining a specific way of relating to knowledge. Text-
lationship between continuity and change of school books have been present in the classroom since the
culture, related to the notions of “school form” and beginning of modern education systems, however,
“school grammar”, is considered differently accord- throughout history schools have been permeable
ing to the researchers: some give more relevance to some uses and expressions of written language
and resistant to others, so books have been criti- life of the school in its relationship with contempo-
cized, modified and used in different ways according rary cultures.
to the practices and pedagogies of each place and In this sense, the school culture is a builder and
time. Therefore, the study of the materiality of the transmitter of resignified and/or invented practices
school, in this case from the textbooks, allows ac- based on the relationships it establishes with cultur-
cess to the changes that are generated in the daily al transformations.
3 Methodology
The investigation of school practices requires a qual- From a perspective centered in the investigation of
itative methodology based on an interpretative ap- the meaning that the actors give to the experience, I
proach, because it involves the approach of research selected a variety of procedures that were extended
phenomena in their specific scenarios of events, in and corrected throughout the research experience
a holistic and conceptual manner, in addition to (Yin, 1994).
capturing the complexity of social life and recover Field work involved interviews with teachers, prin-
the presence, role and meaning of the subjects in cipals, librarians, educational advisers and digital
the development of social processes (Kirk & Miller, consultants; observations nonparticipating in class-
1991). rooms, school library and other spaces inside the
I carried out the research through a collective case school frequented by students, two focus groups of
study (Stake, 1995) from an ethnographic viewpoint students in each school and the collection and study
that would let me emphasize the perspectives of the of more than five hundred photographs in each
parties and their bond with the materialities. For school.
this, I selected two cases that were studied inten- I conducted in-depth interviews with teachers,
sively. principals, coordinators. Also spontaneous inter-
There is no single school culture isolated from the views with teaching assistants. Through the in-
tensions and contradictions of the external world depth individual interviews, I inquired teachers’ in-
(Julia, 2001). Each school is different because there terpretations of the ways in which they use the texts,
are many possible ways to structure school life, there- the forms used in the teaching of different school
fore for the selection of cases I took into account the disciplines, and other materials they use in teach-
theoretical relevance, as they deepen the knowledge ing. Through the interviews, I accessed information
on the subject, and empirical, given that the selected that was difficult to observe, clarify and also expand
cases are relevant in themselves. The choice of cases data from observation. The script of the interviews
involved an a priori knowledge of the schools. with teachers and principals was about the
For this, I contacted key informants who knew following topics:
the characteristics of several schools, both private a) Selection of textbooks and other materials;
schools and public schools. After these conversa- b) Use of textbooks and other materials for class
tions I defined a list of possible schools and estab- planning y
lished the first contacts to know four schools from c) Use of textbooks and other materials for teach-
which I chose the two cases of research. ing classes.
The period of time spent in the field involved a Non-participant observation allowed me to explore,
whole school year (2013) in two schools (A and B) describe and understand the practices in their con-
with different school cultures. text, who carried them out and the meanings as-
signed to them. I observed the teachers and the chil-
School A: A school culture more attached to a rigid dren in classes of different subjects, in different situ-
disciplinary logic; more related to books; linked to si- ations and in interaction with a variety of materials.
multaneous teaching. I conducted two focus groups of students in each
of the schools whose purpose was to investigate
School B: A school culture more akin to fluid forms the senses and perceptions of children in relation to
of knowledge flow; more associated with screens in the usual practices of using textbooks as well as the
terms of writing supports; that is more prone to one- characteristics they adopt in the resolution of tasks in
on-one work and/or group or online work boosting the house and at school. They were made in a con-
different learning paces. versational and playful way from the manipulation
of textbooks. The internal dynamics of the focus ry information that was useful when triangulating
group revealed new aspects of the topic that had not data collected in interviews and observations.
emerged in individual interviews or observations. In the field record, I gathered all the work on a daily
The photographic records of student folders and basis which served as an instrument of data pro-
textbooks were a secondary resource for the pur- cessing during the research.
pose of documenting and providing complementa-

In this paper, I will refer to three common aspects of dialogue between school and the cultural changes
both school cultures in relation to the uses of mate- that questions one of the pillars of school culture:
rials, although the differences are also described and the use of printed material as the only format of ma-
analyzed in the doctoral thesis (Romero, 2016). terial intended for teaching. This process of teacher
The three points are: appropriation of the materials that the technologies
1. Relevance of teaching materials, offer transforms some important dimensions of ed-
2. Material selection criteria and ucation. At the same time, this process updates the
3. Class setups from the use of materials. use of traditional educational materials with new
functions and in combination with the newest ones.
Relevance of Teaching Materials

Until a few years ago, research showed, time and Material Selection Criteria
again, that the educational materials most frequently “What can we do with this in the classroom?” This
used in schools were textbooks. While still valid, their is the usual question that a teacher makes in front
uses are varied and essential as a source of refer- of any resource at hand: from a didactic proposal
ence for teachers. However, its place as a resource for material or a research paper. The answer is a prac-
teaching and learning is increasingly shared with a set tice where teachers reshape that resource from the
of materials that, although not intended for school comments they share with their colleagues. This ex-
(videos, apps), become educational through the use change of ideas, proposals and materials nourishes
assigned by teachers. The accessibility offered by the the pedagogical work of teachers.
web is key to be able to use such resources. Teachers These are practices of testing, of material explora-
“captured” materials from the web and transferred to tion, at the same time they are used with students;
the classroom. Teachers converts them into educa- practices that transform the same material as in
tional materials through the mediation of their expla- the case of YouTube video editing. Behind this way
nations, questions, reformulations. of designing the practice, there appears the concept
The careful observation of the classroom activity of “giving your own idea”, of inventing “a signature
allowed me to identify the central place materials practice”.
occupy to motivate students in the learning process
and to deal with the class atmosphere, thus, assum- I passed the topic “problematic situations” because the
students practiced it a lot in the 5th and 6th grades. This
ing a leading role in the teaching scene. From the re- year I taught equations, combined calculations. That’s why
search, we could say there is no teaching situation I’m not interested in following the textbook chapter after
without materials and at the same time, the com- chapter .. I’m using it alternately and mixing forwards and
backwards, I do not follow the order of the book. I’m going
bination of the use of several materials in the same through the chapters and I give the children exercise
class is becoming more and more frequent. guides that I put together on my own.
The textbook occupies an important place in Mathematics and Natural Sciences Teacher, School B.
these school practices. Their role is not necessarily
visible although of great presence beyond the nu- Therefore, choosing which material to use in class-
ances given in each institutional context. The book rooms depends on the margin of flexibility that ena-
is a faithful companion to the practices of teachers, bles the teacher to introduce personal variations in
often conceived as a guide, support, framing. the same material or to include it in a sequence of
The effective and developing presence of gadg- several materials created by the teacher.
ets and languages of audiovisual and technological Children are essential for the selection of materi-
culture in the ways of teaching is an evidence of the als performed by teachers. Considering them, teach-
ers select materials based on three fundamental cri- primarily to study for exams. Teachers select mate-
teria: innovation, individuation and encouragement rials by being attentive to children, trying to grasp
of study. Teachers choose: the present time they live in, and at once, they
consider it important to prepare them for going
>
Materials with an innovative component as through school and projecting themselves ahead.
long as it is novel and current. We look for the
innovative aspect to “surprise” students with I like to work with Kapelusz’s textbook, which although it
is quite structured, the part of study technique is very well
proposals and ideas that encourage and mo- worked. The topics are very well explained and the children
tivate them to learn. In this sense, teachers are have no doubts.
very concerned about presenting the contents Language and Social Science Practice Teacher, School B.
of teaching in an attractive way and they be-
lieve they can achieve this through technologies, These senses are embodied in everyday practices,
different resources and activities in which which in a way differentiated from the past, are
children can express themselves creatively. composed of the importance of the current words,
the actual presence of emotions and knowledge
We are setting up an immigrant museum with the taught in an interesting and attractive way for chil-
students. The students are working with documentation,
anecdotes and objects of their ancestors. First, they visited dren. Materials play a central role in this scenario.
the Bicentennial Museum and then I showed them a video
of an art installation that I saw in another museum.
The kids liked it a lot and started to add ideas to the initial Class Setups from the Use of Materials
project of the museum.
Language and Social Sciences Teacher, School A. When a material enters the classroom, it is installed
in a warp of school interactions not only connected
>
Materials that help students to discover and with relationships among subjects but among them
think for themselves. The aim is to promote and other elements inherent to the school culture:
in the students a process of individuation and times, spaces, climates, disciplines, objects. Accord-
strengthen the sense of originality, thus, chil- ing to the ways in which these interactions are car-
dren can develop their own possibilities and ex- ried out mainly by the teacher, there are three class-
pand their autonomy and critical spirit. In these room contexts:
practices, emotions are an unquestionable com- a) Communication,
ponent. The ideas of living and “experiencing” b) Reflective thought and
related to learning rule over any other criterion. c) Reflection of the textbook.
In this search, audiovisual materials and literary
readings play a transcendent role because they a) The classroom as a communication context
enable the expression of the inner world through These classes are defined by the principle of partici-
different languages. pation. They are illustrated by their dynamism. Teach-
ers and students live an intense time of action and of
We made a short film with the students. I invited a film agility between one activity and another, marked by
critic to be interviewed by the students. It’s a profession
they did not know and it also helped them to think about the encouraging participation of the children individ-
the film work they had to do. I am interested in the students ually or in groups since the “doing” is privileged as a
asking about their own life. They are kids but they are al- way of learning. Technologies and images are a usual
ready thinking: “What can I do with my life? Do I continue
content in the class as they immerse in the commu-
with my family’s work? Do I study something different? Do
I become a soccer player? Many students, after filming, told nication of knowledge marked by intertextual refer-
me that they really liked doing the editing. ences and personal experience. The manipulation of
Language and Social Science Practice Teacher, School A.
different materials is frequent in teaching.
> Materials that help studying. Training as a student b) The classroom as a context of reflective thought
is a task that lasts as long as schooling. Teaching In these classes, teachers seek to relate the participa-
students to study involves teaching how to or- tion of the children, the knowledge to be acquired
ganize time to complete homework, to work on and everyday life of students. These practices are con-
attitudes and willingness to study, to develop spe- cerned with the identities of children, appreciation
cific skills for addressing texts. For teachers, in that of knowledge, dialogue and civic life skills education.
sense, the textbook is a great ally. Books are con- Reading class work and both personal and collective
ceived as a guarantee of knowledge and are used interpretation of diverse texts are ongoing tasks aim-
ing at understanding the explicit and implicit meaning textbook that do not require students to take sides.
of texts, and even transcending it through inferences, The correction of the activities from the book is a task
personal evaluations of what is expressed in the text that takes most of the time of each class period since
and the use of that meaning in different situations. its objective is that “everyone has the same”.
Printed material, including textbooks and literature From the assumed theoretical perspective, teach-
books, is often used, although sometimes netbooks ers occupy an active role in the construction of school
and videos are also adopted with a special preparation. cultures. Their tactical work (De Certeau, 2002) linked
to textbooks -cultural objects that condense versions
c) The classroom as a reflection of the textbook of the prescribed curriculum and that remain in force
The class develops according to what the textbook in the classrooms- reveal the ways in which teachers
says. In this sense, the teacher has a very rigid action not only recreate the school knowledge of each disci-
plan that is replicated in every subject. In general, pline but generate different learning contexts.
students do not take part in explanations except The teaching performances involve nuances and
when they are asked specific questions. contradictions ranging from those very committed
The activity in class is usually the resolution of to their work to those who do not take charge of
questionnaires that expect the exact answer from their role. Both produce culture, there are examples
the book or the copy in the folder of fragments of the of this in the selected cases.
5 Conclusions
To recap, which are the changes perceived in the class- Materials assume a leading role as an aid to the task
room? As far as the location of material is concerned: of teaching. The selection criteria are strongly as-
sociated with capturing the interest of children in
>
Textbooks are essential as a source of reference learning school content. It seems less and less nec-
for teachers. essary the process of school assimilation of a mate-
>
In the classroom, textbooks share their place rial made by specialists (such as textbooks) because
with a diverse set of materials that, while not it is the teachers themselves who do it.
intended for school, become educational Teachers define with their selection what new
through the use assigned to them by teachers. materialities will facilitate the contact of the stu-
>
There is no teaching situation without dents with cultural contents: saying what aspects
materials and at the same time, the combination to rescue from the material to teach, what to read,
of the use of several materials in the same what emphasis to give, how to summarize it, what to
class is becoming more and more frequent. observe, what graphics to comment, what exercises
to put, how to evaluate, etc., new characteristics of
As regards teachers’ material selection criteria: the teaching practice. Materials become “living re-
> Materials tested and recommended by other sources” because they allow different approaches to
teachers. culture and updated ways to transmit content.
> Materials that can be modified and included in The analysis of the uses of educational materials
the teacher’s proposal. reveals the continuities and changes in the school
> Materials that manage to capture children’s culture. On the one hand, the permanence of the
interest in learning and help them get to know textbook and, on the other, the appearance of digital
themselves. materials that give rise to new school practices of a
> The material is known through its use, meaning complex nature. It also highlights the protagonism
that practices become exploratory. of children, whose voice is essential for the choice of
materials.
As regards the different forms assumed by the class: Finally, the importance of the knowledge of teach-
> According to the relationships established in the ers who, in cultural context of ceaseless change,
class among knowledge to be taught, subjects, create class contexts based on numerous decisions
available material, time and school space, related to time, space, materials, motivations of chil-
three types of class contexts are recognized: dren, academic objectives.
Communication, Reflective thought and
Reflection of the textbook.
References
Chartier, R. (2007). La historia o la lectura del tiempo. Romero, N. (2016). Cambio cultural en la escuela y nuevas
Barcelona: Gedisa. definiciones pedagógicas a partir de los usos del texto
escolar. Estudio de casos de dos escuelas primarias de la
Chervel, A. (1995). Historia de las disciplinas escolares.
Ciudad de Buenos Aires. (doctoral thesis). Buenos Aires:
Reflexiones sobre un campo de investigación.
Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO).
Revista de Educación, 295, 59–111.
Tyack, D. & L. Cuban. (2001). En busca de la utopía. Un siglo
De Certeau, M. (2002) [1980]. La invención de lo cotidiano 1.
de reformas en las escuelas públicas. México: Fondo de
Artes de hacer. México: Universidad Iberoamericana.
Cultura Económica.
Forquin, J. (1993). Escola e Cultura: a sociologia do
Stake, R. (1995). Investigación con estudios de caso. Madrid:
conhecimento escolar. Porto Alegre: Artes Médicas.
Ediciones Morata.
García Canclini, N. (1990). Culturas híbridas. México:
Vincent, G., Lahire, B. & Thin D. (2001). Sobre a história e a
Grijalbo.
teoría da forma escolar. Educação em Revista, jun, 7–48.
Gonçalves Vidal, D. (2008). Cultura escolar. Una herramienta
Viñao Frago, A. (2001). ¿Fracasan las reformas educativas?
teórica para explorar el pasado y el presente de la escuela
In SBHE (Ed.). Educação no Brasil (pp. 21–52). Campinas:
en su relación con la sociedad y la cultura (Diploma Supe-
Autores Asociados.
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Buenos Aires: FLACSO Virtual. Yin, R. (1994). Case Study Research. Design and Methods.
Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Julia, D. (2001). A cultura escolar como objeto histórico.
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Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
D. Bandeira, M. L. Tarran, E. Castro | Study on the theory and the practice of color with the use of online resources
Study on the theory and the practice of color

with the use of online resources
Denise Bandeira
State University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil | den.bandeira@gmail.com
Maria Laila Tarran

State University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil | lailatarran@brturbo.com.br
Eliane Castro
State University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil | eliane.arte@gmail.com
Abstract
This article depicts aspects of the creation and the there are multiple platforms available for blogging
development of an online resource (blog and video and WordPress included. (Blood, 2002; Amaral,
channel) concerning theory and color teaching and Recuero e Montardo, 2009; Cruz, 2008). There
its application in extension courses at UNESPAR – is this qualitative research carried out in training
School of Arts of Paraná (Campus II, Curitiba). The courses for art teachers and other professionals
purpose of this paper is the use of information (teachers’ courses 2014-2017), that applies a semi-
and communication technologies (ICT) for training structured query and meetings due to the use of
teachers and visual arts professionals in the study these resources. It is quoted that the use of appli-
of theory and practice of color (Lévy, 1999; Castells, cations and digital tools to teach the theory of the
2000). It was considered demands in this area of art color may contribute for some learning practices
and some hazards in both supply and access applied in art. Such applications provide some exchanges
the continuing education programs. The first stage among teachers and students; they also may allow
of this deals with discussion, available technologies networks between art courses and the community.
tests, online appliances evaluation, and resources
Keywords: studies on color; teaching education;
due to teaching theory of the color. Among them,
information and communication technologies – ICT.
1 Collective Dynamics: study of the color

This article discusses the use of technologies and dergraduates, arts teachers, artists’ studies, and so
social networks especially in art tutorship. It also forth, and they have been happening since 20121.
depicts, from a blog, some resources and their ap- Each edition offers theoretical and practical activi-
plications to ease concepts, systems, and practices ties, such as scopes creation and different studies
mainly due to color phenomenon in tutoring forma- on light projection for color settings, along with mu-
tion programs and in some professional ones. More- seum visits and cultural points of Curitiba (PR) which
over, this study also deals with the undergraduation can enhance deeper reflections about visual work
education in art at School of Arts of Paraná – State and chromatic unities through paintings and some
University of Paraná (UNESPAR), Campus Curitiba II, other object images with the use of mobile equip-
as a support for its Visual Arts Tutoring Program. ment, digital tools, and simulators.
Additionally, this research in progress intends to Between the years of 2014 and 2017, from this
analyze the practices and the experiments concern- argument with the participants concerning the
ing chromatic systems and harmonies, in order to course program accessibility and a blog2 has been
motivate digital appliances usage as well as some developed towards color tutoring3. It aims to offer
available programs on network for mobile devices subjects online for the attendants’ activities and to
like cell phones and pads. Most of these events were offer documentary equipment such illustrations, an-
part of extent courses and also were part of arts un- imations, video and photographic index. Currently,
1 The course about color phenomenon was promoted in 2012 by Maria Laila Tarran as a extent project concerning undergraduates in art and teachers of art, and other profes-
sionals. Such a project has also the cooperation of Denise Bandeira and Eliane Castro. This course has already had different editions, different programs as well as different
duration.
2 https://estudodacor.wordpress.com
3 Blog on concepts of the color theory promoted by the group since 2014. Available in <https://estudodacor.wordpress.com/>
whenever, the understanding of educational pro- Currently, digital networks and a large number of
cess also relies on facing post-modernity conditions technological mobile devices would give support to
and their consistent adjustments in this industrial- social and practical changes in many ways: politi-
ized output way of industrialized societies. cal disposal, daily life, displacement habits, different
Although some scholars prefer different names4 other ways of acting, providing and using informa-
for post-modernism such as “delayed capitalism” or tion. These networks, too, focus on the contempo-
“fluid modernity”, this post-modernity has not come rary culture, on arts and on education.
out from historical leakage or from a radical trans- In consonance with Cauquelin (2005, p. 57), this
formation, since this is due to a set of changes down task of studying the principles of communication
in the core of modern government, economical and in action would be very significant somehow in art
political organizations which gradually reach the and in education. This writer also sets that, in the
social institutions, as testified by Cazelotto: “By all contemporary art, one can check the supremacy of
means, post modernity is related to the birth of the communication and its different processes. She has
daily computerization, as well as to the electronic also pointed out that such processes are ultimate
forms of communication”.5 (2007, p. 9). meaningful for this art system formation and for
Well, social processes of computerization have its rules. Such a statement stressing the real impor-
grown from the 1970’s, and the Internet was linked tance of communication towards the contemporary
to the military usage only. In the 1980’s, with the art, and it’s considered, not only changes in produc-
end of the Cold War, this network amplified, so tive mechanisms, distribution and consumption, but
did the unlimited growing of computer. According also the technological use and its expansion which
to Lévy, during those past years, cyber culture has have shown these art conditions concerning the
spread all over: the interconnection, the virtual up- public.
rising of communities, and a collective intelligence In such a data universe formation plays an ulti-
(1999, p.127). mate role since it is important to learn how to pro-
duce, to give out, and to share information until
knowledge can be meaningfully broaden by this ac-
tion of exchanging among schoolmasters and non-
academic.
2 Art tutorship: multiple appliances online

The capture of the contemporary art depends, then, for the qualification of art images information has
on this system recognition, also on their agents’ ac- been applied, either towards the information shared
tivity, such artists, tutors, and historians; mainly it among the public with online resources, like com-
depends on the relation established with the frantic munication channels and social media tools as blogs.
public who seems to be attracted by different artis- Besides, it is not difficult to foresee these broaden
tic appeal. At this point, and according to Cauquelin odds, due to the public access to technologic net-
(2005), there is a great interest in mediation process- works and to the acknowledgement on this color
es; then the importance of this mediation remains in phenomenon and contemporary art mediation.
art tutorship, because this understanding on artistic The theory of the color suits this kind of art tutor-
manifestations has turned to be a critical factor in ing and, since the beginning of the study in biology,
order to have public and society gathered towards physics, chemistry, psychology, in language and in
these technologies of information and communica- philosophy, color cognition relies on both reflections
tion. and on artists’ practices. Investigations on color,
Such a proposal intends to report part of the nec- sight or optical have taken place in research fields.
essary updates concerning art tutoring methodolo- They are connected with science, technology and
gies before the new technologies came to the scene. society; they have passed through some interven-
In such a case, the use of mobile device programs tions and carried out towards antagonist terms.
4 Mandel, Ernest. O capitalismo tardio. São Paulo: Nova Cultural, 1985; Bauman, Zygmunt. Modernidade líquida. Rio de Janeiro: Jorge Zahar, 2001.
5 Free translation from the original. (N.T.)
Fig. 1 Answers from participants in the Teacher Training Color Course 2016
(Authors, questionnaires applied to the participants)
Guimarães: “Democrito, Empedocles, Plato, Aristo- ward the necessity of developing some resources
tle, Euclides, Seneca, Plini, Ptolomeus, Pythagoras, and a permanent update of the project due to the
Plotinus, and others, started out these investiga- lack of a suitable didactic supplement for different
tions in the ancient world”.6 (2000, p. 9) In those groups. From this data, the use of technologies and
artists, scientists, and philosophers’ diggings, this social network have been chosen to ease the access
sophisticated study of the color passes by pigment to the course. Video production and animation, add-
issues, optical and cultural codes, along with linguis- ed by blog, regular update and democratization of
tic contributions, and interdisciplinary approaches. the material have been privileged.
This blog comes out from researches, in fact, from The introduction of new means of communication
the teachers’ pedagogical and didactic experiment, and information gives support to recent cultural en-
concerning color studies and the participants’ as- vironments, being able to change social interactions
sessment that, during the past editions, have been and social structure. Santaella (2005) points out
taken on different forms: from contempt for under- that the new technology roles in art innovation are
graduate students of art, professionals, and tutors focused on communication and art influx. Thus, the
up to working groups with the aid of the Art and use of this or that online tool concerning color has
Technology Centre at the School of Arts of Paraná been based on surveys and on available resources,
(NATFAP). access, data storage capacity, users’ shares and on
In the graph below (Fig. 1), data assembles on par- social networks. Besides, it was based, either on bet-
ticipants’ different expectations are depicted (the ter readiness and updating possibilities, or mostly on
amount of responses – vertical axis), along with the free shares.
alterations of the level of satisfaction (excellent, In fact, blogs are desirable and skilful disposal
very good, good, fair – horizontal axis): coordination, tools for arbitrated communication by computer.
infrastructure, and content. They deal with various drills with different uses and
Quest analyzes on assessments of these issues7 assumptions. Once the term was brought up back
related to frequency and continuity brought for- to 1997, quarrels among some Internet communi-
7 At the end of each edition, the group posed some questions about the course. Data has been collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017 only.
ties on the growth of the first weblog are on, and ac- use somebody is able to perform and that is classi-
cording to Blood (2002), a page8 kept from 1993 to fied by several authors as gender”.10 (2009, p. 31)
1996 is considered the forerunner for such a format. The option for this very blog came out to be the re-
Still, during 1999, the interest for that kind of we- sult of deep analysis of the tools and their necessary
blog grew exceedingly due to low cost or even free functions concerning the content (texts, illustra-
devices and other services for contempt issue: “Such tions, videos, animation, etc.). Discussions on tem-
systems have made the issue and the maintenance plate and the introduction of the menu assumed
of sites without requiring the cognition of HTML different structural characteristics of the program
possible. Thus, they fast turned out to be adopted recourses like its function, its accessibility, and mod-
and adjusted in different situations. Besides, after ern view. The first version of this blog provided at
being set some new comment tools to those blogs least two possibilities in communication – by e-mail,
it became widely known for the public”9 (Amaral; to contact the users along with the posts issue on
Reguero; Montardo, 2009, p. 28). You Tube channel that could narrow the exchanges.
It is utterly difficult to operate such blog assorts Likewise, for accounting research by Carvalho:
using a unique definition only. So, they can be con-
sidered as issue tools with regular dispatches in E-mail, chat, forum, audio, and videoconference are com-
munication tools and a demand for an educational site.
updated chronological backside positions. The pro- People should be allowed to give their opinions in the forum
cess of this blog for education has depicted differ- and, in case of doubt, they should also be allowed to ask for
ent functions; it has been adopted by communities help. On the other hand, however, it is utterly important
that the ones who are using the site could talk on the chat,
and organizations as communication appliances. In in a certain point. Such an action may also break this kind
Cruz’s opinion (2008) it has made teachers and stu- of isolation on the Web.11 (2006, p. 62)
dents utilize them in disciplines and in contempt as
they perform an important tool for class activities, In this version of the blog, animation and videos
either in video and image issues in outcome broad- have been brought from scripts by the group of ex-
cast, or in different daily school tasks. perts. Readiness of usage and development of these
However, and according to Amaral, Recuero, and resources depend on some controls applied to com-
Montardo, blogs are essentially means of communicative proceedings, by monitoring actions,
munication whose aim is to ease contacts among moderating activities, or connecting these proce-
themselves and the audience. These same blogs dures to digital environment. However, such an ap-
could also be understood as cultural devices prac- pliance turns out to be accurate, since it stands on
ticed by users and built by their various motivations half present students, reexamination, and ease the
and interests. “It is generic the perception of this content access.
blog as an appliance, for it aims to incorporate all the
3 Color extended field: queries and capabilities

Operational gauges and disposing environmental vided by Carvalho (2006; 2008) who has detected
assessment concerning blogs assist the evolution of this growing interaction with the users. It has been
online resources. They serve as parameters when- detached such a tendency to mobile technologies in
ever applied to instructional sites. order to access the information.
Functioning criteria as well as the available en- Resource online provision in this article has moved
vironmental evaluation for blogs aid the resource those scholars towards the educational tool expands
online development. Additionally, they are like pa- and reviews; most of them were used in under-
rameters whenever applied on educational sites. graduate and in specialization programs. Addition-
Proportions concerning layout and graphic design, ally, the scholars had to deal with some experiments
informative and interactive functionalities, browser like tools and devices in class concerning the project
and communication with the addition of other quali- of the phenomenon of the color. It is necessary to
fying gauges were some of evaluating elements pro- provide a computer menu with page section and
8 The Mosaic’s What’s New page turned out to be one of the most popular documents on the Internet, and was kept as a communication channel between 1993 and 1996
(Blood, 2002).
Fig. 2 Menu, Additive blending. Source: <https://estudodacor.worpress.com>
subsection concerning used available templates for capture images and chromatic keys output and they
the layout (see Fig. 2) in the platform environment, can be used to set chromatic harmonies. This prac-
with the support of texts and illustrations tice at the museum was a real trigger towards their
Concerning videos, animations and blog included, interest. Additionally, it has made possible the inter-
a channel linked to the same address was taken as action among the participants, the visual language
the main option to ease the access and to boost elements of the color and it also broadened infor-
communication with the users on social networks. mation exchange and the communication on social
During the last edition of the course in the first networks.
term of 2017, the group introduced the blog to the In the end, it happened that the color tutorship in
class along with available appliances online for the undergraduate or in specialization programs will be
study of the color, its classifying systems, codes, the able to deal with various appliances and devices on-
chromatic circle and qualifications (hue, saturation, line like the blog. Such tools would allow the partici-
brightness). A visit to a museum, whose show was pant to interact with the contempt of the discipline;
previously planned12 by the group, was set. Pieces would allow him/her to reexamine, test, and use
using elements of proper visual language were pro- different concepts about the color, concerning the
vided for discussion on the color, its systems and study of artistic pieces. Besides, the use of tools in
composition. Again, such a visit favored the approxi- mobile devices for different procedures during prac-
mation among the participants and the artists who tical classes, visits and educational actions in show
had deep analyzes of the color in their work. rooms will provide new methodologies for the art
Using mobile device, the group had experienced tutorship.
some appliers concerning the color. They should
References
Amaral, A., Recuero, R.l. & Montardo, S.P. (Eds.) (2009). Bauman, Z. (2001). Modernidade líquida. Rio de Janeiro:
Blogs.com: estudos sobre blogs e Comunicação. São Paulo: Zahar.
Momento Editorial.
Blood, R. (2000). The weblog handbook. Practical advice on Guimarães, L. (2000). A Cor como informação: a construção
creating and maintaining your blog. Cambridge: Perseus biofísica, lingüística e cultural da simbologia das cores.
Publishing. São Paulo: Editora Annablume.
Carvalho, A.A.A. (Ed.) (2008). Manual de ferramentas da Lévy, P. (1993). As Tecnologias da Inteligência: o futuro do
Web 2.0 para professores. Lisboa: MEC/DGIDC. pensamento na era da informática. São Paulo: Ed. 34.
Carvalho, A.A.A. (2006). Indicadores de Qualidade de Sites Ed- Lévy, P. (1999). Cibercultura. São Paulo: São Paulo: Ed. 34.
ucativos. In Cadernos SACAUSEF – Sistema de Avaliação, Certi-
Lévy, P. (1999). Cibercultura. São Paulo: Ed. 34.
ficação e Apoio à Utilização de Software para a Educação e a
Formação, Número 2 (pp. 55–78). Ministério da Educação. Mandel, E. (1985). O Capitalismo tardio. São Paulo: Nova
Cultural.
Cauquelin, A. (2005). Arte contemporânea: uma introdução.
São Paulo: Martins Fontes. Santaella, L. (2005). Por que as comunicações e as artes estão
convergindo? São Paulo: Paulus.
Cazeloto, E. (2007). A inclusão digital e a reprodução do
capitalismo contemporâneo (doctoral thesis). São Paulo:
Programa de pós-graduação de Comunicação e Semiótica
da PUC-SP, Retrieved from: www.sapientia.pucsp.br//
tde_busca/arquivo.php?codArquivo=5738
Cruz, S. (2008). Blogue, YouTube, Flickr e Delicious. In
Carvalho, A. A. A. (Ed.). Manual de ferramentas da Web
2.0 para professores (pp. 16–26). Lisboa: MEC/DGIDC.
Editors??????
Changing media –
Textbooks, media and
changing schools? resources
in school subjects.
History and science
IARTEM 2017
A. I. Rajković, M. S. Ružić, B. Ljujić | Board games and acquiring knowledge of history: research in university teaching
Board games and acquiring knowledge of history:

research in university teaching1
Aleksandra Ilić Rajković
Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Serbia | avilic@f.bg.ac.rs
Mirjana Senić Ružić

Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Serbia | mirjana.senic@f.bg.ac.rs
Bojan Ljujić
Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Serbia | bojan.ljujic@f.bg.ac.rs
Abstract
The paper presents a qualitative research in the pos- application in history teaching. Students-designers
sibility of using board games as educational media pointed out that creating a board game was a chal-
in history teaching. The study included 58 pedagogy lenge that required sophisticated intellectual and
students divided in two groups (13 game-designers emotional engagement, and that they had acquired
and 45 evaluators) and a subject teacher. The re- knowledge of history with understanding and
search was conducted during a course of The His- through problem-solving. Students-evaluators ar-
tory of Schooling in Serbia (Belgrade University). Stu- gued that the games had helped them in acquiring
dents were engaged in project-based learning, with and revising the knowledge from a new and unusual
the assignment to create board games, to play and perspective.
evaluate them, and to present their views, through
Keywords: Board-games; Project-based learning;
focus groups, on the possibilities of board games
History knowledge
1 Introduction
Board game surely implies action (specific kind of In this research, our focus was on examining stu-
activity), but it also encompasses the experience dents’ perspective on the possibilities of using board
of play – the unique modality of human experience games as educational media in history teaching.
(Botturi & Loh, 2008). It is a carefully constructed Games were used in two ways – creating and play-
system designed to create a gameplay experience ing the created board games. Through focus group
(Hunsucker, 2016), and to make certain content, sessions we aimed to understand these processes,
problems or materials more clear, personal and clos- the difficulties and advantages as well as students’
er to the players – it is a sort of autotelic experience reflections on both creating and playing the games.
in which a person is completely involved engaging
his or her full operational capacities (Csikszentmi-
halyi, 1999).
There is a variety of researches dealing with the use by group dynamics, the (learning) outcomes of
of board games in teaching, where it is discussed gameplay are important for all participants, not only
about the advantages of using games in history for particular individuals (Henricks, 2011). By ex-
teaching (Abramson et al. 2009; Gonzalo, 2016), in periencing freedom while playing, participants can
construction of cultural memory (Begy, 2015), or as develop self-consciousness, awareness of the social
a platform for collaborative learning (Hunsucker, environment and other people within it as well as
2016). Being unpredictable and multiply determined relationships they engage in with others (Božović,
1 The contribution was created as a part of a project of the Institute of pedagogy and andragogy (Faculty of Philosophy, Belgrade) „Assesment models and strategies of improv-
ing the quality of education“ (no. 179060) financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Serbia.
2010). Play does not only result from the cultural In order to observe both perspectives of the process,
and societal events. It also represents the source it was necessary to engage students in a project-
of cultural and societal values (Kajoa, 1979; Huiz- based learning (PBL). Projects are complex tasks
inga, 1944). Some authors point out that the use based on challenging questions. In PBL students
of games in teaching positively affects the motiva- are involved in design, problem-solving, decision
tion, engagement and atmosphere in the classroom making or investigative activities; while given the
(Koehler, et al. 2016). Having all that in mind, it is opportunity to work relatively autonomously over
not surprising that some authors state that games extended periods of time, it usually culminates
use their potential to actively involve the players in in realistic products (Thomas, 2000). Some of the
the construction of meaning and in the understand- defining features of PBL include authentic content,
ing of historical event (Gonzalo, 2016). Our inten- authentic assessment, teacher facilitation (but not
tion was to comprehend the possibilities of the use direction), explicit educational goals, cooperative
of board games in history teaching by taking an learning and reflection. All of these features were
“inside” look into that process from two aspects – implemented in this research, since they imply
from the perspective of game-designers and from educational interaction among equal participants
the perspective of those who play the game as a in joint learning experience within which play and
finished product. improvisation came to the fore.
2 Methodology
The aim of this research was to explore the poten- during nine weeks of single semester course on the
tial and to comprehend how the use of board games history of schooling in Serbia, at Belgrade University.
affects the processes of teaching, learning and ac- A group of 13 students created board games using
quiring knowledge of history. It is not easy to link the themes from the course curriculum. The other
experiential learning with the acquisition of knowl- 45 students were invited to play the games that
edge from the past. How can it be possible to experi- their colleagues designed. In the end, through focus
ence events that happened a long time ago? In this group sessions, we examined students’ perspec-
research we have attempted to examine the pos- tives on the process of learning through creating and
sibilities provided by board games on this subject playing board games for the purpose of acquiring
matter. knowledge of history.
In order to get the better understanding of the In this paper, we will present one segment of the
students’ perspective on the use of board games research with the focus on the activities that took
and how they affect the processes of teaching and place during the research, through three phases
learning, we decided on the qualitative methodol- – preparation, realization and evaluation; and the
ogy using focus group method. The research was students’ reflections on the activities, learning
conducted with third year pedagogy students, process, acquired knowledge and skills.

The preparation phase started with the teacher pre- goals and objectives of their games, to choose the
senting the assignment and basic principles of board theme, type and mechanism for the games.
game design. After that, students brainstormed about Activities of the planning and realization phase can
board games in educational context, using their previ- be seen through several steps.
ously acquired knowledge of pedagogy and psychology.
Students’ discussion, instead of giving some answers,
opened evenmore dilemmas about the given topic. Defining educational goals of the games.
Several commercial games were discussed and played Students decided to work in 3 teams and one student
during two weeks period: Timeline Challenge (2015), worked individually, to create 4 games with different
The Grizzled (2015), Freedom (2012) and Agricola (2007). goals: knowledge revision, development of strategic
Students were given the opportunity to work thinking, historical empathy.
autonomously with freedom to define educational
Defining the topics of the games. world (characters, places and specific characteris-
At the beginning of the project, students started tics of that world). Second, it is necessary to allow
with making an insight into the provided literature an amount of modification within those limits in or-
for the course. Now, they intensively studied the der to make the possible world, and to allow players
topics they would present through the games, by to be active in the possible world, to be involved in
approaching the materials in different ways. the game and reproduce significant aspects of the
For example, the team who decided to make a events. This is the way the player becomes a part of
strategy game focused on understanding the fac- that world.
tors that the school’s development depends on. In
order to make a strategy game, it was not enough
just to identify and recognize those factors in the Project results – four different board games.
materials they read, but rather to put them in in- From Mystery to History is a knowledge revision
terrelations. A group opting for a game based on competitive game in which the players should,
historical empathy had a different approach. In the based on the given information, determine which
provided literature they only found the topic and key school the given information relate to. Players draw
contextual information and focused their attention cards according to color and enter card data on their
on the search for additional resources. Here’s how paper which enables the overview and the possibil-
one student sums up the previously said: ity to organize and easily memorize the collected in-
formation.
“… It’s a very different approach to the material because Identity is the game with historical empathy as
none of us have taken all the material to read the data in
order to memorize the information, but we were thinking an objective. The story is about the life of civilians
about how to put them in the function of the game, and in Serbia during the WWI. The game is cooperative;
that learning was flowing spontaneously…” players are in the role of high school students facing
a number of situations in which they have to make
decisions that may result in a loss of dignity, jeop-
eveloping mechanisms and creating
D ardy, growth of dignity or safety.
components for the games. Danilo’s game, is a card game for one player led by
Students, by thinking about this problem, have come a game master. A player is in the role of an ordinary
to the realization that the educational potential man in Serbia at the end of the 19th century, facing
of their games depends on the quality of the mecha- a number of different situations in which he should
nism. make decisions that determine his life path.
The game Nastavlenije1, is a strategy game in
“…we tried to find some of the key aspects that led to the which the players are in the role of the founders of
development of school, such as legislation, textbooks,
teachers, and so on, so we listed all that, and then we looked various types of schools that existed in Serbia in the
for those pieces of information about the development for 19th century. In order for one school to develop, it
each school….” is necessary to satisfy a number of conditions and
“…how this game would actually trigger empathy… and
strategically manage the available resources. Using
we came up with the solution to put players in certain
situations, so then it was necessary to decide what these this game as an example, we will attempt to present
situations would be, what they would do in these situations its relation to the goals of the History of Schooling
and in general all this mechanism..” in Serbia course. One of the goals is to understand
the conditions in which the school system in Serbia
Students were faced with the problem of how to has developed. For example, it is necessary to en-
construct a mechanism that will simulate real his- sure finances, students, teachers, textbooks etc. This
torical situations and events. The term simulation game enables students to experience and explore
is crucial to understanding those board games that the complexity of schooling. Such experience is the
are not using historical content only as a decoration. basis for later discussion and analysis of the facts
If a game is an exact reproduction of the system it from the schooling history.
represents, then it would cease to be a game and be- In the third evaluation phase two game sessions
come a strict simulation without its ludic dimension. were organized. The games were played by the 45
Gonzalo (2016) states that two things become nec- students who did not participate in their designing.
essary in order to make a ludofictional world. First, it After that, through focus groups (one with students
is important to establish certain limits related to the who played games, and the other with students-
way in which we want to represent the reference designers), students presented their views on the
possibilities of the use of board games in history The question of durability of knowledge was also
teaching. Observations of the students are grouped raised – what remains after the game. In a strategy
around several themes. game and a game that pursues empathy, the dura-
tion is focused on the experience – in the first case
of problem situations (making decisions, overcom-
Application in the classroom. ing and observing causal relationships, etc.); and in
Students pointed out that the games could be used the second case an emotional trace (“Being part of a
as an introduction to a certain topic, for learning story”, “Being dragged into the context”).
something new, for better understanding (of the
context), as a revising tool, for evaluation, and for in-
dividualized approach; and that board games should Game-designers’ impressions about the
not be used too often. project.
Social relationships in a group, a positive and sup- Students pointed out the following as their first
portive atmosphere, regardless of the fact whether impression about the assignment: they were afraid
the game is competitive or cooperative. Game- that the task was complicated but challenging; and
designers pointed out that in such an atmosphere it enthusiastic for being given the opportunity to do
was all right to be even criticized, that they were very something different, interesting and exciting. Al-
open to hearing comments evaluating their work, though some of them were thinking of giving up,
their products. It seems that a change in the field no one did, and most of them were ready for a chal-
of relationship with other people happened which lenge. They also stated that they have developed
Božović (2010) also noticed in his observations of three types of skills during this process – social, or-
developmental role of games and play in human life. ganizational and skills and abilities to present the
Game as a basis for discussion which starts spon- knowledge, information or given content through a
taneously, through action and during the game. The board game which is a completely new educational
themes that open up depend on the content of the medium for them. They pointed out the freedom to
game. These discussions, and the speech in general be creative, choose the content and plan and organ-
while playing the games, are a valuable material for ize themselves as they like. We observe this as the
further research. Therefore, once more we come to confirmation of a statement according to which
the conclusion that gameplay is about interactive play supports creativity and productivity during
communication and not so much about transactional entire lifespan (Lobman & O’Neil, 2011). Students’
communication and that fact should be taken into ac- impressions about game session were mostly posi-
count when launching efforts towards implementing tive. They played and enjoyed it. It seems that they
gameplay into the processes of teaching and learning. experienced the final joy after engaging in unpre-
The game, the content and learning: the “lived” dictable and pleasantly tense activity, as Huizinga
(experienced) content is revived content. Students (1944) describes a gameplay. They were very proud
have pointed out that the game should not be bur- of the games they had made and the feedback from
dened with information; it should rather provide an the players, and they characterized this activity as a
experience. The experience is what changes an at- real exchange with their colleagues.
titude towards the content, what facilitates the un-
derstanding and knowledge acquisition.
4 Conclusion
Based on the research results and students’ reflec- something new, intangible, but certainly noticeable.
tions, it can be concluded that creating and play- At this moment we want to stress out the develop-
ing board games have great potentials and should ment of self-awareness, familiarity with the social
be represented more in history teaching. This con- environment, relationships with other people, acqui-
clusion is delivered mostly on the basis of students’ sition of social values and roles, creation of cultural
perceptions mentioned above. and personal identity (Nikolić, Maksić & Ljujić,
We recognize the similarity between our find- 2012). Also, if we compare the formal education
ings and the results of some previous researches and learning with board games and improvisation,
indicating that playing games leads to creation of where all the participants are “performers” who
develop, teach and learn as a community, students learning and teaching potentials through a collec-
in correspondence with teachers actively participate tive, collaborative and creative work based on the
in the processes of teaching and learning, contribut- application of board games. If this freedom is to be
ing to the growth and the development of the group productive in terms of development, both students
in which all of them are learners. and teachers need to learn about games and play, so
Such playful approach to education gives freedom these could be appropriately used for learning pur-
to all actors in the processes of teaching and learn- poses. Thus, learning about games and play is a pre-
ing. Freedom is particularly noticeable in the context condition of learning through games and play, which
of understanding, encouraging and creating new also comes out as an implication of our research.
References
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(2009). Use of board games, historical calendars, people: Mask and enthusiasm]. Beograd: Nolit.
and trading cards in a History of Psychology class.
Koehler, M.J., Greenhalgh, S.P. & Boltz, L.O. (2016). Here
Psychological Reports, 104(2), 529–544.
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Begy. J. (2015). Board games and the construction of Langub (Eds.). Proceedings of Society for Information
cultural memory. Games and Culture, 12(7–8), 718–738. Technology & Teacher Education International Confer-
https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412015600066 ence (pp. 567–572).
Botturi, L. & Loh, C.S. (2008). Once upon a game – Lobman, C. & O’Neil, B.E. (2011). Play, performance, learning,
Rediscovering the roots of games in education. In C. and development: Exploring the relationship. In
Miller (Ed.). Games: Purpose and potential in education C. Lobman, & B.E. O’Neil (Eds.). Play and performance –
(pp. 1–22). London: Springer. Play and culture studies (pp. vii–xvii). New York (NY): Uni-
versity Press of America, Inc.
Božović, R. (2010). Tišina dokolice [The silence of leisure].
Beograd: Čigoja štampa. Mayer, B. (2012). Freedom: The Underground Railroad (board
game). Fremont Ohio: Academy Games.
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happy? American Psychologist, 54(10), 118–137. Nikolić Maksić, T. & Ljujiić, B. (2012). O igri u odraslom
dobu i njenim obrazovnim implikacijama [On play in
Demaegd, C. & Henry, F. (2015). Timeline Challenge
adulthood and its educational implications]. Andragoške
(board game). Guyancourt: Asmodee
studije, 2, 103–124.
Gonzalo, J. (2016). Simulating history in contemporary
Rosenberg, U. (2007). Agricola (board game). Schwabenheim
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A. Eilard | Images of the Crisis of White Patriarchy in Swedish Primary School Textbooks
Images of the crisis of white patriarchy

in swedish primary school textbooks
Angerd Eilard
Kristianstad University, Sweden | angerd.eilard@hkr.se
Abstract
This paper starts in a textbook evaluation that was in relation to worldwide social changes, sometimes
carried out by the Swedish Schools Inspectorate referred to as the end of patriarchy and the crises of
in 2010, focusing on fundamental values in multiculturalism. The first image to be identified in
Chemistry textbooks used in 14 primary schools, the textbook material, that was the foundation of
years 4–5. The aim is to further explore the results the evaluation, is a reverse gender hierarchy, where
of the Inspectorate´s analysis, highlighting some cul- men tend to be subordinated, whereas the second
tural identities and discourses in the textbook mate- image is an inherent white structure hidden in
rial, and to discuss them in relation to national val- the textbooks. The study also discusses parts of the
ues as parts of a Swedish self-image. This is done by material that were not included in the official report.
means of a mixed discourse analysis and within the
Keywords: textbooks, primary school, patriarchy,
field of critical race and whiteness studies, as well as
whiteness, discourse analysis
1 Introduction
This paper starts in a textbook analysis that was The observed patterns will first be described in more
carried out by the Swedish Schools Inspectorate detail, and then discussed against the background
(2011:1) in 2010, within a quality audit of teaching drawn on debates from the past years, concerning
materials for year 4–5 Chemistry.1 The purpose is to identity politics and national values. The findings
further explore and discuss the results, with respect will also be linked to current Nordic textbook re-
to some cultural identities and discourses, that were search (eg. Knudsen 2016, 2009; Mikander, 2016;
visible in the textbook material, but also incorporat- Eilard 2011, 2008) and discussed in relation to
ing parts of the material that were not included in worldwide social changes, sometimes referred to as
the original report. the end of patriarchy (Castells 2010) and the crises
of multiculturalism (Lentin & Titley 2011; cf. Ahmed
2007, 2004) with the rise of an extreme right-wing
populist culture in the wake (Keskinen 2013).
2 Background
The analysis of the twelve most common textbooks The content of this paper is also to be regarded as
used in the evaluated schools focused on the con- foundation of an up-coming textbook review, out-
tent of both the school subject in question, accord- lined as a follow-up study of my doctoral disserta-
ing to the syllabus, and fundamental values of the tion from 2008 (see Eilard 2008), with aim to scru-
national curriculum. The patterns and perceptions tinise the corresponding schoolbook field the subse-
discussed here are the main findings regarding is- quent decade and in relation to the (new) Swedish
sues of gender and ethnicity/nationality that can be curriculum of 2011. The results of my thesis pointed
related to the latter. at reversed gender and generation positions in the
textbooks and over the period analysed, compared
1 I participated in the quality audit as part of the position that I held at the time (2009-13) as an investigator at the Swedish Schools Inspectorate. The evaluation discussed in
this paper focused on both the content and use of textbooks in fourteen primary schools, and was mainly performed by external evaluators. For a more detailed account of the
selection process, see Schools Inspectorate 2011:1, Chapter 4, and a list of the teaching materials that were evaluated in Appendix 3.
to traditional ones, although some of the discourses is to be seen as a critical contemplation of the pre-
were still largely concealed in everyday life at the sent times, based in the patterns and perceptions
time. So were the findings of the School Inspector- that more or less unintentionally are incorporated
ate’s analysis. Thus, a second purpose of this paper in the analysed textbooks and the official evaluation
is to pay attention to textbooks as means to detect report. Nevertheless, the method used could be de-
contemporary blindness and how certain structures scribed as a mixed discourse analysis, as suggested
around us tend to be easier to visualise and grasp in by Winther Jörgensen & Phillips (2002), while the
this way than in everyday life itself. overall approach has been inspired by the discourse
The intention, however, is not to undertake a sys- theory of Ernesto Laclau & Chantal Mouffe (ibid;
tematic analysis, nor to criticise the textbooks or Mikander 2016) which aims to understand society
the report evaluating them. Rather the contribution as a continuous discursive (political) struggle.
3 Methodology
As social constructions, textbook texts do not only more or less material structures. Consequently the
indicate how things are, but also implicate – or even reader is positioned on a mainly discursive level,
outline – how things could possibly turn out to be. from where the symbolic patterns and representa-
Thus I consider textbooks as discursive documents tions expressed and articulated in linguistic and se-
of their times, and discourse analysis as a way to miotic categories in the texts, are connected to the
make visible discursive structures in textbooks, both structures of real life, through chains of (intertextu-
as trails of the past and as patterns to come. In this al) associations, exemplifying contemporary (politi-
endeavour the textbooks are also regarded as mul- cal) debates. Especially, I focus the way certain social
timodal documents (see eg. Eilard 2008), where categories/subjects are positioned by the discourses
the text and illustrations are seen and analysed in in use. At the same time it is necessary to keep in
interaction, as a whole, and according to the same mind that illustrations depicting people in the ana-
principles. lysed textbook material that is the foundation of the
Textbooks are framed by the curriculum in about original evaluation, as well as this paper, are rather
the same way as singular textual events according sparse and sporadic (see Schools Inspectorate
to Norman Fairclough are seen as parts of discursive 2011). Further, the result is stemmed from a specific
as well as social practices at different intertextual textbook material and certain textbook genre, and
and/or societal levels, and within certain orders of the actual combination of textbooks that was used
discourses (Winther, Jörgensen & Phillips 2002, at the time.2
p. 27). Thus, apart from the above mentioned radi- The order of discourse(s), or if using Laclau &
cal discourse theory of Laclau & Mouffe I mainly also Mouffe’s terminology the “nodal point(s)” (Winther
draw on Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis that Jörgensen & Phillips 2002, p. 28) around which the
has a similar ambition. A main difference is that Fair- deconstructed discourses are organised, that are in
clough distinguishes discursive practice from social, focus in the paper, could be identified as “the white
while Laclau & Mouffe see it all as discursive prac- patriarchy” and/or separately as “whiteness” and
tice, but at the same time regard the discourses as “patriarchy”.3
4 A reverse order of gender hierarchy in the textbooks

The quality evaluation found that the number of qualitative analysis shows a variety of identifications
men represented in the textbooks is larger than the for both men and women that stresses the strug-
number of women. This is a fact that correspond gle between old and new discourses highlighted by
with results from earlier as well as contemporary Laclau & Mouffe. For instance, men are depicted
(Swedish) research and audits. Simultaneously a in both traditional male activities, valuing sports,
2 Since then, however, it has also been put on trials on later corresponding textbook materials (see Eilard 2018).
3 This concept/structure became “normalised” after the #metoo-movement, although the paper was originally written and presented just before that, on the IARTEM
Conference in Lisbon in September 2017. “White” is here given the meaning of a national Swedish/Scandinavian power order that is in turn embedded within the
overarching (post)colonial Western (racial) power order, as will be explained in the continuing descriptions.
action, strength, and so on, as well as contemporary figure has been given both culturally and sexually
male ideals, such as cooking. Similarly, women are hybrid features. This kind of representations could –
represented in new female careers within science or contrary to stereotypes – be seen as open for inter-
sport, but also connected to traditional feminine at- pretation and identification.
tributes, such as makeup and housewifery. Thus, the illustrations referred to that also are sup-
On the other hand, the qualitative analysis, accord- ported by other corresponding findings, express a
ing to the evaluation report, reflects a shift over time structure that could here be regarded as one of the
in symbolic power that can be described as a shift core findings. It is described as a reverse order of gen-
of status from male to female bodies/subjects. This der hierarchy, where “ancient and primitive men” are
also describes the reverse gender hierarchy men- portrayed against “young and modern women”, so
tioned earlier, which is symbolically summarised in a that men, according to the evaluation report, appear
couple of illustrations in one of the analysed books. to be “relegated to the history” (Schools Inspecto-
The first one shows the history of scientific progress rate 2011:1, p. 26, 33).
(Persson 2004, p. 4–5). A number of people from However, men are not only depicted in historical
different historical epochs has gathered around an positions and associated to distance in time. Some-
open fire, farthest away in time a Stone Age family times they are also connected to distant rooms of
and then, after them, three men and two women. – according to a Western postcolonial view – ap-
At the top – symbolically on the peak of the scien- parently remote and “primitive” cultures, as well
tific history – a contemporary woman is depicted as professionally to lower status, depicted in less
who according to the textbook text is a professional valuable vocations as workers or craftsmen. While
nuclear physicist and also mother. After her, we can men consequently according to the report are seen
see Marie Curie, who twice became a Nobel Prize in antiquated or alienated positions, girls are of-
winner. The men who are included on the same pic- fered opportunities to identify as modern high
ture have all been given historic positions between status professionals. Apart from being depicted in
the top two women and the Stone Age family, as an academic careers, as female scholars or “experts” in
ancient Greek philosopher, an Arab alchemist and, various guises, women are also depicted as profes-
prior to Marie Curie, an Enlightenment scientist. sional sports women, for example on photographs
On the other illustration, the reader meets a huge of famous athletic women. In broad terms, this cor-
primitive looking Stone Age man beside a figure that responds to earlier findings of mine (Eilard, 2011;
resembles a modern teenager with darker skin col- 2008). The main difference compared to those is that
our than the Stone Age man, and a bicycle (ibid, p. men in the earlier studies are not depicted primitive
10–11). In the report this character is described as “a as in the Chemistry books, but rather as soft com-
young sporty girl” (Schools Inspectorate 2011:1, p. pared to hegemonic masculinity and quite often as
26). Regardless of interpretation the point is that this somewhat silly.
5 Traces of a symbolic white structure in the textbooks

In the evaluation report the analysed textbooks are Swedish/Scandinavian room, mediated through pic-
characterised as ethno- or Eurocentric due to the tures showing characteristic nature and landscapes
absence of ”other ethnicity than Swedish” (Schools (Hjernquist & Olsson, 1995; Hjernquist, Olsson &
Inspectorate 2011:1, p. 26, 39). This means that Otterstål, 1996). In other books the reader is pro-
people who appear in the pictures usually have a pelled into a post-colonial hierarchy, linked to cer-
Swedish/Western appearance, mainly shown by tain culture-specific values (cf Mikander 2016). For
their pale skin colour. That impression is reinforced instance, when the industrialised Northwest inten-
by subtle traces of “banal nationalism” (Billing 1993 tionally or unintentionally is compared to poor or
in Schools Inspectorate 2011:1) in a couple of primitive cultures of the past or present. This creates
books. This is demonstrated by means of everyday a postcolonial, albeit maybe today diminishing, view
images/expressions, for example maps, names and of Sweden as outstanding compared to the other
flags, that adopt a certain (ethno-)national perspec- places (ibid).
tive. Mentally the reader is positioned in a particular In addition – and this is the other main finding,
geographical – and thus ethno-national – room in- which is also the part of the material that was not
cluding its corresponding worldview. In this case the included in the official report – a recurrent ethnic
Fig. 1 Nettelblad & Ekdahl

(2006) Spektrum kemi, Liber, p.
108, 291;
Parker (1990) Kul att kunna för
unga kemister, Teknografiska
institutet, p. 21 (Illustrations: Kuo
Kang Chen/Peter Bull); Hylén,
Höglund & Rodhe (1996) Globen
fysik – kemi – teknik, Gleerups,
p. 39 (Illustrations: Marie Söder-
man);
Sjöberg & Öberg (2005) Puls
Grundbok fysik och kemi, Natur
& Kultur, s. 104 (Illustrations:
Kenneth Andersson).
marker found in the textbooks is mostly white/ of an unconscious – but taken-for-granted – white/
colourless or light skin-coloured hands. These hands Western symbolic structure in the textbook ma-
can be seen in the textbook illustrations as exempli- terial. As apparent on the illustrations below, the
fied below, and which mostly illustrate questions hands are, of course, all somewhat different: some
relating to Chemistry in daily life, or showing differ- are photographs, others are drawings, in different
ent steps in laboratory exercises. colours, shades, shapes and sizes, female or male
In the textbooks that I have had access to, I have etc. Nevertheless, with few exceptions they could
found far more than a hundred hands and occa- all be characterised as white. Whiteness is inscribed
sional pictures of other body parts such as ears, in the Chemistry books through these hands. Thus,
eyes, mouths, noses, legs and feet, used in a simi- using Richard Dyer´s (1997; Eilard 2008; Knudsen
lar way. These body parts mark – consciously or 2016, 2009) concept, the hands could be seen as an
unconsciously – gender and ethnicity/ancestry. For invisible symbolic structure in the books or as Sara
instance there are a few cases of red lips or long red Ahmed (2007, p. 157) puts it: “/…/whiteness could be
nails that do mark traditionally female attributes understood as ‘the behind’/…/ We do not face white-
compared to the corresponding attributes without ness; it ‘trails behind’ bodies, as what is assumed
make-up. Thus they could be seen symbolising more to be given. The effect of this ‘around whiteness’ is
deliberately included/inclusive constructions. The the institutionalization of a certain ‘likeness’, which
latter (ethnicity/ancestry) is shown in depicted char- makes non-white bodies feel uncomfortable, ex-
acters’ skin and/or hair colour, and in particular the posed, visible, different/../” Although the hands are
numerous (white) hands. Hence, these hands must numerous, they are hardly visible (at least not for a
be considered to be more unintentional expressions white person). Thus they can be seen to confirm the
white domination in the textbooks as well as the parison between skin colours, with whiteness
invisibility or apparent neutrality of whiteness as an invisible norm. Thus, bodies or subjects of
(Ahmed 2004, 2007; Dyer 2007). The hands are just other shades are automatically, albeit mostly un-
there, as an underlying (white) structure. The dis- consciously, marked and racialised. Coloured sub-
course of whiteness is materialised through these jects are according to Ahmed (2007, p. 164) used as
hands. “a happy sign” of diversity, in real life as well as in
However, the hands also to some extent reflect textbooks, to pretend “that racism has been over-
the sporadic elements of diversity in later books. come”. As in the case of the gendered (femininely
These few darker hands can be seen as the excep- marked) attributes, the hands can in those cases
tions that confirm the rule that is the presence be assumed to be more deliberately included in the
of a white structure. This (invisible) symbolic and textbooks as a conscious strategy of adapting to
socially constructed ethno-racial power structure curriculum requirements, that is showing diversity
(cf. Knudsen 2016, 2009) is founded in the com- as a (happy) sign of antiracism.
5 Discourses of the Crisis of White Patriarchy Concealed by

Gender Equality and Antiracism
To conclude, the emerging picture in the textbooks tied to antiracism (Hübinette 2017). In fact there has
does provide a response to the demand of the Swed- been a tendency in Nordic countries and not least
ish curriculum regarding schools responsibility “to Sweden to deny racism in order to protect such na-
counteract traditional gender patterns” (Lgr11 tional and individual self-images, created by a biased
2016, p. 8) by expressing reversed gender roles. This idea that these countries are excluded from colonial
corresponds with the gradual progression of women guilt (Nicolson, Andreotti & Fortune Mafi 2016;
and girls in different areas of certain contemporary Loftsdóttir 2014).
Western societies, notably the area of education, However, looking back over the past years an
but also to the reverse situation experienced by boys ethno-racial (white) structure has increasingly mani-
today. Over the past decades, boys have fallen be- fested itself more openly, through the emerging
hind in school achievement, and seem to be exposed new political landscape, locally in Sweden as well
to a greater extent than girls to negative ideals and as globally, and by the sexist and racist populist lan-
anti-school attitudes. Thus, also the thoughts of guage used by certain groups of (white) men who
the Spanish sociologist Manuel Castells (2010) have felt threatened by contemporary discourses,
are reflected. At the turn of the Millennium Castells as the above mentioned (Keskinen 2013; Hübinette
claimed that “the end of patriarchalism” would fol- & Lundström 2011). Castells (2010, p. 301) also
low the liberation of women and changed role of the warned that “fundamentalist restoration, bringing
nuclear family in Western cultures. The Stone Age patriarchalism back under the protection of divine
man in one of the Chemistry textbooks can be seen law, may well reverse the process of the under-
as a symbol of this development and the extreme mining of the patriarchal family”. This statement
positioning of men according to certain contempo- announces the crisis of multiculturalism (Lenin &
rary discourses of masculinity. Titley 2011) and the return of the patriarchate in
Apart from showing traces of a reversed gender the West that at the time of writing is embodied by
hierarchy, the textbooks – as I have argued above – President Trump and the rise of the extreme right
also comprise a symbolic white (ethno-racial) struc- across Europe. Therefore, the (white) structure in the
ture, even as foundation of scarce and superficial Chemistry books is easier to distinguish and admit in
yet “politically correct” features of diversity, and retrospect today than it was less than a decade ago,
not least materialised by the numerous depictions when the evaluation report was published. Today
of white hands. This particular dimension, however, it can also be compared to the (sexist) patriarchal
was ignored in the evaluation report, probably be- structure that was made visible by the worldwide
cause of a combination of contemporary blindness #metoo-movement, but up till then had been con-
and a Swedish self-image characterised by antira- cealed by the discourse of gender equality in welfare
cism. After the Second World War national values states like Sweden.
and identity in Sweden have in addition to strong
traditions of democracy and gender equality, been
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F. Yera Barchi | Searching for Brazilian identity in the 1900s: João Ribeiro and his textbooks
Searching for Brazilian identity in the 1900s:

João Ribeiro and his textbooks
Felipe Yera Barchi
São Paulo State University (Unesp), São Paulo, Brazil | felipeyerabarchi@gmail.com
Abstract
This work analyses the João Ribeiro’s textbooks jor journals in Brazil and he traveled a few times to
(1860–1934). He wrote textbooks such as História do Europe, where he studied painting, law, music, thea-
Brasil (History of Brazil) in 1900 and História Univer- tre, and several languages.
sal (Universal History) in 1918. In both works, there is In his narrative, there was a fight between civiliza-
a search for Brazil’s place in ‘civilization’. This concept tion and barbarism. African and native people were
links his Brazilian history to universal history. not seen as civilized. However, neither were many
In the beginning of the 20th century, ‘Brazil had Europeans. Ribeiro modified his pessimism about
been created, but it was necessary to invent the America with a modernist turn in the 1920s, but his
Brazilian’. Western Europe provided the model and textbooks did not change and continued to be pub-
Ribeiro was a typical man of letters at his time. He lished and sold until the 1960s. The identitarian per-
was a member of the greatest cultural institutions spective is focused in this work.
in the country: College Pedro II, the Brazilian Acad-
Keywords: João Ribeiro; Brazilian textbooks;
emy of Letters and the Brazilian History and Geo-
National identity; History Teaching
graphy Institute. He also used to write for a lot of ma-
1 Introduction: A brief presentation of Brazil in 1900s

Around the 1900s, Brazil had nearly 20 million in- or even the greatest name in Brazilian literature,
habitants and around 75% of illiterate people. Great Machado de Assis (1839–1908): chronicler, poet, sto-
problems were ravaging the country: the issue of ryteller, novelist who worked until death in public
health hazards in large cities; small political partici- service.
pation of the majority (only the richest men could Public service was the salvation of most literary
vote); the specter of slavery that had left the black men at that time. It was not different with João
population still marginalized without any guarantee Ribeiro, although he had been an editorial phenom-
of rights; the expansion of European immigration enon in the didactic segment (writing school text-
in order to replace slave labor, but also “to launder” books of History, Grammar and Literature besides
the population – practiced since the Second Empire dictionaries and anthologies), he began his career as
(1840–1889); primary economy based on coffee a secretary of the National Library and later he was a
and rubber exports; and a cultural life that gener- teacher at Pedro II College and at the Federal Drama
ally despised the non-European as uneducated – the School.
“savagery” represented by the Indians, as well as the He was born in Laranjeiras, a small town in Sergipe
African’s cultural inferiority. It was necessary “to civ- State, in 1860. He studied medicine in Salvador, but
ilize” the country as European nations. gave up. He went to Rio de Janeiro in 1880 to study
The intellectual life basically used to turn around engineering, but he only graduated in 1894 in law,
the national capital, Rio de Janeiro. Most of the when he was already married and with children.
intellectuals were polyvalent, multi-faceted in writ- In the 1880s, he worked in newspapers that de-
ing and ordinary affairs. João Ribeiro (1860–1934), fended the republican and abolitionist causes. At the
for example, was a poet, painter, literary critic, his- same time, he continued his work as a teacher and
torian, translator, philologist, folklorist, teacher and author of textbooks, in 1887 he took a contest for
librarian. We can also mention a great poet of that Pedro II College for the Portuguese Language teach-
period, Olavo Bilac (1865–1918), who was a chroni- ing, however he was only called three years later
cler, translator, publicist, education inspector, chil- for the History teaching. His production of manu-
dren’s short stories and juvenile novels’writer; als reveals the same trajectory as the mastership
(teaching), he begans writing grammars and later he when he was already an editorial success with His-
started to write History books. In 1892 he launched tory of Brazil and the circulation of the book was be-
Ancient History – East and Greece in 1900, History of yond school.
Brazil (the most successful of all) and in 1918, Uni- The book Universal History was also a combina-
versal History. tion of opportunity and talent. With the Great War
João Ribeiro’s case can be considered an example (1914–1918), the French books that prevailed on
of how a talent selection and recruitment for the Brazilian market due to their cost-benefit ratio be-
mastership and for the publishing industry in Brazil came much more expensive with the infeasibility of
at the time worked. First, he had to show his intel- international trade. It was then that the opportunity
lectual quality and polyvalence in the press, then for Brazilian authors to begin to write their general
he took the place he could at Pedro II College, for- or universal histories arose.
tuitously, History, and from this institutional locus This paper analyses how João Ribeiro’s contribu-
he started to specialize and write about that sub- tions to searching and building a national identity
ject. He was only invited to participate in the IHGB for Brazil and and his relation with a new republican
(Brazilian Institut of History and Geography) in 1914, regime.
2 Theoretical framework:
The communications circuit of Brazilian textbooks in 1900s
In order to analyse the books we should be attentive All textbooks and all Brazilian schools had to follow
to the communications circuit purposed by Robert Pedro II syllabus and that was the first point of text-
Darnton (1982). The books are not pieces left by the books life cycle. Second, the favorite authors were
air: “printed books generally pass through roughly from Pedro II College and the main publishers were
the same life cycle. It could be described as a com- located in Rio de Janeiro.
munications circuit that runs from the author to the Pedro II was the greatest educational institution
publisher” (p. 67). in the country at the end of the nineteenth century
Textbooks also follow a circuit. In the 1900s Bra- and a lot of the state leaders studied or taught there.
zil, the textbooks were produced mainly by teachers Pedro II’s students probably had money for buying
and for teachers – because of exclusive price. In this their textbooks, but in small towns and poor regions
‘Brazilian old school’ teachers were the authorities these textbooks were used only by teachers.
and the majority of students were male teenagers. There was an important circulation of men and
Just only 2,5% of inhabitants used to go to school. ideas in Rio de Janeiro and Pedro II College was the
The national school syllabus of Brazilian High institution in charge of forming the ruling the elite
School were defined by teachers of Pedro II College of the country.
and they followed the European tradition. This Col- Within this context, João Ribeiro’s textbooks were
lege, at that time, was an institution with peculiar important means for ideas and the constitution of
scholar level, something between High School and identities discussions.
College today.
3 Methodology: Textbooks as identity documents –

the official project and the Ribeiro’s version
Considering Alain Choppin’s functions (2004) to Robinson, Fredet and Collier (English); Mallet, Sei-
textbooks – referential, instrumental, ideological- gnobos and Melin (French); and others as Martens,
cultural and documentary – we submit Ribeiro’s Hommel and Webber.
books to an analysis focused in referential and ideo- In his narrative, world history is divided in four
logical-cultural functions. ages (Ancient, Medieval, Modern and Contempo-
First of all, the syllabus is important: Ribeiro is not rary), but it is clear that this division is a curricular
innovative about the topics in his books. The Euro- imposition. The French model of teaching history is
pean tradition is remarkable: He says that he follows an institutional element, however Ribeiro’s building
the main European authors such as Myers, Colby, of contents – subjects and chapters – is different.
His universal history is more fluent, less segmented. Choppin appoints the ideological-cultural func-
About the instrumental function or how the lessons tion as the older in textbooks analyses. Textbooks
are designed for students History of Brazil (1900) is have been essential vectors of a nation and its elite
very innovative. The textbook presents a new layout class’s, language, culture and values since the nine-
and new dispositives for learning such as synoptic teenth century. Textbooks are a symbol of the na-
frame in each chapter. Universal History (1918) pre- tional identity as the money and the flag are. In this
sents many pictures and maps. perspective, we prioritize the contents of the books
and how Ribeiro approaches and builds the Brazilian
identity in his books.
4 Results and data discussion:

Reading Ribeiro’s textbooks and national identity
The first version of this book was called “booklet” poorly seen because the smaller deportation led to
our “little book” by João Ribeiro and was made for Africa, and the larger ones to Brazil” (op. cit., 68). If
elementary school, but in a few months, it became a the portrait of the early settlers is not the most fa-
success among intellectuals and in bookstores. The vourable, J.R. makes it clear that when they arrived
book received two other versions on the same year: in Brazil the situation could get worse: “Laws of the
one for High School and another Academic Version metropolis were adopted, but interpreted with lib-
(Curso Superior). The latter was the greatest work of erality, considering prescribed crimes committed
João Ribeiro as a historian. beyond the ocean” (op. cit., p. 68).
In the book, we can notice the typical concern “Far from civilization,” settlers were adapting to
with the racial element in the late nineteenth and wildlife. The lack of white women created unions
early twentieth centuries. The purely political-ad- between Portuguese and Indians, with whom they
ministrative approach was not tied to the debates in formed families what contributed to this ‘assimila-
vogue, and for João Ribeiro, it did not do justice to tion”. “It also facilitated the barbarization of cus-
the history of the country, because “in its features toms by the presence of the African negro, who was
and its own physiognomy, Brazil, what it is, derives soon imported” (op. cit., p. 69).
from the colonist, the Jesuit and the Mamluk, the The miscegenation of the races aggravated Brazil’s
action of the Indians and the black slaves “(Ribeiro: delay:
1954, p.21). For him, “our textbooks on homeland
history give too much importance to the action of Soon in Brazil, in its capital, as in other settlements, the
work of civilization was distorted by the conflict of the
governors and administration” (op. cit., p. 22), and races, disguised in democracy, fruit of lust than pity of pen-
this is what he sought to avoid in his work. insular people. From the first moment the white, the Indian
The indigenous people were interpreted as not and the black are confused. The contact of the inferior races
with those that are educated, almost always demoralizes
civilized: and depraves one another. Primarily, however, it depraves
the inferiors by the oppression they suffer.
When it was discovered, Brazil was inhabited by people of (op cit., p. 93)
the smallest civilization; they lived on hunting and fishing,
knew no other industrial or war weapons but the bow
and the nail, and walked in complete nakedness. To the Catholic Church and to Christianity, in gen-
(op. cit., p. 48) eral, there is a complimentary role in JR’s narrative,
especially to the Jesuits:
The black people and the European pioneers also re-
ceived a bad evaluation from J.R. The latter adapting The moral element of this society that flourished by the
decomposition of races was Society of Jesus.. The Jesuits
themselves to wildlife. “Portuguese America” was were inflexible. They never gave in or granted. They com-
not India, it was impossible to impose a protectorate bated all the scandals and evils .. they sought to raise cus-
– “building a society was necessary”. toms and to ennoble the descendants of these men who laid
the foundations of the new civilization here.
According to the author, at that time the Portu- (op. cit., pp. 98–99)
gueses prioritized relations with India and the ma-
jority of the population willing to emigrate opted for With the “worst” of Europe, mainly Portugal, and
the East. “No one wanted to come to Brazil of their the indigenous and black people, the future of Brazil
own free will [..] the land was despised and even was not very promising. There was not a “Racial De-
mocracy”, says J.R. A combination of lust, laziness, For his pessimism and skepticism, it is too hard to
greed, and the absence of moral law condemned Bra- call Ribeiro’s narrative as official from republican
zil to failure. regime. He does not honour the republican heroes,
The definition of national race is a great issue in there was neither a concern about the building of a
his work. Compared to other intellectuals from that cohesive past, nor a triumphant future for Brazil. In
period, such as Olavo Bilac (1865–1918) and Afonso sum, Ribeiro is a dissonant voice in First Brazilian re-
Celso (1860–1938), J.R’s disbelief is evident. In his public and national identity is composed of a series
narrative, we could not see a republican triumphal- of negative elements.
ism or just a Christian and European civilization’s
defence. His pessimistic view is a reflection of his
skepticism with the Republic of that time.
5 Conclusions
At this time there was in Brazil a modernization dispute with Rio – the modernism (Schuster, 2014).
movement headed by the republicans. The urban Seeking for a more “genuine” expression of the na-
renovation of Rio de Janeiro is the most remarkable tional soul, the modernists attempeted to break the
aspect. Inspired by Haussmann’s Paris reform the typical cosmopolitan aesthetic of the Belle Époque
government intended to create a new capital for a in the visual arts and literature. According to Schus-
“new civilized country”. The Central Avenue open- ter (2014):
ing would take place in 1904, the City Theater in
1909 and the new National Library building in 1910. The adepts of modernism criticized the superficial imita-
tion of foreign models, not only in the political and eco-
However, the urban feature of Rio de Janeiro would nomic sphere, but above all in art, architecture and litera-
only get rid of the “work in progress” aspect and gain ture. Although they formed a very heterogeneous group,
contours more definitive contours with the Univer- the modernists had as their common denominator the
resis-tance to the ‘re-europeanization’ of the country.
sal Exhibition of the Independence Centenary in (op cit., p.11)
1922.
The painting Peace and Concorde painted by Pe-
João Ribeiro was in the eye of this hurricane. In 1921,
dro Américo in 1902 can summarize this project of
he launched the book The National Language, a
modernization and civilization. In this allegory we
defence of American culture compared to the Eu-
see a female representation of Brazilian Republic
ropean, a defence of the new languages arisen in
being received by representatives of “High Civiliza-
America before the matrices of the old world and,
tion” (Europe and USA) in a neoclassic scenario. An-
especially, a defence of the language spoken in Brazil
gels, Christian cross and Greeks muses complete the
towards the current one in Portugal. In addition, J.R.,
scene. The only black character in frame is “the devil
as a well-established literary critic, was one of the
of slavery” injured on the floor.
first to support the modernist movement.
Américo adapts the republican project into an im-
The National Language is the turning point for
age, which was cohesive narrative showing the Bra-
J.R’s view of the National Versus Cosmopolitan ten-
zilian process of civilization, defecting a shameful
sion ever present in his work. 1922 is a turning point
past and promising a bright and honourable future.
at the national level. However, if those milestones
Ribeiro’s narrative is too different of this allegory.
point to the national victory, it is clear that there has
He was a genuine intellectual, strict about history
been, at least since the turn of the century, a pen-
and the future nation.
dular movement of that generation of intellectuals
Decades later, in 1920s, Ribeiro changed his pes-
between the National and the Universal (or cosmo-
simism and approached the modernist movement.
politan). In literature, the indefinition and the differ-
The year 1922 may be considered the peak of the
ent shades of that period have earned the nickname
Belle Époque Tropical with a complete metamor-
“pre-modernist”.
phosis of Rio de Janeiro as important capitals in the
This “no men’s land” shows how much the
world – “The Paris of Tropics” – but this year also
Brazilian identity used to float. Symbols of Brazil
marks the irruption of the artistic and intellectual
and “brazilianship our brazilianness” (brasilidade
movement that flapped it and launched São Paulo
in Portuguese) would only consolidate in the collec-
as another cultural capital – henceforth in constant
tive imagination later in Vargas Age (1930–1954), his books, adding even more peculiarities to a time
when soccer and samba were raised to status of when political, cultural, scientific and literary move-
national symbols of the mass and modernists ments were not well defined and even the well-
passed to the estabilishment of the Vargas govern- defined trends were idiosyncratic. Therefore, if his
ment. intellectual trajectory reveals a certain autonomy,
Not even the typical heroes of Belle Époque of Brazil his textbooks also reveal a certain independence
were “panthetized” at the time: Machado de Assis and relation to the author who considerably modi-
died in 1908, Joaquim Nabuco in 1910, Rio Branco fied his vision of the world and about the past and
in 1912, Olavo Bilac in 1918, Rui Barbosa in 1923. It future of Nation, but not his textbooks that circulat-
is in this context of clashes and debates about the ed for more 30 years after his death which occurred
national identity that João Ribeiro would launch in 1934.
References
Choppin, A. (2004). História dos livros e das edições Machado Neto, A. (1973). Estrutura Social da República das
didáticas: sobre o estado da arte. Educação e Pesquisa, Letras: sociologia da vida intelectual brasileira 1870–1930.
30(3), 549–566. São Paulo: EDUSP:
Choppin, A. (2009). O manual escolar: uma falsa evidência Needell, J. (1992). Belle Époque Tropical. São Paulo:
histórica. História da Educação, 13(27), 9–75. Cia das Letras.
Darnton, R. (1982). What is the history of books? Ribeiro, J. (1918). História Universal. Rio de Janeiro:
Daedalus, 111(3), 65–83. Jacintho Ribeiro dos Santos editor.
Bittencourt, C. (2008). Livro didático e saber escolar Ribeiro, J. (1954). História do Brasil – curso superior
(1810–1910). Belo Horizonte: Autêntica. (15th ed.). Rio de Janeiro: Livraria São José.
Broca, B. (2004). A vida literária no Brasil – 1900. Schuster, S. (2014). História, nação e raça no contexto da
Rio de Janeiro: José Olympio/ ABL. Exposição do Centenário em 1922. Revista Manguinhos,
21(1), 121–134.
Hallewell, L. (2005). O Livro no Brasil – sua história.
São Paulo: EDUSP. Sevcenko, N. (2003). Literatura como Missão: tensões
sociais e criação cultural na Primeira República. São Paulo:
Leão, M. (1962). João Ribeiro. Rio de Janeiro:
Cia das Letras.
Livraria São José.
O. R. Júnior | Teaching materials for teaching history: teachers’ perspectives
Teaching materials for teaching history: teachers’ perspectives

Osvaldo Rodrigues Júnior
Federal University of Mato Grosso – UFMT, Brazil | osvaldo.rjunior@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This article shows results from research that had the supposition that beyond books, there are didac-
as an objective to analyze the production of history tic materials produced in different supports, which
teaching material by general education teachers. need to be evaluated. Even then, these materials
The specific objectives of this work were: should be judged by the specificity of the different
a) to ascertain the teachers’ concept of didactic ma- school subjects, and they can contribute to supply
terials; the deficiencies present in textbooks. The results
b) to develop a proposal of didactic materials pro- indicate that the History teachers produced “terri-
duction by the teachers; torialized” materials with the objective to facilitate
c) to analyze the didactic materials produced by the the knowledge about the territory in which they live.
teachers. The production of these materials was justified by
The empirical work used inquiry techniques for the the absence of contents related to the local and re-
construction of semi-structured questionnaires and gional history in Brazilian history textbooks.
some content analysis procedures for revising mate-
Keywords: History teaching – History didactic ma-
rial produced by teachers. The research started from
terials – Teachers training.
1 Research context
This article presents results of an investigation The work was organized into three phases:
which sought to analyze the production of history 1. administration of a semi-structured question-
didactic materials by general education teachers. naire to teachers;
Participants in the study were teachers following 2. production of History didactic materials
the “Didactic Material Production and the Virtual by the teachers;
Universe” course, part of the Professional Master’s 3. analysis of the History didactic materials
degree on history teaching, at the Federal Univer- produced by the teachers.
sity of Mato Grosso, located in Cuiabá, capital of the The research methodology was based on the inquiry
Mato Grosso state, in Brazil. techniques of a semi-structured model according to
Offered in network in Brazil, the Professional Ghiglione and Matalon (2005) and some content
Master’s degree has been created with the purpose analysis procedures from Bardin (2011). It started
to provide continued education for the general from the perspective of didactic materials as media-
education teachers. It is a part-time master’s pro- tors of the teaching and learning processes, accord-
gram with emphasis on the history education. ing to proposals made by Bittencourt (2004) and
The specific objectives of this work were: Garcia (2011). Still in the comprehension that these
a) to ascertain the teachers’ concept of didactic materials contribute to establish some conditions
materials; where teaching and learning happen.
b) to develop a proposal of didactical materials This article is organized into three parts. The first
production by the teachers; one dedicated to the procedures and strategies
c) to analyze the didactic materials produced by of the investigation, in which we discuss the con-
the teachers. struction of the semi-structured questionnaire and
the procedures of the analysis of the produced didac-
tic materials. Next, the results of the analysis of the
questionnaires and materials are presented. Finally,
we discuss the investigation and possibilities for
future research.
2 Procedures: strategies and tools

Initially the objective was to understand the profile, that allow analysis of different messages existing in
conceptions, uses, evaluations and types of didactic diverse types of materials.
materials utilized by the participating teachers and Keeping in mind the inquiry technique (the semi-
if they produced didactic materials to teach history. structured questionnaire) and content analysis proce-
In this way, a semi-structured mixed questionnaire dures, we will now go to the research’s organization,
was constructed, composed of ten questions, seven which was implemented during the first class of the
being discursive and three being objective. Questions course. At this time, an initial presentation was made
focused on several themes: three of them addressed to the teachers and the semi-structured question-
personal and professional information about the naire was applied. In the sequence, ten classes last-
teachers; one, the conceptions of didactic materials; ing four hours each were ministered, during which
three, the usage of these materials; and three, the didactic materials, types, evaluations, uses and pro-
types, measuring and production. The semi-struc- duction were discussed. Lastly, an open script to pro-
tured questionnaire served to construct the hypoth- duce didactic material to teach history was proposed,
eses that were verified in the analysis of the didactic without determined themes and supports. Thus, we
materials produced by the teachers. encouraged the teacher’s auto-nomy during the pro-
From the perspective of Bardin (2011), content duction of the didactic materials.
analysis is a group of methodological instruments
3 Results
The three initial questions of the semi-structured professional identities, moments of opening them-
questionnaire addressed the professional profile of selves to the new and experimenting, as observed by
the educators participating in the research. Of the Huberman (2000). Therefore, it seems appropriate
fourteen surveyed teachers, all of them were from for the research’s objective of contributing to the re-
public schools and two from private schools as well. flection and production of didactic materials by his-
Regarding how long they had been teaching, we tory teachers.
found the following: Two teachers had one to five The third question regarded the conception of
years of experience. Five teachers indicated having didactic materials by the surveyed teachers. The
five to ten years of experience. Two said that they chart below organizes the results:
have 10–15 years of of experience. One teacher de-
clared fifteen to twenty years of experience. Three ANSWER’S CONTENT Nº
teachers said they have twenty to twenty-five years Resources used in classes Four
of experience. Only one teacher indicated having be-
Materials that assists in the teaching and learning Three
tween twenty-five and thirty years of experience. process
Based on Huberman’s (2000) taxonomy, thirteen All tools used by the teachers and students Three
teachers would be in the phases of entering the ca-
Materials that allow to refresh and strengthen the One
reer (1 to 3 years), stabilization (4 to 6 years) and di- teaching
versification or questioning (7 to 25 years). The first is Methodological tools that contribute to the process One
characterized by surviving, discovery and exploration. of teaching and learning
The second is consolidation, growth of the sense of Support in any media that concerns the classes’ content One
competence and security. The third is defined by the
Video, TV One
diversification and experimentation accompanied by
motivation and the search for new challenges. Only Tab. 1 Conceptions of didactic materials by teachers.
(Author’s research, 2017)
one teacher was at the point of serenity and affective
detaching and/or conservatism and regretting (25 to
35 years) marked by the lamenting of the past along Four teachers think that the resources utilized in
with serenity and conformity. the history classes are didactic materials. Three an-
This information allowed us to evidence the po- swered that the didactic materials are those that as-
tentialities of the group of participating teachers, sist the learning and teaching process. Another three
which in the vast majority, is made up of educators think of didactic materials as all of the tools used by
in phases of construction and consolidation of their the teachers and students. One teacher thinks that
the didactic materials make the teaching of the sub- Analyzing the content of the answers, we observe a
ject more dynamic. Another says that the didactic diversity of contributions of didactic materials from
materials are methodological tools that contribute the perspective of the sureyed teachers. Most teach-
to teaching and learning. Another one states that ers answered that the didactic materials contribute
they are supports in any media that concerns the to student learning.
history classe’s content. Finally, one thinks that they Question number eight was about the type of di-
are videos and television. dactic materials used by the history teachers. In their
Analyzing the content of the teachers’ answers, responses, they could choose more than one type
we identify the diversity of existent conceptions. We of material. Analyzing the answers, we can observe
observe the presence of conceptions as resources, the prevalence of textbooks. The type of textbooks
instruments and tools, which brings to light a utili- utilized by the teachers permits us to infer the domi-
tarian view of didactic materials, as elements of the nance of textbooks, but also the presence of the
teaching and learning process. Regarding the func- concept that the didactic materials can be presented
tions, we identified the notion that these materials in different supports, as observed by Bittencourt
contribute to the teaching and learning of history. (2004) and Garcia (2011).
An antagonistic difference between the types of Next, the teachers answered a question about the
supports that two teachers classify as didactic ma- evaluation of the didactic materials. As the answers
terial is highlighted: while one believes that didactic were open-ended, we had eight directed to the text-
materials may be any type of support, the other one books and ten that concerned the didactic materi-
limits it to videos and television. als in general. Regarding the textbooks, the teachers
The fifth question asked if the teachers utilized di- presented the following considerations:
dactic materials during history classes. The fourteen
teachers were unanimously answered that they use ANSWER’S CONTENT Nº
didactic materials.
Insufficient Three
Next, question number six concerned the frequen-
cy of usage. Nine teachers answered that they utilize Uncritical One
didactic materials every day. Five indicated that they Hard to comprehend for the students One
use them whenever it is possible. Results from ques-
Leaves out information One
tions five and six justified the research because they
allowed us to evidence the frequent usage of the di- Too much content One
dactic materials by the surveyed teachers. Presents the winner’s view/eurocentric One
The seventh question asked if, in the teacher’s Reasonable One
opinion, the didactic materials contributed to the
processes of teaching and learning and requested Tab. 3 Evaluating of the History textbooks by the teachers.
a justification. All fourteen teachers, again in a uni- (Author’s research, 2017)
form manner, answered that the didactic materi-
als contribute to the history teaching and learning. In the answers, we identified a number of critiques
When asked to justify their response, they gave the of the form and content of the history textbooks,
following answers: involving the perception that these didactic ma-
terials are insufficient or failed. Furthermore, the
ANSWER’S CONTENT Nº teachers observed problems of criticality, language,
Contribute to the learning of the students Six the amount of information/knowledge and the ap-
Assist the teacher in the processes of teaching and Two
proach. One of the teachers indicated that these
managing the curriculum books are reasonable.
These answers permit us to infer that, even
Promote access and knowledge deepening Two
though the history teachers use mostly history text-
Are the starting point to teaching history One books, as we saw in question eight, that usage does
Help to elucidate concepts and provide reflexive activities One not exclude a critical view of these materials.
Facilitate the teaching-learning process One
Regarding didactic materials in general, the fol-
lowing answers are identified:
Contribute to undo poorly made syntheses One
Tab. 2 Contributions of didactic materials to the History
classes. (Author’s research, 2017)
ANSWER’S CONTENT Nº produced by the teachers were presented in printed

Good quality / Essential Five or written format, three audiovisual materials, one
mixed material (which consisted of print and/or
Shows problems / Are limited Two
written content accompanied by audiovisual mate-
When well used are a very good tool One rial). Amongst the printed and/or written materials
Hinder understanding One we identified two supplementary textbooks1, two
textbooks and one dictionary of historical concepts.
Starting point One
For those in the audiovisual category, two blogs
The movies are long and should be adapted One and a series of video-lessons were produced. The
The internet promotes fascination One didactic sequence was considered a mixed material
because it shows written and audiovisual content.
Tab. 4 Evaluation of history didactic materials by the teachers
This precursory analysis allows us to see that, even
(Author’s research, 2017)
though the teachers showed a plurality and diversi-
Among the answers a series of critical and/or nega- ty of conceptions of didactic materials on the ques-
tive evaluations are again identified from four teach- tionnaires, the production still includes the presence
ers. Other teachers positively evaluated the didactic of printed/written “school tradition”.
materials. It is possible, still, to observe the specific A thematic analysis allowed the identification of
evaluations of the movies, as they are long and need- five materials dedicated to regional or local history,
ed to be adapted and of the internet as an attractive. while the other four were destined to themes of
We infer from the answers that, again, even what is called “general history”.
though they utilize the didactic materials the teach- In the regional and/or local history materials are
ers critique them, which allows us to comprehend two supplementary textbooks. One concerns the
its possibilities and limitations for the teaching and history of the Mother Church of the Good Lord Jesus
learning of history. of Cuiabá and the other one is about the History of
The last question asked the teachers if they pro- Rondonópolis city, located in the Mato Grosso state.
duce didactic materials, and if they did, which are Other text materials include a textbook chapter that
the types of materials produced. Eight teachers indi- covers the Paraguai war in the Mato Grosso state,
cated that they produce didactic materials. One said and one blog about the history of the Formosa city,
that they sometimes produce materials. Five teach- on the Goiás state. Lastly, one is a series of video-
ers answered that they do not produce any materi- lessons about the History of the Mato Grosso state.
als. Among the type of materials produced, we iden- In the presentation of the materials, the teach-
tified blogs and games as the most cited. ers justified their choices because those are themes
Considering the application and analysis of the missing in the conventional didactic materials,
contents of the semi-structured questionnaire re- mainly the history textbooks. Therefore, the teach-
sults, the following hypotheses were built: ers defended the necessity of covering the themes
1. The teachers should privilege the textbooks as so the students can know and connect themselves
the support for the didactic materials produced to where they live.
2. The didactic materials produced by the teachers The general history materials were presented in the
primary focus is the learning of the students; form of a blog about Classic Antiquity, a dictionary of
3. The didactic materials produced will answers historical concepts about the Second World War, a di-
the critics and insufficiencies indicated in the dactic sequence about the Industrial Revolution and a
evaluation of the existing materials. textbook page regarding Imperialism in Africa.
After the completion of the questionnaires, the The results of the thematic analysis allowed the
script for the production of didactic materials was identification of the core meaning of the produced
presented. The work should be delivered printed and didactic materials. In these materials, the constant
presented to the classroom individually or in pairs. presence of concepts such as historical-cultural pat-
For this reason, as such, nine materials were pro- rimony, regional and/or local history, state, region
duced by the teachers. and city history permitted us to observe the preva-
Firstly, we analyzed the way the presented didactic lence of materials that we can consider “territorial-
materials in terms of form, with the objective of ob- ized”, according to the proposal by Rodriguez and
serving the types of utilized supports. Five materials Rodriguez (2007).
1
In Brazil, besides the textbooks that are organized by the knowledge subjects, and covers diverse topics, there are the para-didactic books, which are dedicated to study
specific themes in these subjects. In this work, we use the terms “supplementary textbooks” to treat this specific type of textbook.
On the other side, we identified a group of didactic the historical concepts dictionary, the only material
materials that were constituted with the objective produced with the collaboration of students, who
of rethinking repeated themes in history teaching were responsible for researching the concepts and
by using different languages. This was highlighted in writing the the dictionary entries.
4 Final considerations
The investigation had the objective to contribute to confirmed these worries in the production of didac-
the production of didactic materials by the surveyed tic materials. It appeared in the presentation of the
history teachers. For this, we started from the con- didactic materials, when they observed the need to
cepts of the professors themselves with the intent contribute to student learning about regional and/
of considering them in the analysis of the didactic or local themes or even the “canonicals” by means of
materials produced. other materials.
Returning to the hypotheses of the investigation, The third hypothesis was also evidenced by teach-
we verified that even though they indicated the con- ers in their choices for the nature, themes and sup-
stant use of the textbooks, the teachers did not priv- port type. Identifying the problems in the usual di-
ilege this type of didactic material. There was a didactic materials, the teachers opted for materials
versity in the materials, which included supplemen- of a para-didactic nature with regional and/or lo-
tary books, blogs, video-lessons, didactic sequences, cal themes and diverse supports, that would allow
and dictionaries. We consider that this result is re- them to make up for the insufficiencies indicated in
lated to the phases of the teacher professional de- the evaluation of the existing materials.
velopment suggested by Huberman (2000). In this Based on these results, we understand that teach-
way, it is understandable that the professors, when ers’ production of didactic materials has arisen from
put to reflect and produce their own materials, took a need to start thinking from and for the history stu-
in consideration the diversification and experimen- dents. This commitment lets us see the necessity of
tation, that reflected on the search of didactic ma- opening new spaces for continued teachers’ train-
terials that gave answers to questions not answered ing like the Professional Masters’ Degree in History
by the “usual” didactic materials, mainly the History Teaching. Besides that, new investigations would
textbooks. permit the unveiling of the contributions of didac-
Related to the concern with students’ learning, tic materials to the teaching and learning history.
observed in the answers to the seventh question Therefore, there is a further need to investigatethe
of the semi-structured questionnaire, the teachers usage of didactic materials in the history lessons.
References
Bardin, L. (2011). Análise de conteúdo. São Paulo: Edições 70. Huberman, M. (2000). O ciclo de vida profissional dos profes-
sores. In Nóvoa, a. (Ed.). Vidas de professores, (pp. 31–61).
Bittencourt, C. (2004). Ensino de História: fundamentos e
Porto: Porto.
métodos. São Paulo: Scipione.
Lia, C.F; Costa, J.P. da & Monteiro, K.M.N. (2013). A
Carbonell, J. (1995). Escuela y entorno, en VV AA, Volver
produção de material didático para o ensino de História.
a pensar la educación. Prácticas y discursos educativos.
Revista Latino-Americana de História, 2 (6), 40–51.
Congreso Internacional de Didáctica. A Coruña. Madrid:
Morata/Fundación Paideia. Rodríguez, J.R & Castro, M.R. (2007). Materiales didácticos
para una intervención interdisciplinar desde los ámbitos
Garcia, T.B. (2011). Materiais didáticos são mediadores
formal y no formal. Un análisis tras su implementación.
entre professor, alunos e o conhecimento. Retrieved from
Pixel Bit. Revista de Medios y Educación, january, 7–24.
http://portaldoprofessor.mec.gov.br/conteudoJornal.
html?idConteudo=1727 consulted 26/08/2017. Rodríguez, J.R & Garcia, I. G. (2011). La elaboración de mate-
riales didácticos en los contextos educativos municipales.
Ghiglione, R., & Matalon, B. (2005). O Inquérito – Teoria e
El proyecto educativo “ulla elemental”. Bordón 63, 133–149.
Prática. Oeiras: Celta Editora.
Schmidt, M.A & Garcia, T.B. (2011). Recriando Histórias
Gonçalves, N.G. (2011). Produção de material didático para
a partir do olhar das crianças. Ijuí: Unijuí.
o ensino de História: uma experiência de formação.
Revista Diálogo Educacional, Curitiba, 11(34), 933–949.
S. Sammler | New educational media for creative and socially open schooling
New educational media for creative and socially open schooling

The aspirations and realities of Lower Saxony’s educational renewal in the 1960s and 1970s1
Steffen Sammler
Georg Eckert Institute for International Textbook Research, Germany | sammler@gei.de
Abstract
The paper provides insights in the process of innova- duction of innovative educational media. Drawing
tion and change in the curriculum and educational on and critically analysing State and private archive
media landscape, and studies the groups of actors sources it discusses the hopes placed in and the lim-
driving these changes, in Lower Saxony between its of educational television as a means of democra-
1960 and 1980. Alongside detailing the new curric- tizing school education in the 1960ies and 1970ies.
ula and multimedia formats developed for teaching
Keywords: Democratising education; new media;
social studies in this period, it will explore the inter-
schools television; social studies; multi- and cross-
relationships between the democratic turn in the
media formats for schools
education of the time and the development and pro-
1 Introduction
In numerous European states, the 1960s saw the ment of new curricula and forms of educational me-
advent of fundamental change in education policy. dia, came from the northern part of the Federal Re-
Educationalists, policymakers and teachers respond- public, particularly Lower Saxony. Stakeholders from
ed to the challenges presented by competition in this state were key movers in the first pilot phase of
science and technology in the context of the Cold television programmes for schools, transmitted in
War rivalry between the world’s major societal sys- 1961 by the German regional public service broad-
tems (Hof, 2017). This was a period in which suc- caster Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR; Northern
cess in shaping a civilisation underpinned by science German Broadcasting). From the end of the 1960s
and technology appeared as a key factor in secur- onward, education policymakers from Lower Saxony
ing high standards of living for Europe’s population. worked on experimental comprehensive school set-
Actors in this field, such as Ralf Dahrendorf, extend- tings in what was then almost exclusively a three-
ed their concerns beyond this sphere (Dahrendorf tier secondary educational landscape, implementing
1965); committed to the essentially political idea of a compulsory comprehensive ‘orientation phase’ for
education as a fundamental ‘citizens’ right’ within years 5 and 6 across all school types in 1973. The
a democratic society, they advocated a democratic reformers regarded the combination of these initia-
revolution in schools which would transcend indus- tives as providing fertile ground for the evolution of
trialised society’s concept of education as a means new forms of media into cornerstones of change in
to an economic end (Kenkmann, 2000; Jessen 2004). the classroom.
Alongside the introduction of new types of educa- It is against this backdrop that this chapter, whose
tional establishment, the creation of innovative edu- principal intent is to stimulate discussion of the is-
cational spaces and the preparation of new curric- sues it outlines, provides an overview of develop-
ula, this period experienced intense debate around ments in the curriculum and educational media
reforms to schooling in the Federal Republic of Ger- landscape, and of the groups of actors driving these
many frequently centring on media and their role changes, in Lower Saxony between 1960 and 1980.
in education. Many of the education policymakers, Alongside detailing the new curricula and multime-
educationalists and media developers at the fore- dia formats developed for teaching social studies in
front of this debate, with its stated mission to unite this period, it will explore the interrelationships be-
democratisation in the classroom with the develop- tween the democratic turn in the education of the
1 This paper presents key findings of a research project being funded from 2016 to 2018 by the Ministry for Science and Culture of the German state of Lower Saxony.
The project is entitled ‘New media – new knowledge? Teaching about society in the twentieth century in a time of social transformation and a changing media landscape’ (Neues
Wissen in neuen Medien? Gesellschaftswissenschaftlicher Unterricht in Zeiten medialen Wandels und sozialer Öffnung im 20. Jahrhundert).
time and the development and production of inno- in Hanover, and from the archives of the University
vative educational media content. Drawing on and of Hildesheim, which contain both the archive of
critically analysing archive sources to reconstruct Heribert Heinrichs’ Audio-visual Centre and a num-
this interaction, the chapter will contextualise this ber of documents relating specifically to Heinrichs,
period in educational history and in existing re- a key figure in the development of schools television
search on this topic. and the use of audio-visual media in educational
The sources are drawn from the archive of the settings. In addition to these, the chapter explores
German regional public service broadcaster Nord- sources held by the archive of the German educa-
deutscher Rundfunk (NDR), held by the Hamburg tional publisher Westermann.
State Archives, from the Lower Saxony State Archive
2 The early 1960s. Media creators and school educators leading the way in
new media development: the route to the 1970s’ broad social consensus
Beginning in the late 1960s, media creators working The initiatives realised by those working at the NDR
at the German regional broadcaster Norddeutscher harmonised with the proposals drawn up at this
Rundfunk (NDR) were central to inspiring the com- time by educators teaching at Lower Saxony’s teach-
munication of up-to-date knowledge within new er training colleges such as Heribert Heinrichs and
media formats for schools. In 1961, the NDR became Horst Wetterling. Having previously acquired exten-
the first German broadcaster to begin pilot trans- sive experience with radio broadcasts for schools,
missions of television programmes for educational they regarded the medium of television as more
institutions. Many of those working there at this promising still, believing it possessed optimum po-
time – among them Franz Reinholz, who launched tential to help the content and practices of class-
the schools television project – had trained as sci- room teaching evolve to meet the need for an edu-
ence teachers; this background gave them a strong cation suited to the new world of technology and
affinity to the ideas of the scientific and technologi- industry. These educators associated this aim with
cal revolution and a particularly open mind towards a specific vision of the democratisation of education
the innovations it had the potential to engender and schools, another process to which they felt tel-
(Kutsch 1986). The progressive convictions driving evision was capable of providing crucial momentum
their work, and their experience within educational (Heinrichs 1956; Wetterling 1960).
settings influenced by German ‘reform pedagogy’, From the 1960s onward, education policy in Low-
saw them frame the emergence of these new forms er Saxony had supported these efforts by viewing
of media within the overarching objective of democ- the necessity of education reform based around a
ratising society in general and school-based educa- longer duration of mixed-ability schooling and in
tion in particular. line with the needs of a world dominated by indus-
try and technology. Accordingly, they set up com-
prehensive institutions on an experimental basis
(Herrlitz 2013).
3 Educational publishers enter the field

Until the end of the 1960s, traditional educational 1964, inspired not least by the experience of north-
publishers engaged very little in the development ern Germany’s pioneering transmissions in 1961
of audio-visual media for the teaching of social and 1962. By the close of the 1960s, the success of
studies subjects in schools. It appears that they the Bavarian broadcasts saw textbook publishers
were waiting to observe the effects of the advent increasingly seeking to get in on the audio-visual
of television for schools on the views of educators, act. Their initial manner of proceeding was to accept
broadcasters and educationalists as to which media the advances made to them by those heads of the
would have a central place in the social studies class- German regional public service broadcasters who,
room going forward. The German state of Bavaria like Christian Wallenreiter of Bavaria’s Bayerischer
had begun televising regular schools broadcasts in Rundfunk, advocated the production of cross-
media formats for schools on a free-market basis. The Hanover-based publisher Hermann Schroedel went
a step further in his establishment with colleagues of the
Wallenreiter was the initiator, in 1968, of the Schroedel Diesterweg Schoeningh Verlagsunion für neue
Television Rundfunk Verlagsunion, a syndicate made Lehrmedien (Publishers’ Union for New Media) in the sum-
up of eight educational publishers, holding 60% mer of 1970. This association, alongside developing supple-
mentary materials for existing schools television, created
of the capital, and the southern German broad- its own programmes for teaching and learning.
casters Bayerischer Rundfunk and Südwestfunk,
who shared the remaining 40% (Hamburg State At the outset of the 1970s, then, in contrast to the
Archives, Norddeutscher Rundfunk Records No. situation in the early 1960s, a scene was emerging
621-1/144_3838). in which all relevant stakeholder groups – education
In 1970, a number of traditional textbook publish- policymakers, teachers from various school types
ers responded to the challenge posed by the TRV by and educational traditions, parents, and public-
setting up an association known as Verlagsgesells- and private-sector media organisations – appeared
chaft Schulfernsehen. This new organisation was an to be working together towards ways of teaching
attempt on the part of textbook publishers to secure and learning which combined democratisation in
their position in the production of television-driven schools and wider society with attempts to provide
educational formats at a time when television for children with the tools to shape the technology- and
schools, certainly at the NDR, was riding on a wave science-driven society anticipated for the future.
of self-confidence.
4 New knowledge via new media in secondary education

As outlined in the preceding discussion, crucial mo- each German federal state. An increase in radio and
mentum for the emergence of new media for the television licence fees provided funding for a second
social studies classroom came in the 1960s from phase of experimental schools television program-
schools television, with its capacity both to respond ming, which segued into a regular schools broad-
rapidly to new societal developments and to quickly casting service in 1975.
reflect and incorporate changes to canons of sub- At the same time, during the first half of the 1970s,
ject knowledge and innovations in didactic meth- the range of audio-visual media and cross-media for-
odology. The medium of television, able as it was mats available for schools was expanding exponential-
to facilitate the combination of various formats of ly. The programming produced by schools television
knowledge transmission, appeared to promise a fun- services competed with taxpayer-funded original pro-
damental shift in classroom practices. ductions by Heribert Heinrichs’ Audio-visual Centre at
These assumptions around television seemed the Lower Saxony College of Education in Hildesheim
to receive confirmation as teachers and pupils re- and with offerings from textbook publishers working
sponded to the experimental broadcasts of 1961 with hard- and software producers such as Bosch and
and 1962, their views recorded in surveys and lesson Philipps and production companies including Windrose
observations commissioned by the NDR and car- DuMont to create their own audio-visual media (Heri-
ried out by Heribert Heinrichs and Horst Wetterling bert Heinrichs, Das Audiovisuelle Zentrum der Pädago-
(Norddeutscher Rundfunk, 1962). These reactions gischen Hochschule Niedersachsen in Hildesheim (The
appeared to provide a solid argument for introducing Audio-visual Centre at the Lower Saxony College
regular schools broadcasts sooner rather than later. od Education in Hildesheim), Hildesheim 1976. Ar-
The NDR’s schools television teams, however, found chive of the University of Hildesheim, Dean’s Office,
themselves facing a succession of legal and financial no. 138). The textbooks published by these companies
issues which the broadcaster was not able to resolve contained suggestions for using these resources in
until after the 1970s had dawned. An agreement the classroom. The media produced by Westermann/
on television programmes for schools concluded in Windrose DuMont and the SDS-Verlagsunion für neue
November 1971 between the NDR, the broadcaster Lehrmedien went far beyond simply providing writ-
Radio Bremen, and the states of Bremen, Hamburg, ten supplementary materials for school television se-
Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein secured com- ries, drawing inspiration from the experiments with
patibility of the general mission to educate incum- teaching via interactive school-based closed- circuit
bent upon public-service television with the ulti- television conducted by Heribert Heinrichs in Hanover
mate authority over educational matters held by in December 1964 (Heinrichs 1964). These organisa-
tions regarded the media they produced as compet- Combined with the accompanying teachers’ guides
ing with the ‘centralised’ offerings of state broadcast- and workbooks, they contributed substantially to
ing for schools, and designed them for use within the a thoroughgoing transformation in the design of
same systems and set-ups. school textbooks and the mission they set out to
Educational media for the political studies class- fulfil, raising a challenge to more traditional printed
room of the 1970s revolved above all around the educational media.
audio-visual components of the various formats.
5 Innovations in educational media as trailblazers for the definition

and presentation of new classroom topics. The NDR’s experimental
broadcasts for schools, 1961-2
The topics tackled in the 1961 schools television together as equals made an important contribution
experiment sought in the first instance to respond to overcoming the colonial prejudice which denied
to the requirements relating to teaching about Ger- that indigenous populations possessed the ability to
many’s National Socialist past that had been formu- successfully and independently manage their coun-
lated in a decree issued by Lower Saxony’s minister try’s political and economic affairs.
of education in 1960. Above all, however, they fore- As well as pointing forward to new issues around
shadowed the arrival in the classroom of the societal societal development which subsequently, from the
debates around the vision of a shared global ‘scien- late 1960s onward, made their mark on curricula and
tific and technological civilisation’ which was emerg- textbooks, the experimental broadcasts for schools
ing at the time in the wake of decolonisation. The acted as test runs for novel perspectives on the
first series of experimental broadcasts, transmitted planning and delivery of teaching. The schools pro-
in 1961, focused on the development of India, while grammes of this era which tackled the topic of the
the second, in 1962, explored the Algerian independ- National Socialists’ rise to power and their methods
ence movement. The broadcast on India, and the as- of consolidating their dominance made conscious
sociated teaching module on ‘Workers and Peasant use of drama formats, which appeared to the NDR
Farmers in India’, looked at economic cooperation team to be eminently suitable for imparting infor-
between India and the Federal Republic of Germany mation while simultaneously creating an emotion-
(Hamburg State Archives, Norddeutscher Rund- al impact (Zwischen Nacht und Morgen (Between
funk records, no. 621-1/144_3838). In so doing, it Night and Morning), NDR schools television, 1961)
projected the vision of a shared society, founded on (Hamburg State Archives, Nordeutscher Rund-
scientific and technological progress and industrial funk records, no 621-1/144_3164). The broadcast-
growth, which was to create the economic basis for ing experiment itself, and the thorough academic
the democratisation process in the erstwhile colo- observation and evaluation conducted on it by re-
nies and the emergence of an international commu- search groups headed by Heribert Heinrichs and
nity with the capacity to maintain and uphold social Horst Wetterling in Alfeld (later Hildesheim) and Os-
cohesion and peace. From today’s perspective, this nabrück, generated key subject-specific and didac-
vision of a scientific and technological civilisation of tical components of contemporary schools broad-
the future, with its normative character and exclu- casting which were to re-emerge later on, in the sec-
sively positive contemporary connotations, is evi- ond experimental transmission phase in 1972 and
dently ripe for critical analysis. At the time, however, the regular NDR schools television service launched
the sight of German and Indian engineers working in 1975.
6 Key elements of cross-media social studies formats for secondary

education in the 1970s: Democratic participation and humanising the
world of work
A new law on education for Lower Saxony, passed schools in a way that highlighted the fundamental
by the state parliament on 8 May 1974, defined the change that had taken place in society’s expecta-
task of educating future citizens incumbent upon tions of school subjects teaching about its workings.
This legislation asserted that the education delivered economic and business worlds. The unit on ‘What
in schools, instead of making exclusive reference does participation Do for Me?’ focused primarily on
to ‘Christianity’ or to a ‘German educational tradi- codetermination in business, the economy and the
tion’ as its founding values, was in future to work workplace, extending the view to other arenas of
explicitly towards ‘develop[ing] further the ideas of society from this central vantage point (Damman et
liberal, democratic and social movements [seeking] al. 1973). Taking a variety of perspectives, it show-
to attain libert[y]’(Niedersächsisches Schulgesetz, cased a diverse range of types of participatory in-
1975)2. In the heated debate around the legislation volvement, from co-ownership of an enterprise and
that took place in Lower Saxony’s state parliament, election of management by the workforce in gen-
Peter von Oertzen, the social-democrat education eral assemblies to the institutionalised models of
minister of the time, called for a view of democracy employer-employee codetermination in supervisory
that would empower pupils in schools to take an ac- boards which came under discussion at the outset
tive part in shaping a democratic society (Kufferath of the 1970s and eventually found realisation in leg-
2017). These convictions likewise manifested in the islation enacted in 1976.
rights to participation in decision-making granted The series framed this exploration of democratic
to parents and pupils in the legislation and played participation in the workplace in a context proceed-
a significant part in the debates around redefin- ing from pupils’ experiences with authority at home
ing social studies curricula in the first half of the and school, and pointed to the opportunities for in-
1970ies. In the 1973/74 school year, the NDR and fluencing school life which had been enshrined in
Radio Bremen produced its series on ‘Multi-Media Lower Saxony’s law.
Political Education’ (Politische Bildung im Medienver- The changes to the role of teachers in the class-
bund) for 9th an 10th grade students whose purpose room called for and foreshadowed in the experi-
was to provide an introduction to issues in political ments with television for schools in the early 1960s
studies using six key thematic areas (Krink, 1973- found realisation in these multi-media formats for
1974; Hamburg State Archives, Norddeutscher political and vocational education. The television
Rundfunk Records No. 621-1/144_3163). The series programmes, in showcasing diverse voices as au-
commenced with a programme entitled Wir und die thoritative, dislodged teachers from their position
anderen (Us and the Others), approaching the topic as sole authority in defining the knowledge to be
via pupils’ own experiences with prejudice at school. taught and the manner of its delivery. A regular sec-
Further programmes in the series included ‘Coming tion within the programmes, called “Points of View”
of Age for Democracy’ (Demokratie mit 18), ‘What (Standpunkte), enabled teachers to define their par-
does Participation Do for Me?’ (Was hab’ ich von der ticular perspective as one among the multiplicity
Mitbestimmung?), ‘Male, Female or Human?’ (Männ- of authoritative voices brought to the classroom by
lich, weiblich oder menschlich?) and ‘Enough Wealth these formats. This method of teaching eliminated
to Go Round?’ (Reicht der Reichtum für alle?); the the risk that teachers might “overwhelm” their pu-
last of these reprised the concern with the produc- pils with their person and point of view, a manner of
tion and distribution of wealth in ‘one world’ which proceeding which had once stood unchallenged as
had been a predominant theme in the experimental a pedagogical principle, yet had fallen into disfavour
broadcasts of the 1960s. with the agreement on principles for political edu-
The series, in the context of its mission to help cation for schools reached in Germany in 1976 and
endow young people with the capacity for active known as the Beutelsbacher Konsens (Frech, Richter
involvement in democratic society, afforded a cen- 2017).
tral place to the issue of democratisation in the
7 Conclusion
The progressive renaissance in education policy and the latter decade. Lower Saxony’s educational policy
practice that unfolded during the 1960s and early placed a moratorium on its comprehensive school
1970s was to meet its limits as early as the end of experiments in 1980 (Herrlitz 2013). Examined ret-
2 Following on from pre-school education, schools are expected to continue developing their pupils‘ characters on the basis of the Christian faith, the European humanist tradi-
tion, and the ideas of liberal, democratic and social movements which have sought to attain [civil] liberties‘. Education Minister of Lower Saxony, Niedersächsisches Schulgesetz,
Hanover 1975, pp. 9-10.
rospectively, the great expectations placed by edu- an essay entitled ‘New Textbooks via New Media’
cationalists and media creators in the innovative po- (Neue Schulbücher durch neue Medien), to meet the
tential of new forms of media appear to have been challenge posed by the rise of individual computer
excessive, particularly with regard to hopes – not workstations for school pupils by creating educa-
shared by the majority of teachers of the time - that tional media tailored to the specific learning needs
schools television broadcasts would effect radical engendered by increasing awareness, in a politically
change in the way German schoolchildren learned. individualistic climate, of concepts around individual
This said, the periodic setbacks suffered were not creative learning (Schröder, 1983). And thus we find
sufficient to permanently quell the optimism invest- ourselves wondering whether we have come full
ed in the development of new forms of educational circle as we look back to the early 1960s, when, as
media by those engaged in this work. Some years perhaps now, creative media developers had the op-
after television for schools had failed to fulfil its portunity and the mandate to bring to life innova-
promised rise to dominance, Carl August Schröder, tive formats for an education commensurate with
the head of the Westermann publishing group’s the demands and diversities of our modern life.
textbook venture, called upon his colleagues, in
Archival Sources
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Bildungsministerium; Landtag (Lower Saxony State Niedersachsen: Ein dokumentarischer Rückblick auf die
Archives Hanover, Ministry of Education; Parliament Landtagsdebatten 1967–2012 (The Controversy around
records). Comprehensive Schooling in Lower Saxony: A Retrospective
Documentation of the Debates in the State Parliament,
Staatsarchiv Hamburg: Bestand Norddeutscher Rundfunk
(1967–2012). Göttingen: Universitätsverlag Göttingen.
Schulfernsehen (Hamburg State Archives, Northern
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Educational Technology, Programmed Instruction and
Universitätsarchiv Hildesheim: Audiovisuelles Zentrum
the Commercialisation of Learning after 1957”. History of
(University Archives Hildesheim, Dean’s office,
Education: the Journal of the History of Education Society,
Centre for audio – visual media records).
46, 1–21.
Jessen, R. (2004). “Zwischen Bildungsökonomie und zivilge-
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C. Ferreira Aguiar, N. M. Dias Garcia | The role of the Physics textbook in a teacher’s curriculum development
The role of the Physics textbook in a teacher’s curriculum

development
Camila Ferreira Aguiar1
UFPR-PPGE/NPPD, Curitiba, Brazil | camilaaguiar@ufpr.br
Nilson Marcos Dias Garcia

UTFPR-PPGTE/GEPEF e UFPR-PPGE/NPPD, Curitiba, Brazil | nilson@utfpr.edu.br
Abstract
This paper discusses some of the possible relation- (Bonafé), and furthermore, due to being daily in the
ships between the use of the textbook and the cur- classroom, it works as one of the basic elements of
ricular practices developed by a teacher in the school the teaching organization (Batista). The results indi-
environment. The work, of an ethnographic nature, cate that the textbook is an important instrument
was conducted in 2015 with a teacher in a Public of curricular practice, guiding the teaching activities
School of Paraná State, in Brazil. The work was theo- in the classroom, mainly due to its systematization.
retically supported by the perspective that the text- They also indicate an approximation between the
book plays an important role in elaboration of the curriculum practiced and the guidelines proposed
prescribed curriculum (Sacristán); it works as a filter by the textbook, at the expense of the curriculum
of knowledge and interests (Torres); as a regulator planned by the teacher.
of the conception and development of teaching and
Keywords: Physics’ Textbook; Prescribed Curricu-
of the relation between theory and practice, con-
lum; Observation research; Physics Teaching.
sisting in a control artifact over the teacher’s work
1 Introduction
Despite the current technological advance, as trol artifact over teacher’s work. Thus, the textbooks
affirms Apple (2002), textbooks continue to offer the are, according to Cassiano (2004), a prescriptive
greater part of material conditions for teaching in material of curriculum, and its use, which manifests
classrooms around the world. Thus, they are respon- itself in the classroom with certain subjects in a
sible for legitimizing the culture to be transmitted, socio-historical condition, gives them the possibil-
knowledge selection filter (Torres Santomé, 1998), ity and capability, due to the objective conditions, to
and, according to Lajolo (1996), decisive for the subvert the prescribed curriculum.
quality of learning, even if it is not the only material In the same sense, Choppin (2004) points out that
to which teachers and students have access. textbooks can perform four functions in teaching
About this, Rodríguez and Bonafé (2013) argue activity. The first is the referential function, when
that textbooks often assume the curriculum objec- the textbook is a support of the curricular contents.
tives in an effective manner, and the proposed ac- In its instrumental function the textbook presents
tivities contained in it create a “type of closed cir- learning methods, supporting student learning. The
cuit didactic in which what the textbook proposes textbook in its ideological and cultural function is
determines in great part the curricular development used as a political apparatus, constituting “as one of
in the classroom” (p. 217). the essential vectors of language, culture and class
In the same way, Sacristán (2000) ponders that values leaders”. And as the last function, the docu-
the textbooks intermediate and approximate the mentary, its elements will develop the student’s
curricular prescription of teachers and the real cur- critical thinking.
riculum that is developed in practice by the teacher. In the Brazilian case, the textbook’s presence has
Once as regulator of planning and development of been massive due to the Textbook National Pro-
teaching (Bonafé, 2008), it is characterized as a con- gram – PNLD, a program that evaluates, selects and
1 CAPES Scholarship
distributes textbooks to every student and teacher tion of the Physics textbook in the real curriculum
in Brazilian public Elementary and High Schools.2 development by one teacher.
In this regard, considering that the PNLD is a pro- In this context, taking the textbook as an object,
gram of large public investments; the intensive this research aimed to verify, together with a high
presence of textbooks in the daily life of teachers school Physics’ teacher, through a systematic moni-
and students, and because textbooks perform a toring of their classes during a given period, the
significant role in the organization of teacher’s influences that the textbook exerts in the curricu-
activities, an investigation of ethnographic character lum planning and in the classroom.
was developed which tried to verify the participa-
2 Methodological option
Torres Santomé (1998) recognizes that reflection the first contact with the teacher, it was explained
about educational system and about what is the to her about the research and the need for a teacher
daily routine in the classroom is a complex task, who uses the textbook in classroom. After accepting
because in these there are a significant number of to participate in the research, the teacher provided
events that depend on various cultural, social and her “Teaching Work Plan” (PTD), document where
economic factors. So, he suggests that in investiga- the activities that will be developed during the
tions interested in what happens in the classrooms, school year are registered and planned. She is gradu-
the methodologies of ethnographic nature are one ated in Physics and has been active for 20 years in
of most recommended. the public school system as a teacher of this disci-
According to Rockwell (1995), ethnography is pline. Besides Physics she did another graduation.
the best way to evidence the way of life in school, The research was carried out in 2015, and, for only
because it highligths what is absent in educational three months, the activities developed by the Phys-
planning and pedagogical debates. It is a method ics teacher were accompanied in three of her classes.
of approach (Rockwell, 2005) and is not a neutral Since, given the real conditions of the moment that
tool, requiring a long stay in a more restricted field, the research was held, it was not possible to stay in
where this field experience is necessary, but it is not the classroom for a long time, a condition for a rig-
the only source of information. orous ethnographic research, the research was de-
In agreement with Ezpeleta and Rockwell (1989), veloped as an ethnographic approach. Despite this,
for whom the school is understood as social con- it was possible to find some evidence regarding the
struction, the didactic resources are part of the main objective, which was to verify the textbook
teaching and important in the interaction between presence in the real teacher’s curriculum.
social practices and pedagogical practices. Still, ac- The teacher’s follow-up occurred with the help of
cording to Montés Valls (2001), it is not enough to a script of items to be observed (uses of textbook,
approach the study of textbooks as autonomous exercises, readings, contents) and a logbook, an in-
and independent, but to consider them in their strument of data collection where aspects and situ-
complex relationship with students and teachers, ations of interest of the research were registered.
through the particularities of each school discipline. Thus, the relation between the teacher and the text-
Considering these assumptions, the fieldwork was book was observed, as well as its relationship with
based on the dissertation of Garcia (1996) and was the contents and exercises provided in the class-
developed as a qualitative research of ethnographic room. At the end of the observations the teacher
character. For her, in an ethnographic study, it is nec- was interviewed to verify some considerations and
essary to consider the school as part of the society, clarify some questions about the classes and her
which has its own internal purpose of transmitting practice.
the culture of that society.
After an initial study to identify teachers who reg-
ularly used the textbook in their classes, contact was
maintained with a physics teacher at a public school
in the city of Curitiba, in the state of Paraná, Brazil. In
2 The textbooks submitted to selection must satisfy public and rigorous selection criteria. If it meets all the selection criteria, it will be available for the teacher’s choice, who
must choose a collection that will be used by the students and teachers for the next three years.

Classroom monitoring consisted of observing the textbooks “Física Completa” (Bonjorno, 2001) and
events related to the textbook and any other re- “Física” (Bonjorno, 2013).
sources, to record it uses by the teacher and stu- In general, the dynamics of the teacher’s class var-
dents. During the lessons, short notes were made ied little. She wrote the textbook’s subject on the
according to an observation script. At the end of the board for students to copy in their notebooks, even
classes, this script was filled-out by the researcher, though the text on the board was often exactly
and any matters that were not planned in it were what was in the textbook. She also extracted parts
registered in the logbooks, as example, some dia- of the textbook and wrote on the board the infor-
logues and occasional observations on students or mation that she considered most important, or she
teacher actions. dictated it to the students. The teacher also solved
During the observation it was verified that the some exercises proposed in the textbook and asked
teacher’s work was supported by three different students to solve others, both in the classroom and
textbooks. In her didactic planning, PTD, the refer- at home.
ence indicated as the textbook was “Physics in Con- Eventually she asked the students to solve exer-
texts” (Pietrocola, 2013). However, the textbook cises or do other school work in the library. In these
chosen by the teachers through the PNLD public cases, she instructed students to use not only their
notice and distributed to the students was “Phys- textbook, but also other books available in the li-
ics” (Bonjorno, 2013), that she uses only for task brary, emphasizing that her practice was always
development and exercise application. And the third supported by textbooks.
book, only in her property, was “Complete Physics” This relationship with the textbook was also ex-
(Bonjorno, 2001), used by her for contents and plicit during the overall evaluation, when the teach-
some exercises. er asked her students to study for the test through
This diversity of textbooks allowed us to observe the textbook exercises and the last test.
interesting situations. While in the PTD, in May, the It was also possible to verify that the exercises of
orientation was to develop the structuring content the overall evaluation were similar to the regular
“Image and Sound”, corresponding to a chapter of evaluation, however, with different values. About
“Física em Contextos” (Pietrocola, 2013), in the this situation, the teacher explained that even then,
classroom, the teacher was developing the subject some students left the evaluation blank.
“Calorimetry and Phase Change”, predicted in the
4 Conclusions
Through the observation’s analysis it was possible assumed the role of support of curricular contents,
to verify the strong presence of the textbook in this with the teacher following both the methodologi-
teacher’s classes, as well its influences in the teach- cal sequence that the book presents, as its content,
er’s practice. text, figures and equations. The instrumental func-
It was found that the textbook guided the con- tion was verified through the selection of exercises
tent, its form and organization, through the didactic that the teacher did of the textbook, with the text-
sequence that it presents to the teacher. The textbook providing learning methods, exercises and ac-
book directed the exercises that the teacher worked tivities, which aim to facilitate the memorization of
with in the classroom, as well as exercises for stu- knowledge.
dents to be solved in the classroom and at home. It Besides the textbook provides guidance on both
also guided the evaluation and student work. content and classroom exercises, it also guided the
Thus, these analyses confirms the view of Batista assessment, which occurred in a very similar way to
(2005) when he affirms that the textbook is a daily what had already been worked on in the classroom.
object present in the classroom and one of the basic The observation also made it possible to note
elements of the teaching organization. the gap between planned and practiced activity,
It was also possible to identify only two of the evidenced by the fact that the teacher’s work in the
functions pointed out by Choppin (2004), the curric- classroom was based on two textbooks that were
ular and instrumental functions. The curricular func- not registered in her Work Plan (PTD). In fact, the use
tion was evidenced by the fact that the textbook of one of them, which only the teacher possessed,
indicates the strength that tradition and the need The role of the textbook as guide of the real cur-
for security play in the exercise of the teaching func- riculum developed by this teacher was reinforced,
tion. In declaring herself adapted to the textbook since it was present at several moments in her class-
“Física Completa” (Bonjorno, 2001), she demon- es, taking on a role of great importance in teacher
strates the difficulty in adapting to other textbooks practice.
with new proposals.
References
Apple, M. (2002). Manuais escolares e trabalho docente. Lajolo, M. (2008). Livro didático: um (quase) manual de
Lisboa: Didáctica Editora. usuário. Em aberto, 16(69).
Batista, A.A.G., & Rojo, R. (2005). Livros escolares no Brasil: a Martínez Bonafé, J. (2008). Los libros de texto como prác-
produção científica. Livros didáticos de língua portuguesa: tica discursiva. Revista de la asociación de sociología de la
letramento e cidadania. Belo Horizonte: Ceale. educación (RASE), 1(1), 62–73.
de Figueiredo Cassiano, C.C. (2004). Aspectos políticos e Rockwell, E. (1995). De huellas, bardas y veredas: una historia
econômicos da circulação do livro didático de História cotidiana en la escuela. In: Rockwell, E. La escuela
e suas implicações curriculares. História (São Paulo), cotidiana, (pp. 13–57). México: Fondo de Cultura
23(1–2). Económica.
Chaves, E.A. (2015). A música caipira em aulas de História: Rockwell, E. (2005). Del campo al texto. Reflexiones sobre
questões e possibilidades (master thesis). Curitiba: el trabajo etnográfico Conferencia en Sesión Plenaria
Universidade Federal do Paraná. Primer Congreso de Etnología y Educación, Universidad
Castilla-La Mancha, Talavera la Reina, 13 julio 2005. Re-
Choppin, A. (2004). História dos livros e das edições
trieved from: https://cursoensenada2011.files.wordpress.
didáticas: sobre o estado da arte. Educação e Pesquisa,
com/2011/05/rockwell-del-campo-al-texto-2005.pdf
30(3), 549–566.
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Ezpelleta, J. & Rockwell, E. (1989). A escola: relato de um
Madrid: Ediciones Morata.
processo inacabado de construção. In Autores
Associados. Pesquisa Participante. São Paulo: Cortez. Valls Montés, R. (2001). Los estudios sobre los manuales
escolares de historia y sus nuevas perspectivas. Didáctica
Garcia, T.B. (1996). Esculpindo geodos, tecendo redes: estudo
de las Ciencias Experimentales y Sociales (15), 23–36.
etnográfico sobre tempo e avaliação na sala de aula.
(Master’s thesis). São Paulo: Universidade de São Paulo.
Gimeno Sacristán, J. (2000). O Currículo: uma reflexão sobre
a prática. Porto Alegre: Artmed.
C. Roux-Goupille | A ReVEA project case study: French biology teachers & educational media
A ReVEA project case study:

French biology teachers & educational media
Camille Roux-Goupille
STEF, ENS Cachan, Paris-Saclay University & UPEC University, France | croux@u-pec.fr
Abstract:
The on-going French ReVEA project explore on the from? Through depiction of their working environ-
numerous processes done by teachers concerning ments including institutional constraints and of
educational media, including design, search, selec- teacher ‘s profiles, we describe how French SVT
tion and uses of resources in secondary education. teachers do build a functional framework to con-
This paper focuses on researches about a school trol their situation and environment. They spend a
subject named in French Sciences de la Vie et de la lot of time researching resources and exerting their
Terre (SVT) which encompasses Biology and Geology professional expertise in three main tasks: Selecting
topics. A mixed methodology of data collection in- between many existing documents, modifying and
cluding interviews has been implemented in order adapting to local conditions (material, budget, time
to be able to describe and understand SVT teach- and pupil level), working on rewording of questions
ers’ activities on and with resources. How do SVT and classroom instructions.
teachers cope with or balance between curriculum
Keywords: Biology, Teachers, Educational Media,
requirements and a wealth of resources to choose
France, Secondary education,
1 Introduction
The ReVEA project aims to fill a knowledge gap on Biology and Geology topics. Our intent is therefore
the evolving uses of resources by teachers in this to contribute to uncover and describe teachers’
period of transition to numerical supports. The re- tasks; quite a challenge, as it is not easy to document
searches aim to document the range of tasks revolv- teachers’ activities in details (Diekema & Olsen,
ing around educational resources that constitutes 2014). To this aim, we have adopted a mixed meth-
the visible and accessible part of teacher’s work to odology, combining semi-structured interviews and
get ready for teaching: Researching and selecting, data collection of resources, allowing us to collect
processing, redesign, editing, adjusting as well as the discourse of SVT teachers on resources and get
sharing and publishing educational media just to a picture of their working environment.
mention a few. At the Lisbon IARTEM conference Thereby, results are presented in two parts: Firstly,
(Sept 2017), there have been several presentations a description of the teaching environment including
related to the ReVEA research project, in sessions institutional constraints as well as the wealth of re-
such as Physics, Teacher training and Language. This sources available and three teachers’ profiles; their
paper aims to give an overview of the researches combined analyses allow to understand how SVT
done on the school subject named in French Scienc- teachers cope with this situation.
es de la Vie et de la Terre (SVT) which encompasses
2 Teaching resources survey – Data collection Methodology

Our methodology of investigation for this research types of semi-structured interviews were conduct-
has required to follow up teachers regularly, meet- ed: a primary interview to determine background’s
ing up about twice a year. We have adopted a mix teacher and her attitudes towards resources and a
methodology composed of semi-structured inter- clarifying interview focused on detailed comments
views and data collection of resources. Usually two of one of her own files. The data set collection of
1 ReVEA (Ressources vivantes pour enseignement et l’apprentissage) Living resources for teaching and learning.)
http://www.agence-nationale-recherche.fr/?Project=ANR-13-APPR-0006
resources comprehends classic teacher’s files such a thematic content analysis methodology, based on
as lesson plans, slide shows, pupil handouts and the grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 2010). This
so on but also gaining access to their blog, online mix methodology had leaded us to the construction
or hard drive storage as well as classroom observa- of individual profiles including descriptions of their
tions and sometimes recording of activity on com- teaching environment (Weil-Barais, 1997). The par-
puter using Camtasia software. We have also done ticipating teachers were all civil servants teaching
interviews of National Education’s inspector on SVT SVT school subject at 10th grade (so called Seconde
resources theme to enlarge our perspective of insti- level in France) in upper secondary schools in Paris
tutional and teaching environments of SVT teachers. and its inner suburbs.
The semi-structured interviews were analysed using
3 Biology & Geology in French secondary education

At grade 10, the school subject SVT encompasses a on the resources used for teaching (Choppin, 2005).
curriculum with encyclopaedic scientific knowledge Under this pedagogical freedom umbrella, teachers
and numerous teaching constraints defined very can use whatever they deem or find useful for their
succinctly in national official guidelines, as we shall teaching purposes. Indeed, they have at their dispos-
see below. Complementary official guidance regard- al, a seemingly infinite number of educational me-
ing competencies is given in the curriculum while dia available in all format and style, from raw to fine
pedagogical freedom let SVT teachers alone to face tuned didactic resources. The question we therefore
a world of plenty of educational resources, very di- wish to address in this paper is: How do SVT teach-
verse in nature and origin (Pommier, 2011). Indeed, ers cope with or balance between many institution-
as all French teachers, they carry out their profes- al requirements and a wealth of resources to choose
sional activity in the realm of pedagogical freedom, from?
which means that the French state has no regard
4 Curriculum constraints
The official curriculum of SVT at grade 10 encom- > General competencies (such as for example,
passes three main scientific themes, namely Earth being aware of the ethical implication of
as a host planet for life and biodiversity’s evolution science)
– Global contemporary challenges (energy and food > Use of Information and Communication
supply) – Human body and health (physical activi- technologies
ty) – with time resources of 1.5 hours/week, often > Problem solving approach
taught in half-class group to allow practical experi- > History of science
ments with specific instructions to consider differ- > Real world situation/complexity
ent scales: ecosystem, species, organ and tissue > Pupils autonomy
level, cellular, molecular and even atomic level if pos- > Teamwork
sible. These instructions leave room for interpreta-
tion and lead each teacher to develop more precisely The teachers have to somehow combine all these el-
specific topics according to pupils and/or teachers ements or compulsory features in their lessons and
interests. As grade 10 is an orientation level, specific distribute them evenly along the year.
official guidelines are given about introducing to According to official instructions, a lesson would
career counselling through discovery of scientific start ideally with a real-life situation that would be
jobs whenever possible in parallel to scientific con- discussed between pupils and teacher. This should
tent. And last but not least, there are also recom- lead to the emergence and formulation of a science
mendations aiming to develop pupils’ scientific cul- problem by the pupils (Chalak, 2014). Thereafter, a
ture, citizenship spirit and critical thinking and so on. classroom activity should be elaborated and real-
Without entering into the small details, we need to ized to address the scientific problem stated: Either
add other requirements that teachers must take in experimental work such as laboratory work eventu-
account: ally using software-based simulation or documents
analysis from varied sources such as audio, video, gram that would sum up the main scientific content.
pictures, texts. The end of the lesson or chapter Once in a while, the teacher should organize an origi-
should always include an assessment time which nal event such as a debate between pupils, an oral
could include a short summary and a synthesis dia- presentation, a museum visit or a conference.
5 A wealth of resources
In the realm of pedagogical freedom, French teach- sites or YouTube videos. There is also a mine of com-
ers can use whatever they think useful to prepare mercial offers such as private tutoring websites to
and teach their classes. The French state does not textbooks (six major publishers offering paper and
have a scrutiny right on educational media and if it online versions). In SVT, there are several commercial
does produce resources, it’s only by way of example laboratory brands selling specific laboratory equip-
(Bruillard, 2005). These resources made by teach- ment that offer or sell protocols and associated
ers and inspectors are shared on official websites. resources to help getting ready for teaching. Let’s
So French teachers end up with at their disposal a not forget to mention living material such as plants,
wealth of resources from various sources (public or small animals but also microorganisms such as bac-
private), with very different levels of readiness, from teria, fungi and yeast … A number of software are
ready to teach to raw scientific materials. They have necessary, a few of them are freely available on state
to choose from a very large supply of educational websites, the commercial ones are quite expansive.
media and this choice can be daunting. Without Finally, we can mention others important sources
wanting to make a definitive list, we can quote a of scientific materials such as CNRS, INSERM, INRA,
range of sources that almost all interviewed teach- MNHN3, all are academic research institutes that of-
ers report at one point to consult: From textbooks fers resources designed specifically for high school
from private publishers to National Ministry of Edu- teachers and pupils. This goes from guided tour and
cation official website (Eduscol2), and initial training on-site conferences to video and text freely avail-
and university courses. They consult resources as able (Pommier, Foucaud-Scheunemann, & Morel-
well coming from colleagues, shared lecture notes, Deville, 2011).
professional mailings-lists, teacher’s blogs and web-
6 Preparing for class

Through three case studies, under the form of quick school. When asked how she was proceeding to get
teacher ‘s profiles, summed-up below, we aim to ready for teaching, she declares that she “immerses
illustrate the kind of results our data collection herself” in official instructions, reading very carefully
methodology allows to obtain and which insights the Bulletin Officiel4 which lists all current programs,
we can gain on how teachers manage to somehow teaching directives and paying attention specially
combine all these official elements or compulsory to key notions and boundaries. Then she sets up
features in their lessons and how they cope with a yearly teaching master planning to be sure to
between many institutional requirements and a fulfil curriculum specifications regarding aims,
wealth of resources to choose from. scientific contents, methods activities and pupil pro-
ductions … Then for each specific chapter, through-
out the year, she enters in an extensive phase of
Teacher A research to prepare either documentaries activities
Mrs A has eleven years of professional experience in that require texts, images, videos, screenplays or
secondary education, seven of which in high school. practical activities that require protocols, scientific
Presently, she is the sole SVT teacher in her high experimental equipment, software … In her research
2 http://eduscol.education.fr/pid23214/sciences-vie-terre.html
3 CNRS: Centre National Recherche Scientifique

INSERM: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale
INRA: Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
MNHN: Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle
4 Bulletin officiel de l’éducation nationale, de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche (B.O.)
process, she skims many textbooks, colleagues’ les- activity starting with a friend worksheet, removing
son plans and various documents. She can access too detailed information and rephrasing in a simpler
several of them on a Google drive shared with a way to adapt to his pupils’ levels, he had to accept
bunch of colleagues. She consults various websites and adapt to the reality of present-day situation:
that she accesses through Google search engine us- No internet and some computers down and so he
ing “explicit keywords”. During this research phase, had to improvised with his printed worksheet. Mr B
she selects items that she will use to produce slide reports that he tries to “resist activity as it distracts
shows or handouts to support pupils’ activities. Mrs pupils from conceptual thinking”. He is continuously
A tries to realise throughout the year a maximum working on support and activities to adapt to cur-
of practical activities that she calls “Real experi- rent pupils’ knowledge and understanding, simplify-
ments” whether is it software-based or laboratory ing according to pupils’ feedback and to his environ-
work. During her course preparation, she exchanges ment, especially hardware constraints. He has set
with a close colleague resources but also advices on himself the goal of avoiding using as much paper as
pedagogical approaches and teaching styles, spe- possible in class, as a way to transmit his ecological
cifically. She is currently working on changing “her engagement and to fulfil his duty to educate to sus-
formal lecture teaching style to a more oriented tainable development.
toward problem-solving style (that includes using a
teaching scenario)”. She looks also on other teachers’
blogs and websites to “reassure herself”, as she says, Teacher D
“to be sure to be on the right track”. As she is alone Teacher D has a high level of certification and a long
in her school, she doesn’t have colleagues handy to teaching experience of twenty-five years. He re-
discuss and exchange information on a day-to-day courses mainly to institutional resources. For him,
basis. teacher’s core function is to “spread knowledge and
therefore he lacks the means to judge the credibility
of scientific information”. He especially does not like
Teacher B teacher blogs that are usually only “pale copies of
Teacher B has only three years of teaching experi- textbook”. Furthermore, he explains that for him “all
ence, it is his first year in high school, and so he is still textbooks are the same”. The pupils have to come
discovering curriculums that he has never taught up in his class “with the white lab coat but not the
before. His high school is quite large, the SVT Team book”. During interviews, he talks a lot about ma-
is composed of six teachers and a laboratory techni- terial supplies required for practical class activities
cian. He is always in a hurry, making a week to week such as gypsum, lichen, seaweeds or flowers which
planning, relying almost exclusively on the consul- take time and handling. Researching resources to
tation of the shared laboratory SVT team planning. teach isostasy, he first looks at his favourite na-
It allows him to know which practical activities his tional institutional website to refresh his theoretical
colleagues are doing with their pupils and he usually knowledge of this scientific concept and learn about
asks the technician for exactly the same experimen- the type of activity that can be done with grade 10
tal set-up. On his computer, his files are organised in pupils. He then downloads on another institutional
many folders. Each folder contains files given by a website a numerical modelling free software. And
different colleague such as slide shows, pupils’ hand- finally, he searches and buys an analogical model
outs, and tests in ready-to-use format such as pdf from a well-known school supply retailer. Research
… He spends lots of times scanning these files and and selection are really time-consuming steps and
chooses usually between them the ones he will fi- it seems to him in sharp contrast with the time he
nally use in class. He completes by looking through a spent 25 years ago when he was a beginner. He had
selection of websites that he knows well. He makes then just one textbook and was following it step by
a selection of ready-made activity and handouts. step. Now he spends hours searching and selecting
However, he always realizes his own slide show to resources, some more hours on pedagogical design
support his discourse, selecting new pictures and to produce his own worksheets, always in search of
wording titles and legends carefully. During a class- aesthetic style that he feels now essential. There-
room observation during which pupils were doing a fore, he takes him “more and more time to get ready
software-based activity on DNA structure, we have for teaching” which he feels contradictory with his
been able to observe how he is adapting to real-life extensive professional work experience.
situations. Although he had carefully planned his
6 Building a functional framework to control the situation

Building up analyses on teachers’ profiles and the mastered by their pupils. So, despite the formal
landscape in which they evolve that we have been liberty of grade 10, this horizon constrains prac-
able to reconstruct, some trends emerge. The main tical activities that are mostly oriented toward
lines can be sum up, as following: mandatory knowledge of certain software’s or
> First, they all stick to the Bulletin official. They experimental apparatus …
indeed spend a lot of time reading and inter- > Third, they all develop a strict organisation
preting it, using it as a way to frame their work, with yearly planning. Some of them even use
to define and delimit their teaching goals. Actu- three-dimensional yearly planning (time,
ally, teachers do have their own understanding knowledge content and competencies).
and they can spend lots of time together dis- > Fourth, they all produce documents, slide
cussing on interpretations and allowed varia- shows, and pupils’ handouts that are a
tions of key notions. combination of granules from various sources
> Second, they all already have in mind the final eventually modified by them. However, they
exam of grade 12 called “Baccalauréat”. It delin- usually produce their own explanations and
eates a framework of what should be precisely questions.
7 Solitary work
One striking point of this survey is that all SVT time consuming to consult all of them, so they usu-
teachers describe their activities with resources as ally focus on one that they really appreciate because
heavily time-consuming solitary works. However, they feel it similar to their ways of thinking, peda-
if their tasks are in themselves solitary ones, it ap- gogical views or scientific approaches. They also
pears clearly that their work rely strongly on their usually share their own production with a close col-
surrounding environments and imply numerous ex- league using online sharing tools. Apart Mr D, which
changes with other teachers. First of all, they work sounds as an exception, they consult very few offi-
a lot on documents made by other teachers (from cial resources and never in first instance. Navigating
acquaintances or found online), which serve as a ba- on Google, they can stomp by on one accidentally
sis on which they elaborate their own productions. and will possibly use it. Nonetheless, teachers stress
Although they usually declare to have access to four there are so much more options available on Inter-
to five files of colleagues, they all admit that it is very net to consult, mostly proposed by SVT teachers.
8 Conclusion & Perspectives

Analyses of results show that although SVT teachers ests and skills. For example, amateur photographers
work on their own, they actually adopt quite similar use their own pictures, video editors usually produce
ways around using resources and they form a net- and show lots of mixed video in class, some are even
work even a community. This deserves to be ana- making their pupils film and edit their own videos in
lysed in more detail, for example according to the class project. Further inquiry of this personal compo-
principle of community of practice (Wenger, 1998). nent could be also an interesting perspective for this
Another lead is to analyse the role of teacher’s con- research (Robert & Rogalski, 2002).
tent-related knowledge regarding choices and modi-
fication of resources (Grossschedl et al, 2014).
Finally, although not presented here another strong
axis, unveiled by our research, that orients search
and choices of resources personal is personal inter-
References
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Caen: CRDP de Basse-Normandie, Documents, actes et (volet 2). Les pratiques informationnelles et documentaires
rapports sur l’éducation. Retrieved from http:// des enseignants de sciences de la vie et de la Terre (SVT) et
hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00250965 leurs attentes en matière d’information scientifique et de
ressources pédagogiques. Retrieved from http://halshs.
Chalak, H. (2014). Difficultés de construction de savoirs
archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00990788
et de textes problématisés en sciences de la Terre et
pratiques enseignantes: étude d’une séquence ordinaire Pommier, M., Foucaud-Scheunemann, C. & Morel-Deville,
portant sur le magmatisme. Éducation et didactique, F. (2011). De la recherche à l’enseignement: modalités du
8(8–3), 55–80. DOI https://doi.org/10.4000/educationdi- partage des savoirs dans le domaine des sciences de la
dactique.2063 vie et de la Terre. RDST. Recherches en didactique des
sciences et des technologies, (2), 127–156.
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CRDP Basse-Normandie. tiques: Une double approche. Canadian Journal of Science,
Mathematics and Technology Education, 2(4), 505–528.
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(2014). Content-Related Knowledge of Biology Teachers
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2335–2366. DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.201
4.923949
Editors??????
Changing media –
Teachers and textbooks
changing schools?
and educational media
IARTEM 2017
L. Kojanitz | Textbook development with the involvement of teachers
Textbook development with the involvement of teachers

László Kojanitz
Hungarian Institute for Educational Research and Development, Budapest, Hungary | kojanitz.laszlo@ofi.hu
Abstract
This paper is about a content development project son in the textbooks. As a result of this process the
that has been carried out in recent years in Hungary. average score given by teachers before and after the
New experimental textbooks and digital materials revised version in grade 1 grew from 6.59 TO 8.21, in
have been prepared for elementary and secondary grade 5 from 5.75 to 8.15, and in grade 9 from 5.53 to
levels. All materials are available for teachers, stu- 8.0 (Kojanitz & Kerber 2018).
dents and parents via a new public education por-
Keywords: textbooks, experimental textbooks,
tal. The final versions of the textbooks have been
trial-based textbook development, digital text-
accomplished as a result of a three-year testing pro-
books, digital learning materials, learning environ-
cess. Teachers evaluated the texts, tasks, layouts,
ment, teachers’ feedback
visual elements and other didactic tools of each les-
1 Preliminary goals of the development project

Textbooks have gradually become free of charge for The projects were also designed to renew teaching
students in primary and secondary schools in Hun- and learning practices, with special regard to the
gary since 2013. In addition, the state wished to take use of opportunities provided by ICT. Top priorities
a larger role and responsibility in the quality devel- included such factors as adaptability to age groups
opment of textbooks. So the decision was made to and specific student profiles, the ability to coordi-
ensure that new textbooks and workbooks can be nate conventional and digital educational tools and
comprehensively tested and tried in schools during contents as well as upgradability and the opportu-
the development phase of textbooks complying nity for continuous development. So Project HRDOP
with the new National Curriculum. The appropri- 3.2.2 requires developers to create such digital text-
ate conditions for this activity were provided by two books that can be linked to digital contents, exercise
EU-funded development projects. The development databases and adaptive evaluation tools as well as
process started in the framework of SROP (Social provide better interactive options for students,
Renewal Operational Programme) Project 3.1.2/B thus promoting a quality improvement in teaching-
in 2013 and then continued as part of HRDOP (Hu- education and the development of key competen-
man Resources Development Operational Pro- cies. In order to allow for the school application of
gramme) Project 3.2.2. Between 2013 and 2017, 110 all these devices, the projects also aim to create
new primary school and 70 new secondary school and constantly develop a completely new National
textbooks and workbooks were written, tested and Public Education Portal (nkp.hu). Launched in 2016,
revised in total. Around 1000 teachers of over 300 this portal must enable users to access and utilize
schools were involved in testing the first versions of the final textbooks and digital education materials
these textbooks. as well as to allow both teachers and students to
amend, edit and share these materials.
2 Laying out a joint development concept

The project enabled us to involve universities in the was published and, even during the project imple-
content development process and the professional mentation phase, it was accessible online for all
support for creating the National Public Education users, including the teachers testing the textbooks
Portal. The preliminary studies supplied by the uni- written based on this concept (Kojanitz, 2014).
versities were then used for developing the overall The common professional expectation was that
professional concept of the project. This concept the experimental textbooks must contain reliable
and up-to-date knowledge and must help teachers exercises based on student cooperation, as well as
focus on essential knowledge, key ideas, correlations to help the constant development of reading com-
and competencies (Chambliss & Calfee, 1998). Text- prehension skills and the joint use of different in-
books were also expected to arouse students’ inter- formation sources in the learning process (Garbe,
ests in the various topics, inspire them to think and 2013). They had to be instrumental for teachers in
study on their own. They had to provide patterns carrying out personalized learning processes. An-
for adopting and applying efficient learning strate- other requirement was that experimental textbooks
gies and methods (Bransford, 1999). They had to should offer a wide variety of opportunities for chil-
establish as many correlations as possible between dren to activate and use their own experience in
the school materials and the phenomena and prob- the learning process. The new textbooks were also
lems experienced in daily life. They were expected to expected to provide assistance in many aspects for
inspire students to constantly reflect on their read- fully integrating the Internet as a useful tool into the
ings as well as to relate the new information to their teaching and learning process. This overall approach
earlier knowledge. The questions, exercises and dis- served as the basis for the project’s editorial staff of
cussion points of the textbooks had to ensure that native language, mathematics, natural and social
students can play an active role in the process of science education to prepare their own develop-
learning new information. They had to support the ment concepts for each subject.
planning and implementation of classroom group
3 Designing a new digital teaching and learning environment

A key objective of Project HRDOP 3.2.2 is to help the can be constantly enhanced, thus offering increasing-
transition from printed textbooks to the use of digi- ly flexible usage options for the teacher’s work.
tal education materials (Reints, 2015). It is very im- The Internet, the multimedia-based education
portant because ICT tools allow us to replace some materials, the interactive exercises and the other
of the many functions crammed into textbooks by novelties of digital technology provide many new
digital education materials. The digital textbooks and exciting opportunities to make learning a more
that were developed in the framework of this project interesting and successful process (Sampson &
offer students mutually complementary digital ma- Karagiannidis, 2002). Today’s school generation
terials. For example, films, animations, simulations obviously expects the use of constantly available
and exercises for practice and self-revision are now online digital education materials as well as oppor-
available for teachers and students, directly linked tunities for cooperative and creative learning. The
to the particular textbook content. Furthermore, National Public Education Portal offers many new
the scope and versatility of such digital content options for students in this area as well.
4 Analytical testing methods and tools

The achievement of a testing-based textbook de- pate in the questionnaire-based surveys. For exam-
velopment process needed three years to be imple- ple, the online questionnaire, which was launched
mented. The first year saw the preparation of the in November 2014 was completed by 3755 teachers.
experimental textbooks, which were then used and Projects SROP 3.1.2/B and HRDOP 3.2.2 both ena-
tested in schools in the second year, while they were bled us to more closely involve 30–50 teachers per
revised in the third year based on the practical ex- textbook in the testing process for a special remu-
perience. neration on a contractual basis.
According to the relevant legal regulations in Hun- Testing teachers used the experimental textbooks
gary all schools are allowed to order and use materi- throughout the entire schoolyear. This solution pro-
als classified by the Minister of Education as experi- vided the best conditions for them to form a realistic
mental textbooks. Thus over 3000 schools were in- opinion of how the textbooks functioned in practice
volved in the application of experimental textbooks with regard to the amount of information contained
in the past three years. All teachers working with or the tools supporting effective learning, for ex-
these textbooks were eligible to voluntarily partici- ample. The cca. 1000 teachers thus involved in the
testing process maintained an e-diary of their work testing teachers could personally share their
on an online surface specifically created for this pur- feedback with the textbook producers and
pose. Throughout the academic year, they constant- each other as well. They could also debate the
ly recorded their practical experience with using the emerged criticism and suggestions, too. These
textbook. We pointed out to them how important meetings were highly successful since teachers
it was to enter their notes while their memories were happy to participate and were interested
were still fresh as to which elements worked well or in the experience and methodological solutions
caused problems during the teaching and learning of their colleagues who often worked in a com-
process. In their e-diaries, the teachers evaluated all pletely different school environment than their
lessons and their various components as well, for ex- own.
ample: the core text, the complementary sections, 3. At the end of the academic year, the research
the figures, the questions and the exercises, scoring team conducted focus group interviews with
them on a scale from 1 to 5. To assist them in the the teachers and students involved in the test-
evaluation process, they could find a recommend- ing process of the particular textbooks.
ed set of evaluation criteria for each element. They 4. At the end of the academic year, another online
also had to provide an explanation for their scores, survey was conducted among the teachers and
in which they briefly described why they liked the students who used the experimental textbooks.
particular features or what problems or errors made This survey primarily focused on textbook evalu-
them give a lower score for some elements. We also ation based on particular criteria, including what
asked them to make proposals for the correction of effect, in the teachers’ opinion, the content and
the textbook details they found problematic, but exercises of the new textbook had on the teach-
they could also make suggestions on the textbook ers’ pedagogical approach and methodological
as a whole, for example, to modify the themes or the practice as well as on the students’ learning pro-
internal structure of the lessons. cess.
When you design the training courses for new Survey results were presented in flash reports and
educational materials, it is not easy to decide what summary studies made by researchers and data
knowledge and competencies teachers need the analysts. The main objective of these measures was
most, and in what areas and how they should be to ensure that the feedback and suggestions of text-
motivated to try new things. Teachers become much book users could be clearly identified during the re-
more motivated if they experience that the training vision of the experimental textbooks, as well as to
sessions give them answers to the questions related make sure that each indicated problem is solved and
to the problems arising in their daily practice. The each good suggestion is implemented in the pro-
feedback offered in relation with the textbook tri- cess.
als may give us good information for the above as Most of the teachers volunteering for the task
well. The teachers’ feedback on the textbooks has were highly motivated in terms of testing the ex-
also revealed a lot about what they think of the perimental textbooks. They were very happy to be
goals of teaching a particular subject or the meth- involved in this project and thus connecting into the
ods supporting students in their learning process. It professional bloodstream, which inspired their work
provides a good picture of the pedagogical approach personally while also giving a lot of new informa-
and methodological repertoire they currently apply. tion and professional impulses for their schools as a
So the teacher diaries written in the framework of whole. This productive cooperation of textbook pro-
this project are valuable sources for further research ducers and teachers must definitely be continued
to explore teaching practices and will be a good base in the future. Some of the schools and teachers are
for designing teacher training courses as well as for prepared to get involved in nationwide pedagogical
preparing teaching aids related to the textbooks. innovations and research projects. They should be
In addition to the diaries, there were other means to given a chance to do so, because such opportunities
collect teachers’ feedback and suggestions, such as: may play a highly important role in the retention of
1. Early in the academic year, we conducted an on- talented teachers while nationally acclaimed school-
line questionnaire-based survey on the teachers’ and teacher-driven innovations may boost the gen-
expectations of the textbooks as well as on their eral reputation of teaching as a profession.
first impressions regarding the new textbook.
2. In the second half of the academic year, we or-
ganized group discussions in workshops where
5 Textbook revision and improvement

Revision based on the feedback from teachers and 6. Perform edition, layout, correction, proofreading
students posed a completely new challenge for all tasks
editors and authors. The means and methodology 7. Pass the proof of the revised textbook.
for this process had to be developed in the frame- During the revision process conducted in the frame-
work of Projects SROP 3.1.2-B and HRDOP 3.2.2. work of Project HRDOP 3.2.2, we laid great emphasis
To ensure professional controllability and milestone on collecting and using comments and suggestions
assessment, the revision process was divided into related to the interests of hard-to-motivate and dis-
functionally separable work phases. advantaged learners.
1. Overview testing results pertaining to the entire The findings showed that revision was a highly
textbook in general complex professional task which cannot be suc-
2. Group and prioritize challenges to be met cessfully accomplished without a very close and
3. Discuss and adopt editorial suggestions for disciplined cooperation of editors and authors. If the
changes affecting the entire textbook (thematic above condition is met, the overall structural chang-
rearrangement, modifications in the internal es and the specific content related improvements
structure of units and lessons, typographic of the particular lessons may be completed within
changes, reducing or increasing the length, cre- about 20–25 weeks – depending on the extent of
ating new textbook elements, e.g.: term base) the revision required.
4. Discuss and adopt editorial suggestions to revise After the completion of the revision process, Pro-
the content of the particular lessons E.g.: which ject HRDOP 3.2.2 will conduct a specific research to
lessons need to have their texts improved, or re- fully explore and present the experience gained in
placed by new ones; which pictures, figures and terms of trial-based development of textbooks. In
maps need to be corrected, modified or replaced addition to the analysis of the documents created
by new ones during the development process, it will be very in-
5. Implement the agreed modifications and revi- teresting to make interviews with the editors and
sions: improve certain texts and exercises or authors as to how they saw this multi-stage devel-
replace them by new parts; create new pictures opment process from inside.
and figures, carry out the typographic changes
6 The testing teachers’ opinion on the revised versions

The revised Grade 1, 5 and 9 textbooks and the re- teachers sensed a significant improvement with re-
lated workbooks were completed by February 2016. gard to the textbooks of all three grades.
By 2017, the revision of all the textbooks for the Naturally, the evaluations submitted by each teach-
other grades was completed in the framework of er added up to this high rate differently for each
Project HRDOP 3.2.2. These teaching materials have textbook. Some textbooks already received relative-
also gone through the usual accreditation process, ly good scores even in their experimental phase, but
so now they can be ordered by schools as so-called their revised versions could achieve an even higher
new-generation textbooks rather than experimen- score afterwards. These textbooks were typically
tal textbooks. Teachers were helped in their deci- written for the elementary grades. In other cases,
sion-making by the fact that anybody could thumb there was quite a great difference between teacher
or read through these new publications on the Na- evaluations of the first and the revised versions, but
tional Public Education Portal, even as early as in the the evaluations of particular teachers often varied
ordering phase. greatly as well.
We were very interested to see how the revised In addition to an overall evaluation, testing teach-
editions were evaluated by the testing teachers ers were also asked to provide specific feedback on
whose opinions had such an important role in the the key changes as well. The question was: how rele-
changes. So we asked them to give us their feed- vant they felt these changes were, and how satisfied
back via an online questionnaire. Initially, they had to they were with the implementation of these chang-
evaluate the first, so-called experimental textbook es. In nearly all cases, they agreed that the changes
and then the revised new-generation textbook on were necessary and they judged that the implemen-
a scale from 1 to 10. Their responses indicated that tation was good, too. This proves that the testing
Fig. 1 Comparison of the experimental and the revised textbooks. (Author)
process successfully identified the content points “Finally, we can see an example where the opinions of the
and didactic solutions which then proved to be colleagues truly mattered and students will now receive a
higher-quality, more easy-to-use book in September”.
problematic in practical usage. Another conclusion
was that editors were subsequently able to come up “The nationwide expansion of textbook evaluation is
with appropriate modifications to solve these prob- useful because it allowed the process to include feedback
reflecting on teaching various types of students (with dif-
lems, based on this information and the sugges- ferent social background, skills, etc.). Reasonable changes
tions of teachers. This assessment was confirmed and the consideration and integration of feedback were all
by teachers’ statements reflecting on experimental implemented. Thank you for that”.
textbook development as a whole. Some examples:
“I am happy because it seems that our evaluation work
was useful, our ideas and suggestions were not met by deaf
ears. As far as I can see, the developers clearly implemented
the changes that we suggested during the testing process”.
References
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L. & és Cocking, R.R. (Eds.) Kojanitz, L. (2014). A kísérleti tankönyvek fejlesztésének
(1999). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and koncepcionális háttere. Új Pedagógiai Szemle, 64(5–6),
School. Washington: National Research Council, National 45–67.
Academy Press.
Reints, A. (2015). What works and why? Educational
Chambliss, M. & Calfee, R. (1998). Textbooks for Learning – publishing between the market and educational science.
Nurturing Children’s Mind. Boston: Wiley-Blackwell. In Sikorova, Z. , Horsley, M., Braga Garcia, T. M. & J.
Rodríguez Rodríguez Textbooks and Educational Media
Garbe, Ch. (Ed.) (2013). Basic Curriculum for Teachers’ In-
in a Digital Age (pp. 15–64). University Ostrava: IARTEM.
Service Training in Content Area Literacy in Secondary
Schools – Handbook for Trainers. COMENIUS Action No 9: Sampson, D., Karagiannidis, C. & Kinshuk (2002).
Multilateral Projects. Personalised learning: educational, technological and
standardisation perspective. Interactive Educational
Kojanitz, L. & Kerber, Z. (2018). A kísérleti tankönyvfejlesz-
Multimedia, 4, 24–39.
tés folyamata és tapasztalatai. Új Pedagógiai Szemle, 68
(1–2), 87–101.
M. Loffreda | How secondary school teachers organize their own educational resources?
How secondary school teachers organize their own resources?

Elements of conceptualization and presentation of some results
Magali Loffreda
STEF Laboratory, ENS Paris-Saclay, France | magali.loffreda@gmail.com
Abstract
This article presents an ongoing PhD dissertation cept of an “organizing system” – we were able to de-
on the individual activity of organizing resources velop first elements of conceptualization. A qualita-
by secondary school teachers. It is an activity that tive investigation conducted in a high school allows
is largely transversal to all human activities, so this us to state the hypothesis that the teachers’ material
question crosses old concerns, which have only just organization plays an important role in the process
been reactivated by IT and the Internet. In addi- of knowledge construction. This organization allows
tion to the plethora of existing tools that can sup- them to act on their environment as professionals of
port this activity, new digital resource management teaching in the making and in development.
tools are also available. In parallel with this offer, a
new offer of educational resources is also being de-
Keywords: activity of organizing; organizing sys-
veloped. Based on the ReVEA project (2014–2018),
tem; resources management; personal information
the researches conducted in the field of Personal
management; educational resources; secondary
Information Management (PIM) and the work of
education; high school teachers
Glushko (2016) – from whom we borrow the con-
1 Introduction
The purpose of this article is to present the main We propose here to open up some lines of thought,
lines of a current PhD dissertation on the question and to discuss the first elements of conceptualiza-
of the individual activity of organizing educational tion resulting from the research carried out within
resources1 by teachers. More specifically, it is a ques- the framework of the ReVEA project and in the field
tion of studying how teachers store, file and archive of Personal Information Management (PIM), as well
the resources they need to prepare courses, and as the work of Glushko from which we borrow the
what tools they use to carry out these different ac- concept of an “organizing system”. The results and
tions. analyses of this work will be supported by the re-
This question is poorly documented by research. sults of an empirical research conducted as part of
Probably because it appears to be trivial, and we the PhD.
may wonder what the links are between this activity
and teachers’ pedagogical practices.
2 Teachers’ work around resources
A new way for teachers to prepare lessons?

Our PhD dissertation is based on the ReVEA project, a jective was to document the modes – individual and
French acronym for Live Resources for Teaching and collective – of production, selection, appropriation,
Learning. This project was funded by the National dissemination and sharing of educational resourc-
Research Agency and ran from 2014 to 2018. Its ob- es by secondary school teachers in the following
1 To define what we mean by “resource”, we can rely on the definition proposed by Glushko (2016) and those developed in the framework of the ReVEA project (2014-2018).
To Glushko “Resource has an ordinary sense of anything of value that can support goal-oriented activity. This definition means that a resource can be a physical thing, a non-
physical thing, information about physical things, information about non-physical things, or anything you want to organize. Other words that aim for this broad scope are entity,
object, item, and instance. Document is often used for an information resource in either digital or physical format; artifact refers to resources created by people, and asset for
resources with economic value. [..]” (Glushko, 2016: 1143). One of the objectives of the ReVEA project was to reconceptualize the notion of “educational resource” defined as a
tangible and objectifiable material entity, and updated by the teacher’s practice.
subjects: English, mathematics, physics and chemis- bility of teachers concerning educational resources,
try, engineering and biology. notably due to the multiple resources that can be
The project was based on two assumptions. The found via the Internet. The second assumption is the
first is the changes due to the transition from paper fact that the environment plays an important role
to digital. This can result in an increasing responsi- that can lead to new or renewed forms of pedagogy.
Four central process on resources’ management

The investigations in the ReVEA project have high- > And finally the fourth process is the participa-
lighted four process that seem to be very central of tion in networks and collectives, within or
teachers’ activity on resources: outside the schools.
> The first process is the creation of a collection These results have enabled us to identify lines of
with the items (material and digital) that teach- thought on the activity of organizing resources
ers collect all along the career and that they or- within the teaching profession: How does the teach-
ganize. er organize a heterogeneous collection of resources?
> The second is the inheritance of resources car- What is the role of peers in expanding this collec-
ried out during initial training or in the first years tion? Are networks and collectives prescribers of or-
of teaching and often from peers, in particular ganizational methods?
the immediate colleagues. To enrich these first conceptual benchmarks on or-
> The third process is the development of trust ganizational activity, a literature review was carried
networks that are both material: sources consid- out in the field of Personal Information Management
ered as relevant (works or websites) and human (PIM) and supplemented by the work of Glushko
(peers or companies). (2016).
3 The activity of organizing
The field of the Personal Information Management (PIM)

The investigations on Personal Information Man- Concerning especially the teachers’ personal infor-
agement (PIM) analyze how individuals organize or mation management, Diekema and Olsen (2012,
maintain their own resources at both personal and 2014) conducted one investigation which is result
professional life, for future or repetitive uses. The in the publication of two articles around a question:
researches began in the’ 80s, “[…] in the midst of understanding why teachers did not make much
general excitement over the potential of the person- use of digital libraries? They conducted interviews
al computer to greatly enhance the human ability to from 24 primary and secondary teachers, but they
process and manage information” (Jones & Teevan, analyzed the results in 2012 about the question of
2007:3), and are mostly realized in USA and oriented relevance of the information, and in 2014 about the
Human Machine Interface and related tools. organization of their personal resources.
The study of this work reveals three problems The results of Diekema and Olsen revealed three im-
related to information. The first concerns the over- portant points about teachers’ work on resources.
abundance of information. This problem is not only The importance of the role of peers in resource shar-
related to the large amount of information to be ing. The importance of educational and pedagogical
processed on a daily basis, and the many resources contexts by emphasizing that information needs are
available, particularly on the Internet, but also to driven by the curriculum, that the relevance of in-
the fact that personal spaces are voluminous. The formation is assessed according to students, or that
second problem concerns the fragmentation of resources are classified according to chapters in the
information, i.e. the fact that it is available on sever- textbook. Finally, Diekema and Olsen pointed out
al devices, on several supports and in several places. that the teacher’s information environment is rich
Finally, the last problem concerns the temporality and voluminous, consisting of both paper and digital
of information – ephemeral, in progress or archived resources.
– that leads to different management strategies.
Because of the questions it raises about the activ- system” which are described as an intentionally ar-
ity of organizing and the identification of informa- ranged collection of resources and the interactions
tion management practices, the field of researches they support.
on PIM makes it possible to develop a framework for By comparing and contrasting the way in which
thinking the activity observed according to its com- these activities take place in different contexts and
ponent actions: finding, keeping, arranging and re- domains, it is possible to identify organizational
finding. The researches on PIM also make it possible models.
to develop a methodological framework based on Thus, we can deduce that there would be, not a
the interview guides, and the observations and ex- method, but rather frameworks to follow, a set of
periments carried out on the working environment questions to ask before any organizational approach,
and individual practices: interviews to explain an with the objective of understanding the different
action, observation of the places where the activity process at work when we develop an organizational
takes place, or even tools used by individuals. system. This is why the second to last chapter of The
Discipline of Organinzing (Glushko, 2016), proposes
a roadmap. Thus, if the question of organization is
The concept of “organizing system” transversal to many fields, it must concern teachers,
We also mobilize the works of Glushko, which the on an individual level, and the school, on a profes-
findings echoes with the researches on PIM. Glush- sional level.
ko develops the idea of a discipline of organizing. We leaned on the work of Glushko to develop an
According to him, organizing is both a fairly com- observation grid of the information infrastructure
mon activity of daily life and a professional activity of a school considered as an organizing system. The
which takes place in many disciplines and domains. objective of such a grid was to be able to understand
To Glushko, individuals organize physical and digital how this system works, which not only provides
things, but also organize information about physical resources for teachers, but also devices, tools and
or digital things. materials, and is equipped with specific equipment
So, to better understand the organizing activ- and furniture. How does this environment impact
ity, he proposes the unifying concept of “organizing the material organization of teachers?
3 The individual activity of organizing resources by teachers:

investigation within a school. Investigation field and methodology
Investigation field and methodology

An ethnographic investigation was conducted in a Could we observe infrastructure effects depending
high school in Paris area. A teacher we know intro- on the equipment and devices available? If so, how
duced us to the school. Three waves of interviews the teacher’s personal environment – made up of his
were conducted between 2016 and 2018. or her own tools and resources – is articulated with
The first wave of interviews took place in Decem- this professional environment which offers specific
ber 2016, shortly after the start of the PhD, and materials and resources? How do teachers pass from
aimed to conduct exploratory interviews in order to one environment to another? Are they only aware of
better understand what the activity of organizing the resources and tools available within their insti-
resources means for teachers. tution? Are they similar to the ones that they own
The second wave of interviews took place from and use?
October 2017 to February 2018. This period also Finally, the third wave of interviews began in
corresponds to a period of observations in the high March 2018 with the objective of documenting
school. The objective was twofold: to enrich our first teachers’ practices in their home in order to observe
corpus of interviews in order to consolidate our first their own organizational system, i.e. their personal
reflections on organizational activity; and to ob- work environment and the equipment they have
serve the practices in a professional context within at their disposal: paper and digital resources, com-
the organizational system which is the school. Are puter, library … We asked the teachers who agreed to
there any links between the personal organization receive us to show us their resources and explain
of resources and the organization of the school? their organizational methods.
Number of teachers interviewed.. … on:
10 teachers The management of their personal resources
3 teachers The management of the storage cupboard of their discipline’s resources
4 teachers The management of their personal resources, and the management of the
storage cupboard of their discipline’s resources
1 physics and chemistry teacher, The management of the physics and chemistry laboratory and the life and biology
with the laboratory technician laboratory.
1 English language teacher The management of his personal resources, and the management of the ‘
storage cupboard of the languages teachers’ resources.
I also observed the teacher, on his invitation, during one lesson-hour.
1 history and geography teacher The management of his personal resources.
I also observed the teacher, on his invitation, during one lesson-hour.
Tab. 1 List of interviewed teachers. (Loffreda, 2017)
Three teachers were interviewed, and the interviews The school administrator tells us that the high
are being transcribed. school has 60 classrooms all equipped with a video
This investigation allowed us to observe and in- projector.
terview 23 teachers; the following table specifies
the number of teachers interviewed and on which The material organization of the high school’s
practices. Three informal interviews took place in resources and its impact on the teachers’ practices
the teachers’ room where the teachers expressed On the question of how resources are organized
me spontaneously their reflections on the material within the high school, we were able to identify
organization of the high school. some infrastructure effects. They are due in particu-
Interviews were also conducted with the head lar to the school building renovation. The classrooms
teacher, the school administrator, the person in have been reorganized, and the old storage cup-
charge of the IT maintenance and computer equip- boards and lockers are replaced for new ones with
ment, and the head of the teachers for engineering smaller capacities. These changes have forced some
and biotechnology disciplines. teachers to sort and throw away resources, such as
English dictionaries or old paper Atlases, now avail-
able online or in digital format.
Presentation of some results Other teachers had to organize themselves differ-
General data on the establishment ently to manage the material. This is the case, for ex-
Concerning the high school, the figures given by the ample, for languages teachers with the suitcase of
person in charge of the IT maintenance and comput- portable media players for podcasting. As the suit-
er equipment inform us that 138 teachers work in case can no longer be stored in the languages teach-
the high school, which has between 1100 and 1500 ers specific classroom, it is now stored in the storage
pupils. cupboard in the teachers room, but it only hold in
The high school has 67–70 classrooms, 34 of which an upright position. However, this position, because
are called “mixed” classrooms because they are of the weight of the portable media player, ends up
equipped with 19 computers, including a computer damaging the sockets, which can no longer fulfil
for the teacher, and a printer. their function, forcing teachers to define schedules
These “mixed” classrooms were described as being for rotating the suitcase in order to take the time
“neither convenient to work with computers nor for to recharge the portable media player; the teachers
to give lessons”. Concerning equipment of comput- had to ask for the purchase of a new suitcase.
ers and tablets, teachers have 15 computers (PCs) in These few examples are not only part of the haz-
the teachers’ room, into three specific rooms. Phys- ards of everyday life, they also testify to the impor-
ics and chemistry, biology, and biotechnology labo- tance of the information infrastructure, which is
ratories are also equipped with Pcs. Still concerning not without influence on the conditions of teachers’
computer equipment, the school provides laptops, professional practices. Equipping schools without
“which are hanging around here and there”, history knowing these conditions can constrain activities
and geography teachers have 10 Windows tablets, rather than support them.
and finally the school library has about ten iPads.
Part of the mass of resources

that can be found on the teach-
er’s desk: magazines, books and
lessons’ flap folders An example of a lessons’ flap folder
Inside the flap folder, an example of exercises An example of a worksheet typed for pupils
for pupils in the process of being written
An example of a typed history lesson
Fig. 1 Teacher’s material organization: an example of a lessons’

flap elasticated folder of a history and geographic teacher.
(Loffreda, 2017)
Volume of documents inside the flap folder
How do teachers organize their resources? regard to a supposed norm (being “messy” versus
Concerning the individual activity of organizing re- being “organized”), as well as an emotional relation-
sources by teachers, our initial results revealed a ship with certain resources, particularly those in-
number of similarities with results of the researches herited from peers; hence the difficulties to throw
conducted on Personal Information Management away. Finally, we can also point out that the informal
(PIM) and the ReVEA project. environment of the teacher is made up of paper and
For example, with regard to the classification of digital resources.
resources, we have identified a tree structure linked Concerning the material organization of teachers
to the educational context and the programme: files – of which we will give some examples here – our
classified by school year, class, course or according to initial results show that it is based on a vast set of
the theme being addressed. More specifically, with tools, with an important place for paper tools that
regard to teachers’ behaviour in terms of organiza- reaffirms the superposition of existing technologies
tional activity, we can highlight a positioning with and continuity in uses. Thus, to prepare the courses,
the use of a notebook is superimposed on the com- tion side”. Another example of the use of very varied
puter, as is the case with two teachers, one of whom tools that superimpose paper and digital technology
declares that he uses a “preparation notebook”, and concerns the storage and transport of resources:
the other that he needs go through the written form teachers use “part organizer files”, “flap elasticated
to develop his ideas of lessons plan. This teacher also folders” (see photos below) or “presentation display
tells us that the notebook allows him to keep track books” to manage their paper documents (lessons,
of his thoughts, to go back easily on his ideas, but homeworks..) and hard disks or USB keys for their
also to slip documents inside: “I win on the organiza- digital or computer resources.
4 Conclusion
The activity of organizing intersects with old reflec- or the management of resources. The time thus
tions, especially concerning the construction of prin- optimized would allow them to focus their attention
ciples and representations tending to standardize on the students’ learning.
the management of documentary, cultural and pro- It is to deny that the teaching profession is struc-
fessional spaces (libraries, museums, offices..) but tured according to tasks inscribed in a specific ecol-
also of living spaces (domestic organization, house- ogy. In this ecology, the teacher’s material organiza-
hold maintenance). tion is not limited to trivial, mechanical or repetitive
Nowadays, the upheaval in the production, circu- tasks, but plays an important role in the processes of
lation and use of information following the develop- appropriation and construction of knowledge. With-
ment of IT and Internet has reactivated these issues, out an understanding the structure of this activity,
particularly in terms of standardization of practices. there is a risk that the teacher, through the prescrip-
With regard to teachers, the supply of resources tion of tools, software or resources, will be deprived
currently developed by the Education Ministry as of the means to find and organize by himself the
well as those offered by educational publishers and resources allowing him to fully appropriate his pro-
industrialists who develop platforms with resources fession.
scripted in the idea of turnkey courses, or also in We make the hypothesize that is through the ac-
form of grains in which the teacher can draw to build tivity of organizing that teachers appropriate knowl-
his own scenario, are consolidated around speeches edge and can thus act on their environment as pro-
aimed at relieving the teacher, in part, of the tasks fessionals in the field of teaching in the making and
that would seem to weigh on his activity, such as the in development.
preparation of lessons, the correction of evaluations,
References
Project ANR-ReVEA (2014–2018). Retrieved from: Glushko, R.-J. (Ed.). (2016). The discipline of organizing:
www.anr-revea.fr professional edition (4th ed.). Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly.
Retrieved from: http://shop.oreilly.com/
Baron, G.-L., Bruillard, É. & Lévy, J.-F. (Eds.) (2000). Les Tech-
product/0636920055532.do
nologies dans la classe, de l’innovation à l’intégration [en
ligne]. INRP, EPI: France. Retrieved from: www.epi.asso.fr/ Jones, W., & Teevan, J. (Eds.) (2007). Personal information
association/dossiers/jflevy2.htm management. Seattle, WA: University of Washington
Press. Retrieved from: www.washington.edu/uwpress/
Diekema, A.-R. & Olsen, M.-W. (2014). Teacher Personal In-
search/books/JONPEP.html
formation Management (PIM) practices: finding, keeping,
and re-finding information. JASIST, 65(11), 2261–2277. Waquet, F. (2015). L’ordre matériel du savoir: comment les
doi: 10.1002/asi.23117 savants travaillent XVIe-XXIe siècle. Paris: CRNS Éditions.
Diekema, A.-R., & Olsen, M.-W. (2012). The notion of rele-
vance in teacher information behavior. Proceedings of the
ASIST, 49(1), 1–9. doi:10.1002/meet.14504901202
V. Ferreira, M.-C. Ricoy | Teacher training on the use of textbooks
Teacher training on the use of textbooks1

Vânia Ferreira
University of Vigo, Ourense, Spain | vaniamariete@gmail.com
María-Carmen Ricoy
University of Vigo, Ourense, Spain | cricoy@gmail.com
Abstract
Teacher training is often discussed at international the country. The conclusions show that the academ-
conferences, in order to understand whether it ic qualifications of Music Education teachers vary
meets the everyday needs of teachers. The train- considerably between undergraduate and masters
ing has to be diverse and include many specializa- degrees, professionalized by academic training or
tions. Among other aspects, it is important to know professionalization in service. In addition, it finds
whether teachers have received training in the use that whether in their initial or in-service training,
of didactic materials. Therefore, the central objec- teachers receive practically no training regarding
tive of this study is to find out whether teachers – the use of textbooks. In general, teachers often train
in their initial teacher training –r eceived adequate themselves and are not trained through services
preparation to be able to adequately maximize the linked to the ministry of education and which often
use of textbooks and other resources. Through a stimulate school-based training actions.
quantitative methodology, questionnaires were
Keywords: Textbooks, Basic education, Teacher
applied to teachers of Music Education in the thrid
training, Music education.
cycle of basic Portuguese education, in the north of
1 Introduction
The lack of training in using textbooks is a funda- bility of a professional cannot be understood if one
mental problem for teachers who do not have the does not consider their abilities and take into ac-
skills to develop appropriate strategies and attitudes count their individual experiences and competenc-
for their work. Textbooks are the portrait of the es. In this way, training institutions must adapt their
teaching activity and therefore are also an integral programmes to the way teachers’ work, these plan-
part of the school space. Teachers can reduce the al- ning functioning as measures of evaluation of their
ienating power of textbooks and can transform criti- professional practice (Perrenoud, 2007).
cally the curriculum that is contained within them. It is important to be aware of the need for contin-
In addition, the elements associated with some uous training as a premise for better schools, given
textbooks, such as illustrations, CDs and accompa- the complexity of professional knowledge required,
nying digital materials, are extremely positive when which depends on the knowledge of many others –
related to the material created by teachers them- and specifically in the field of music, which requires
selves (Nicolás, 2010). musical, pedagogical and didactic knowledge. Based
Initial and continuous teacher training is an irre- on these facts, the research goal of this study is to
placeable vector in professional development be- find out what training teachers receive on using
cause it functions as a means of increasing teachers’ Music Education textbooks.
knowledge and skills. The autonomy and responsi-
2 Literature Review
One of the most complex themes of teacher train- source that is followed by the majority of teachers,
ing is that of textbooks, where subjectivity plays textbooks require reflection and research about the
an extremely relevant role. As the educational re- criteria for their development, selection and use
1 The results presented in this study are a small part of a larger project that was the subject of a PhD thesis on textbooks in Education Sciences at the University of Vigo (Spain) in
2016.
(Duarte, 2012). In this way, it is possible to think sic teachers, it is necessary to offer them training
about the textbook not only as a mean of commu- opportunities as musicians without forgetting a
nication but also about the educational activities or balance between pedagogy and the aspects of psy-
learning that can come from it. chology that are necessarily implied in any teaching
Teacher training regarding textbook use, both in activity independently of the subject (Mota & Figue-
an academic context and in the context of continu- iredo, 2012).
ous professional development, has received little at- The speed of change that modern society imposes
tention from researchers. It is therefore necessary to requires reflection on the education of educational
know the state of teacher instruction in order to be leaders. Teacher training is a process that can be
able to train teachers to reflect on and analyse their transformed according to the needs of the differ-
own practice. ent contexts that teachers face each school year.
Teachers’ use of textbooks differs according to However , music teachers’ training is also one of the
their degree of professional autonomy (García challenges of contemporary education (Romanelli,
Pascual, 2004) and this has repercussions for how 2013), with the main objective of making these pro-
students use them. This is not an easy question to fessionals more and more competent as educators.
discuss, but it needs to be addressed with care be- Although research in the field of Music Educa-
cause it clearly needs attention from research in tion has been incipient , in recent years a major
education and particularly regarding teacher self- breakthrough has been experienced (Díaz, 2010).
training (Del Carmen & Jiménez-Aleixandre, 2010). The theme of Music Education studies in a glo-
Teacher training in music can follow three guide- balized world is still little approached (Folkestad,
lines: first, teachers should understand the impor- 2005) compared to what could be fostered if music
tance of the meaning and value of music; secondly, teaching professionals were involved in research. If
the focus on aspects such as ear training, rhythmic countries want to enjoy the financial exploitation of
gymnastics, a repertoire of songs, dances, games music, they need to ensure that people receive spe-
and improvisation; and finally, the introduction of cialized education in order to develop the capacity to
musical games and dances in day care centres fol- become active actors (Area, Parcerisa & Rodríguez,
lowing specific methodologies and indications of 2010).
textbooks (Anderson, 2017). If we want good mu-
3 Methodology
The present research is part of an extensive study to be a specialist teacher of music education in the
with a double methodological approach (quantita- second cycle of basic education. Thus, it can be said
tive–qualitative) and a triple viewpoint for data col- that Portuguese teachers of music for school educa-
lection (teachers, students and document analysis). tion are trained in institutions of higher education,
Only one part of the study was selected for this con- and in addition to a degree in music they also require
tribution, which follows a quantitative methodology training at the level of a professional masters de-
by applying a closed questionnaire to the teachers. gree. It should be noted that there is a requirement
to perform pre-requisite tests in the specific music
field to get into these higher education institutions.
Contextual approach
As a process of contextualization, it is important to
refer to some aspects of music teachers’ training for Sample study
so-called non-vocational teaching and in the current The sample for this study was defined under a quo-
framework of the Bologna process. Music Education ta method. We used a non-probability sampling,
teachers began to receive specific pedagogical train- considering the whole population of the subject of
ing only in 1986 with the opening of the Higher Edu- Music for the third cycle of basic education (stu-
cation Schools. In these, for a period of four years, dents from 12 to 15 years old). We received 129 valid
the teacher obtains a degree in education with the responses from the five Regional Direction of Edu-
specialisation of Music Education. This training, in cation corresponding to the five sections created by
practice, empowers the teacher both to be a gen- the quota sampling method. To define the sample,
eral teacher of the first cycle of basic education and the total number of teachers teaching music in the
third cycle of elementary education in Portugal was DRE All teachers Teach- Teachers sur- Response
selected. In this way, the North had the highest par- ers to veyed rate
inquire
ticipation with 37.21% of the sample, followed by
Lisbon and Tejo Valley region (35.66%). In the central n % n n % %
region we had 14.73% of responses, while in Alente- DREN 75 27.37 44 48 37.21% 108.92%*
jo and Algarve we had 5.42% and 6.98% respectively.
DREC 67 24.45 39 19 14.73% 48.26%
Regarding the teachers, the objective was to ana-
lyze the entire population who teach the subject of DRELVT 99 36.13 58 46 35.66% 79.08%
Music Education in the third cycle of basic education DREALE 14 5.11 8 7 5.43% 85.09%
in all Directorate Regional Education (DRE)2 in Portu-
DREALG 19 6.93 11 9 6.98% 80.61%
gal.
The whole population of teachers to be surveyed 274 100.00 161 129 100.00% 80.12%
thus included the five services departments of * This value arises because there were 4 more responses in the DREN than the
44 required which were considered in the data treatment.
mainland Portugal, in a total of 264 public schools
where Music Education is offered as a subject in the Tab. 2 Questioned teachers and their proportion to the respec-
third cycle (Tab. 1). tive region of Portugal. (Authors)
Regional Schools with Existing teachers

Directorates of music in third
Data analysis
n %
Education (DRE) cycle The data study was made by a general and infer-
DREN 71 75 27.37
ential descriptive analysis for the different applied
questions. Version 20.0 of the software SPSS was
DREC 65 67 24.45
used for the data treatment. The results of the ques-
DRELVT 95 99 36.14
tionnaires to teachers include the analysis of the
DREALE 14 14 5.11
absolute frequency (n) and percentage of responses
DREALG 19 19 6.93
(%) of each participant.
Total 264 274 100.00
In addition to the questions of teacher identifica-
Tab. 1 Number of participating teachers by region. tion, questions were also asked relating to the train-
(Authors) ing that teachers had received or obtained during
their professional experience (Tab. 3).
It was not possible to reach a sample with the ini-
tially defined scope of 161 teachers, since only 129 1. Indicate whether in your training…
teachers responded to the questionnaire. This also
led to an oversized sample of teachers from the 1.1. … at the university, you had specific training on text-
books for Music Education.
northern region (with a proportion of 37.21% com-
1.2. … working as a teacher, you have already worked on
pared to the 27.37% initially defined), and by con- how to “optimize the use of textbooks” of Music
trast, an undersized sample of teachers from the Education.
central region (with a proportion of 14.73% of the 2. If you answered yes for 1.2, indicate whether it was for…
whole sample, against the 24.45% initially defined).
2.1. Training by the Ministry of Education
For the remaining regions, the proportion of the
2.2. Self-training
quota in the whole sample compared to the one
initially determined (Tab. 2). Tab. 3 Questions about training. (Authors)
4 Results
In this section, we present the results of the quanti- the oldest is 58. Regarding academic qualifications,
tative analysis of the questionnaires administered to most of the teachers had graduate degrees only
the teachers. The results regarding personal profile (n=72), followed by teachers with Masters and Bach-
data show that the average age of the participants elor degrees (n=25 and n=24 respectively) and only
is 45 years old. The youngest is 33 years old and five teachers with post-graduate degrees.
2 Directorate Regional Education from the North (DREN), Directorate Regional Education from the Center (DREC), Directorate Regional Education from Lisboa and Vale do Tejo
(DRELVT), Directorate Regional Education from Alentejo (DREALE); Directorate Regional Education from Algarve (DREALG).
Regarding professional profile data, most teach- And finally, to those who answered yes to the
ers have more than 20 years of service as a teacher. previous question (26 participants), we asked
Most are career teachers (n=113) compared to those whether the training was promoted by the Ministry
who with only a regional affectation (10 partici- of Education or whether it was self-study (Fig. 3).
pants) and those who are hired teachers (n=3). The
majority of teachers are female, and are professional
by academic training (n=62) or by professionaliza-
tion in service (n=63), which is a balanced ratio.
The first question asked was whether the teachers
had received specific training on Music Education
textbooks at university (Fig. 1).
Fig. 3 Training on optimizing the use of textbooks by: self-

study or trained by the Ministry. (Authors)
Unexpectedly, 73.07% of the answers (19 teachers)

reported self-study only, compared with 6 teachers
who had received training on textbook use by the
Ministry (corresponding to 23.07%). It should be not-
ed that for this question there was one no-response.
Among the results of inferential statistics, there
Fig. 1 Teachers trained at the university. (Authors)
was a significant association between the use of the
textbook and years of service (t = -2,45, p <0.05). So,
Another question asked whether in their continu- the use of textbooks is more frequently associated
ous professional development as a teacher, they with teachers who have more years of service (Tab. 4).
have already worked on how to optimize the use of
music education textbooks? Based on 95 teachers, Use the adopted texbook
corresponding to 73.64% (Fig. 2), most have not. It is No (n=29) Yes (n=72) t p
worth mentioning that 26 teachers (corresponding Lengh of
service x̄ s x̄ s
to 20.16%) answered affirmatively that they had re-
17.48 6.401 21.18 7.032 -2.45 0.02
ceived this type of training on how to optimize the
use of the textbooks. Tab. 4 Relationship between use of the adopted textbook and
the length of service. (Authors)
The regularity with which the adopted textbook is

used during class is significantly correlated with the
years of service (rs = 0.20, p <0.05). The higher the
number of years of service the greater regularity
with which teachers use the adopted textbook dur-
ing the lessons (Tab. 5).
Length Adopted Adopted Other Other

of texbook in texbook Music Edu- Music
service class prep- during cation text- Education
aration the books textbooks
classes in class during the
Fig. 2 Teacher training on how to optimize the use of preparation classes
textbooks. (Authors) 0.15 0.20* -0.09 -0.16
n=116, *p<0.05
Tab. 5 Spearman correlation between years of service and

regularity of textbook using. (Authors)
Ask students to use the Music Education textbook Initial training

No (n=57) Yes (n=14)
x̄ Md MR x̄ Md MR U p
1. For students to consolidate their knowledge 4.07 4.00 56.67 438 5.00 63.95 862.00 0.34
2. To provide activities 3.93 4.00 57.02 4.09 4.00 62.40 894.50 0.48
3. To help with study 4.12 4.05 58.10 4.23 4.00 57.55 977.50 0.94
4. To respond to diversity in class 3.69 4.00 55.19 4.19 4.00 70.57 723.00 0.05
5. To ask students questions about textbook content 3.66 4.00 54.62 4.28 4.00 73.14 669.00 0.02
6. Overcoming the lack of material prepared by the teacher him/herself 2.78 3.00 54.31 3.57 4.00 74.52 640.00 0.01
7. Overcoming the lack of material prepared by students 2.97 3.00 54.64 3.71 4.00 73.02 671.50 0.02
Tab. 6 Relationship between asking students to use the textboook and conducting initial training. (Authors)
The relationship between the completion of spe- lack of material prepared by the teacher him/her-
cific initial training and the use of textbooks is only self (U = 640.00, p <0.05) and to overcome the lack
significant for the regularity with which teachers (U = 671.00, p <0.05), which are all higher than the
request the textbook to respond to class diversity regularity of requests by teachers who had received
(U=723.00, p<0.05), to ask students about the text- initial training on the textbook (Tab. 6).
book contents (U=669.00, p<0.05), to overcome the
8 Discussion and conclusions

The main conclusions of this study indicate that Teaching is a profession that has acquired great
Music Education teachers have little access, either complexity because of the urgent need to constant-
in their initial or continuous training, regarding the ly keep up date to meet the demands of the knowl-
optimization of the use of textbooks. In addition, edge society. Music should work as another way of
in general, the training courses attended by the fostering learning, to understand and improve edu-
teachers takes place on their own initiative and not cational practice: a good music teacher should be
through services linked to the Ministry of Education. able to reflect honestly and critically on his or her
The academic qualifications of teachers vary con- work, conscious of their strengths and weaknesses
siderably between undergraduate and masters, pro- and thus contributing to their own professional
fessionalized both by academic training and profes- development. It is notable in this respect that self-
sionalization in service. Teachers without adequate evaluation is a periodic process about the compe-
training are unable to motivate their students to tences themselves , which the teacher should carry
use the textbook. This power to train the teachers out (Giráldez, 2010).
of Music Education in general basic education (the To conclude, teacher training on musical text-
non-specialized one) has been given by the Higher books is a rarely studied subject even though An-
Education Schools of the Polytechnic Institutes. derson (2017) refers to it in the Brazilian context .
The conclusions of the present study show that If teachers receive only academic training, there is a
the more years of experience teachers have, the gap regarding textbooks. Continuous professional
more importance they attach to the use of the text- development training should therefore be further
book. Teachers who have had specific initial training developed, as Del Carmen & Jiménez-Aleixandre
on how to use the textbook more regularly request (2010) and Pérez González (2012) recommend in
this resource to respond to diversity in class, to get the Spanish context and Romanelli (2013) in Brazil.
questions about content, and to overcome the lack Teacher training in Music Education should there-
of material created by them. It is recognized that the fore provide teachers with these additional skills and
use of textbooks is considered more important to knowledge.
provide activities to students by teachers who have
not trained on how to make optimum use of this re-
source.
References
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de professores: Experiência de estágio docente na licen- mundo digital (Rethinking music education in a digital
ciatura em música da UFPR [Music Education in Brazil and world). In A. Giráldez (Ed.). Música: Complementos de
teacher training: Experience of teaching internship in the formación disciplinar (Music: Complements of disciplinary
degree in music of UFPR]. Atas do VI Seminário Internac- training) (pp. 73–100). Barcelona: Ministério da Educação,
ional de formação docente (pp. 18994–19004). Retrieved Instituto de Formação de Professores, Investigação e In-
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Pérez González, J.M. (2012). El libro de texto en el sistema
encia-de-estagio-docente-na-licenciatura-em-musica-
educativo español (The textbook in the Spanish educa-
da-ufpr.html
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Area, M., Parcerisa, A. & Rodríguez, J. (Eds.) (2010). Carvalho (Eds.). Os manuais escolares e os jovens: tédio ou
Materiales y recursos didácticos en contextos comuni- curiosidade pelos saberes? (Textbooks and young people:
tarios. Barcelona: Graó. boredom or curiosity about knowledge?) (pp. 151–156).
Lisbon: Edições Universitárias Lusófonas.
Díaz, M. (2010). Metodologías y líneas actuales de inves-
tigación en torna a la enseñanza y el aprendizaje musi- Mota, G.& Figueiredo, S. (2012). Estudo comparativo sobre
cal en educación secundaria. Podemos formarnos para a formação de professores de música em Portugal e no
ser investigadores (Methodologies and current lines of Brasil (Comparative study on music teachers training in
research about teaching and learning music in second- Portugal and Brazil). Educação, Santa Maria, 37(2),
ary education. We can be trained to be researchers). In 273–290.
Andrea Giráldez (Ed.). Música: Investigación, innovación
Perrenoud, P. (2007). Desarrollar la práctica reflexiva en el
y buenas prácticas (Music: Research, innovation and good
oficio de enseñar: profesionalización y razón pedagógica
practices) (pp. 133–156). Barcelona: Graó.
(Develop reflective practice in the profession of teaching:
Duarte, J.B. (2012). Manual escolar: companheiro do jovem professionalization and pedagogical reason). Barcelona:
na aquisição de competências e na curiosidade pelo saber Graó.
(Textbook: life partener of the young people in acquiring
Romanelli, G. (2013). Educação musical no Brasil: conquistas
skills and curiosity for learning). In J. B. Duarte, S. Claudi-
e desafios (Music education in Brazil: achievements and
no & L. Carvalho (Eds.). Os manuais escolares e os jovens:
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Folkestad, G. (2005). Here, there and everywhere: music [The textbook in music education]. Espiral. Cuadernos del
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R. Borowicc & M.-C. Ricoy | The selection of textbooks by educators of settlement schools: criteria, dialogues and tensions
The selection of textbooks by educators

of settlement schools: criteria, dialogues and tensions
Roseli Borowicc
Universidade Federal do Paraná – UFPR/NPPD, Curitiba, Brazil |.rosebwc@gmail.com
Tânia Maria F. Braga Garcia

Universidade Federal do Paraná – UFPR/NPPD, Curitiba, Brazil | tanbraga@gmail.com
Abstract
This article reports the results of a research that an- the changes in the specific textbook program for
alyzed the processes of textbook selection in coun- countryside schools lead to a reduction in the par-
tryside schools by educators of schools located in ticipation and autonomy of educators in the choice
Agrarian Reform Settlements, in southern Brazil. It of the textbooks; the presence of different educa-
presents the Countryside Education and Rural Edu- tional proposals establishes tensions, reducing the
cation as two distinct paradigms of education for presence of the Landless Workers Movement (MST)
the Brazilian countryside. It assumes the concept of propositions and strengthening official proposals of
social construction of the school and analyzes the the Municipality and the Federal Government; the
conditions in which the textbooks are chosen, the criteria pointed by the educators value the presence
criteria used by the educators and it establishes rela- of the reality of the countryside in textbooks, but
tionships with the coexisting education proposals in also the presence of universal knowledge.
the school. The information was collected via ques-
Keywords: Textbook selection, Countryside schools,
tionnaires and interviews. The analysis showed that
Settlement schools, PNLD.
1 Introduction
The article reports results of the research on the pro- the authors must consider the orientations and the
cesses of choice of textbooks by educators of Settle- complementary laws – such as the Law 11.645/2008
ment schools, held in the Municipality of Abelardo on the mandatory inclusion of the Afro-Brazilian and
Luz, State of Santa Catarina, in the South of Brazil. Indigenous history and culture in the curriculum.
Schools are located in Land Reform Settlements As of 2011, a program – PNLD Countryside – which
resulting from land-based struggles, especially by buys books specially made for rural schools, located
the Landless Workers Movement (MST) during the in rural areas was created. In spite of the fact that
1980s and 1990s. the National Curriculum is the same for urban and
The central theme of the research is the process rural schools, some orientations are different for the
of textbook selection, by educator, in the National textbooks aimed to the rural schools; as an example,
Textbook Program. In particular, the focus of the we could refer the proposal of multidisciplinary text-
research is the National Textbook Program – PNLD books that is not a tradition to the urban schools, a
Countryside, and the intention was to understand decision that affects the organization, the amount
the relationships between the processes of choice and characteristics of contents in each textbook. As
and the educational proposals that organize school- a consequence of this, the PNLD Countryside gener-
work in Settlement schools. ated different situations in the production, evalua-
In Brazil, public schools receive free textbooks tion and choice of books, which place new demands
from the National Textbook Program (PNLD), on the researchers who dedicate themselves to the
which evaluates and purchases them, after schools theme.
choose them. The Program is based on the National The research, when analyzing schooling and its
Curriculum Parameters produced in 1997, which in- elements, including textbooks, starts from the as-
dicate the general themes to each school subject, sumptions and propositions of Countryside Educa-
methodological suggestions and main approaches tion and the MST Education project, proposing a
to the curricular development. The publishers and dialogue with the concept of “social construction”
of the school presented by Rockwell and Ezpeleta to be used by both urban and rural schools. The
(2007). In this perspective, the authors understand federal government influence on the curriculum
that although educational laws and social structure could be identified in some specifics programs
partly define the construction of the school, there which affect teaching conditions, such as the “Na-
is also the action of the subjects that seek to trans- tional Pact of Literacy at the right age” (teacher edu-
form it. cation and special didactic materials to teach early
Contributions by Schmidt and Garcia (2008) reaf- years) and the National Textbook Program (which
firm this perspective, in which the school is under- defines criteria to produce textbooks to the public
stood “not only as a place of reproduction but also schools).
of creation, of production”. Thus, people’s participa- Thus, it becomes necessary to understand the
tion in the construction of the school routine is high- ways in which they are articulated in the work of
lighted, in which it is partially possible to surpass educators, especially when they get in touch with
the structural determinations, where educators the books of the National Textbook Program.In this
and students are able to make decisions, create sense, the research problematizes the real space
alternatives in a collective and participative way of production of the curriculum, in the perspective
(Borowicc, 2016, 48). of Goodson (1995), since it approaches the school
The research is justified by the need to understand life to know the conditions in which the school
the processes of knowledge construction in the experience is performed, especially in its dimension
space of rural schools, in settlements of the agrar- related to the teaching.
ian reform areas, based on the assumption that the From these elements, the research sought to
didactic book is one of the main sources of printed analyze the processes of choosing specific Didactic
information existing in the school, often assuming a Books for schools of the Countryside by educators
central role in the educational process. of schools located in Agrarian Reform Settlements,
Teaching in Settlement schools is organized based in the South of Brazil in view of the following objec-
on different pedagogical proposals and guidelines tives:
from the MST, local government and the federal a) understand the conditions in which the process-
government. As a social movement, the MST has es of book selection take place in schools and
produced a set of documents to guide the schools to the teachers’ point of view on these conditions;
a critical education, based on the reality and needs b) relate the criteria of choice to the possibilities
of the rural people, and as a part of their strugle to of using the books in class, from the point of
conquer land. view of educators;
Other orientations come from the local educa- c) analyze relationships between the processes
tional system through the official curriculum that of choice, the criteria explained by the educa-
defines the contents and procedures in each school tors and the orienting proposals of MST school
subject; in the case studied, the curricular proposal education.
was produced with the participation of teachers,
2 Theoretical framework.
As a presupposition, the research assumes the con- for education for rural people, broadening the un-
cepts of the Education Project of the Movement of derstanding of the right to education beyond school
Landless Rural Workers – MST presented in docu- spaces, from kindergarten through university, point-
ments produced by this movement to guide the Edu- ing out the urgency of building basic schools in the
cation in its schools. The research also assumes the countryside, with an appropriate pedagogical pro-
concepts of the Countryside Education movement, posal to that reality and the creation of specific higher
“phenomenon of the Brazilian current reality”; this is education courses for the countryside people, then
a proposal of education created over the 1990s which called Countryside Education (Caldart, 2012, 259).
has the rural people as protagonists, based on the Thus, the research recognizes Countryside Educa-
experiences of education constructed by the social tion as a different paradigm in relation to Rural Edu-
movements of the countryside (Caldart, 2012, 257). cation. The latter was created in the 1930s with the
What began timidly in the struggle for basic edu- objective of meeting the demands of industrializa-
cation has become a major movement to fight tion in the countryside through a practice that “annuls
the knowledge accumulated by the experience of is the concept of the textbook as a commodity (Ap-
working with the land” and turns the rural people ple, 1995), which contributes to understanding the
into consumers of “agricultural products generated relations between the editorial groups and the text-
by the importing agricultural model” (Ribeiro, 2012, book production in Brazil, considering the high fi-
297). nancial resources applied every year by the federal
This movement then turns to the struggle for quali- government in order to purchase textbooks.
ty education for the rural people, in order to overcome The research is also based on the National Text-
the old gaps of knowledge and to place their subjects book Program official documents (PNLD and PNLD
as protagonists in the development of their living Countryside). The theoretical contributions are
spaces and no longer for the industries in the city. supported on other researches from the Research
The research is based on elements of theories re- Center on Didactic Publications – NPPD of the Fed-
garding the relationships between school culture eral University of Paraná in the countryside school
and school textbooks (Forquin, 1993; Choppin, (Vieira, 2013; Vieira & Garcia, 2016), particularly
2004), particularly the concepts related to the im- regarding the evaluation of the textbooks produced
peratives of didactization and its effects on the to the schools located in rural areas.
school subjects and textbooks. Another reference
3 Methodology
As an empirical field, four schools located in agrarian b) Know their points of view on possibilities of rela-
reform settlements in the municipality of Abelardo tion among the many proposals of education
Luz – SC were selected. Two schools have multigrad- existing in the school;
ed classes with 15 students each. In these schools, c) Identify the opinion of the educators about the
children from 1st up to 5th grades study in the same existence of differentiated books for the rural
classroom, at the same time, with only one teach- schools.
er. In the other two schools there is a total of 350 The analysis of the empirical work allowed the defi-
students separated in classrooms according to each nition of three categories that articulate the results
grade, with one teacher per class. obtained and allowed more complex answers to
As participants of the research, there were 9 be given to the research questions, explaining the
educators who taught the early years of primary tensions between autonomy and imposition in the
education in these schools. For the development of textbook selection processes and the dialogues be-
the empirical study, three research techniques were tween coexisting educational proposals in the case
used: Questionnaires and interviews with the teach- of Settlement schools (Borowicc, 2016).
ers; analysis of textbooks, official documents such as The definition of such concepts is based particu-
the school curricula and the Guidelines of the PNLD; larly on Freire’s conception of the role of the “social
and participant observation as a complementary worker in the process of change”, which demands in
technique, which was used to follow up the process his action on reality “a deepening of his awareness of
of textbook selection by teachers. reality, a contradictory object of those who intend to
The participant observation occurred mainly dur- keep it as it is and of those who intend to transform
ing the process of choosing the PNLD Countryside it” (1981, 48). In this direction, we also understand
2016 books. The interviews with the educators were the perspective defended by the author that every
carried out to obtain information and identify the educational process for transformation presupposes
opinions of the collaborators on the subjects under a work of reflective organization of thought, which
study in order to: depends, among other elements, on a pedagogy of
a) Understand their participation in the choice and communication sustained in dialogue, a horizontal
perceive possible differences between the PNLD relationship. For him, “Neither the ones who impose,
and the PNLD Countryside; nor those who receive, create; both are atrophied
and education is no longer education “ (1981: 69).

From the analysis made, it is possible to show the b) The concern to select a book that allows the
conditions in which the processes of choosing books dialogue with other programs and materials
in Settlement schools happen, the tensions between that they must necessarily incorporate in their
autonomy and impositions, and the educators’ point classes – for example, the learning rights and
of view on the subject, considering elements related the planning by didactic sequences proposed
to the last two choices carried out in schools, from by the National Pact of Literacy in the Right Age
the Ministry of Education’s Notices for PNLD 2013, – PNAIC, proposed by the Federal Government.
PNLD Field 2013 and PNLD Field 2016. c) The adequacy to the reality of learners.
Commenting the topic, the educators said that it is

Conditions in which the Processes of positive to receive specific books for the students of
Choice of Books in Settlement Schools the rural schools, but indicated that it is necessary
occur: Tensions between Autonomy and to overcome some limits presented by the current
Impositions books. They justify the need for the specific, since
As for the conditions in which processes occur, it was the textbooks of the previous PNLD had a very ur-
possible to point out the tensions generated by the banized language, oblivious to the reality of the stu-
search for autonomy and by the impositions of the dents in the countryside. However, they also ques-
system: tion how the program was implemented and the
> Time is insufficient to analyze books and discuss quality of textbooks produced for it.
in school;
> Educators have difficulties both to access the I think that as each region of the country is different and
also the countryside and the city, it would be interesting,
Guides (available on the Ministry of Education [...] each region could have didactic books that looked at the
website), because the quality of internet specifics of each one, as well as the countryside and the city,
connection is poor, and to examine the text- since our students can identify very little of their reality
brought in textbooks. That is why I work more on research
books that have been approved. into other materials than faithfully following what is in the
> The educators prefer to use the printed book book […]. (Educator A)
for their consultation over the Internet book,
however, they were not printed in the last In the fragment above, there is a criterion of ap-
choice, PNLD Field 2016; proval of specific books for the countryside: the lan-
> There are differences between the two pro- guage used in the other books, which according to
grams, PNLD and PNLD Countryside: in the the educators, was very urbanized. The students in
first there is greater autonomy of teachers and the countryside did not identify with the practical
schools; in the second, the choice is made by the examples and some activities.
network of municipal schools, reducing autono- Among the limitations presented by the educators
my in the choice and teacher participation. in relation to the PNLD Countryside book received in
There are changes slowly occurring with each new the schools, they emphasized the fact that the books
announcement, in which there are conceptions that are very summarized and not as interdisciplinary as
value the autonomy in choosing the best resources the notice requested. According to them, “there are
for the development of the pedagogical proposal and only two or three books, in sequence, within the
the conception that centralizes the decision processes same cover”.
outside the school and imposes definitions, justified The questions raised by educators point out that,
by different reasons, among them the need to stand- similarly to what has already occurred in the history
ardize the pedagogical proposal to a set of schools. of education for rural people in Brazil, there may be a
simplification of teaching contents, a loss of quality,
justified in the need to the specificity of the popula-
The Educators’ Point of View: Elements con- tion and the country school.
sidered in the choice of books, concordances The proposition of adapting a book to the reality
and clashes. of the students who use them cannot underesti-
The educators indicated as main criteria of choice: mate their capacity nor reduce the production costs
a) The adequacy of the contents to the curricular of the works; on the contrary, the production of spe-
proposal of the municipal education network, cific works for certain populations should demand
indicated as the first and main criterion. more investment.
Relationship between different Pedagogical They claim that, it is important to work based on the
Proposals present in Schools: the opinion of education project of the Landless Workers Movement
educators – MST and the Field Education, but explain that not
It was possible to notice in the educators’ answers all school educators understand or accept such pro-
that several pedagogical proposals influence the posals. According to the educators, this is motivated
way in which they choose the Didactic Book to in part by the lack of knowledge about these projects,
be used in the school: the Curricular Proposal of since in recent years there have been few teacher ed-
the Municipal Network of Education; the Federal ucation activities. However, it is also motivated by di-
Government program called the National Pact of vergence of ideas on what education in these schools
Literacy in the Right Age – PNAIC; the need for ad- should be, more progressive or conservative.
aptation to the reality of the students, as suggested It has been noted that all schools work on the
by the MST Education Project and the Countryside history of the struggle for land in the municipality,
Education Proposal. which is an MST orientation, but only on commem-
The Curricular Proposal of the Municipal Network orative dates and as a rescue of identity. The aims
is quoted more frequently by the educators. It re- of the social movement, the educational proposal
sulted from a process of collective construction, to teaching in a critical perspective, and the valori-
and therefore its constituent elements are appro- zation of the rural identity are elements that have
priated by the educators, and most of the time they been considered, but they are not assumed as a prin-
contribute to teaching, though they may generate ciple of construction of new practices appropriate to
some conflicts particularly when they are selecting the organization of schools from the MST project.
textbooks. The textbooks are produced in a national The denomination Countryside Education, used in
level, under the PNLD orientations and criteria, and Brazilian legislation, is more accepted by participant
thus often do not include issues that concern to the teachers, appearing in the pedagogical project of
rural population. some schools as guiding pedagogical work.
5 Conclusion
It is defended, in agreement with the research par- on the social construction of these spaces through
ticipants, that educators should be able to choose the action of the people who appropriate the pro-
the book by school for the specificities of each one’s grams, norms, projects, and transform and (re)con-
pedagogical project. It is reaffirmed that an alter- struct them.
native to the limitations found in the first PNLD The debates that took place during the presenta-
Countryside textbooks would be to strengthen the tion of the research during the Lisbon Conference
processes of production of local materials with the (2017) raised questions about the need for speci-
participation of the teachers, students and local ficity for universal contents, pointing to specificity
communities according a basic principle of Country- only as to what is particular at the regional and local
side school education. level; experiences from other countries, such as
The lack of participation of the educators in the France and Argentina, encourage the production of
textbook selection process, the tensions between studies to return the debate in the direction of pro-
different proposals, the impositions by the social posals for the production of materials by educators
and educational systems are present in the school and the local community that dialogue with PNLD
life. But dialogues have also been identified, working textbooks.
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E. L. de Souza, N. M. Dias Garcia | The textbook for countryside schools
The textbook for countryside schools: teacher’s perceptions

and practices of students in the initial years of basic education
Edna Luiza de Souza
Escola Estadual João XXXIII e UFPR – PPGE, Curitiba, Brazil | souzaedna@gmail.com
Nilson Marcos Dias Garcia

UTFPR – PPGTE/GEPEF e UFPR – PPGE/NPPD, Curitiba Brazil | nilson@utfpr.edu.br
Abstract
This work presents the results of an investigation determined social group. It was noticed that the lo-
that analyzed how Science textbooks are being used cal culture has a direct influence on the pedagogical
in countryside schools that received these materials actions and expectations of the teachers regarding
from the Brazilian National Program of Textbooks students’ learning. It was found that, since PNLD
for Countryside Schools (PNLD Campo 2016). The re- 2016 did not contemplate satisfactorily these prac-
search was performed with teachers of initial years tices and expectations, the use of the countryside
of primary schools, who replied to a questionnaire textbook is considerably limited and decontextual-
which contained questions about their training, the ized. In these terms, teachers have used the text-
local community in which the school is located, the books adapting them and integrating them with
process of choosing the textbook, their experience other materials. Moreover, the influence of local
in the countryside school, the usage of textbooks in- culture in the use of textbooks was noticed as well
side the classroom and the role that they attribute as the existence of gaps in the discussion of exist-
to textbooks on the student’s learning knowledge. ing public policies to improve the usage of textbooks
The investigation used the theoretical assump- from the PNLD Campo.
tions of school’s social construction of Ezpeleta &
Keywords: Local Culture, Textbooks, Countryside
Rockwell (1989) as a reference, and the assump-
Schools, Basic Education.
tion that culture is based on a set of meanings of a
1 Introduction
The discussion about the Brazilian Countryside used in schools that are in different social contexts,
Education has its origin in the social movements in such as the countryside, an indigenous reservation
contraposition to the former concept of rural educa- or an urban environment, can constitute a resource
tion, and its essence “is found in the campaign for that interacts in different ways with teachers and
a public policy oriented by the countryside workers students, with the curriculum, and with the school’s
themselves and in the problematization of Brazilian reality itself, generating conflicts and tensions.
countryside as a place of conflicts and social strug- The Brazilian National Program of Textbooks – PNLD
gles” (Souza, 2010, p.43). Among these struggles was created in 1985 and originated from other Brazil-
and actions focused on educational policies, the ian programs related to textbooks. It constitutes a poli-
PNLD Campo can be highlighted. It is a program that cy that evaluates, acquires and distributes books for all
promotes the evaluation, acquisition and distribu- public schools of the country and contemplates, now-
tion of textbooks for Brazilian schools, emphasising adays, all the school’s subjects of Primary School and
the discussion about specific textbooks for specific High School. Following a trajectory that has increased
social groups. the numbers of attended students and the level of
In the theoretical perspective assumed in this work, education, after covering all the Primary School’s stu-
the school is taken as being a social construction dents, in 2003 the PNLD started to distribute books
(Ezpeleta & Rockwell, 1989), thus all the didactic re- also for High School students, and began to distribute
sources that are related in any way with the school’s specific books for the Countryside Education in 2013.
everyday history must be considered important in- The necessity of specific books has been recur-
teraction media between the social practices and rently pointed out on documents produced by social
pedagogical practices. In this direction, textbooks movements that compose the joint for a Country-
side Education, moreover, it is present on docu- Art. 4º. VIII – production of didactic resources, pedagogi-
cal, technological, cultural and literacy that attend to the
ments produced by the governments, such as guide- formative specificities of the countryside population
lines and decrees: (Brazil, Decreto 7.352/2010)
Art. 15. II – the specificities of the countryside, observed In this context, with several contrasts and particu-
when meeting the requirements of didactic materials,
equipment, laboratories, and travel conditions of students larities, in which the school is inserted, it is evident
and teachers only when the school attendance is not pos- the importance of analyzing how the resources used
sible directly on the rural communities. for teaching and learning are experienced by their
(Brazil, Diretrizes Operacionais para
teachers and students (Ezpeleta & Rockwell, 1989),
Educação do Campo, 2001)
what justifies the research on the books distributed
through the PNLD Campo.
2 Research Methodology
According to the theoretical assumptions that rela- Prudentópolis, in the state of Paraná, Brazil partici-
tions compose the school’s world (Rockwell, 1995, pated in this research. This county contains 64 mu-
1997; Ezpeleta & Rockwell, 1989), this research was nicipal schools, from which 45 were contemplated
aimed at describing, among other aspects, the social by the PNLD Campo 2016.
practices of teachers when they are interacting with Questionnaires were delivered to 51 teachers,
textbooks. The research was carried out with the out of which 31 were completed and authorized
goals of identifying and comprehending elements for analysis. The questions were about aspects of
of the choosing process and usage of textbooks, dis- the teacher’s academic training, teaching practice,
tributed by the Brazilian National Program of Text- school’s community profile, Countryside School’s
books for Countryside schools by its teachers. experiences, the usage and choice of textbook,
Teachers from initial years of Primary School linked and considerations regarding this resource in the
to municipal countryside schools of the county of teaching-learning process.
3 Results
According to the data obtained through the question- Discussion about Countryside Schools
naire carried out with the teachers, it was possible to Regarding the opportunity of discussing the Coun-
elaborate the following categories: academic and pro- tryside School theme over their trajectory, both
fessional background; discussion about Countryside initial and continuing training, the data show that
Schools; Countryside school experiences; school’s most teachers (65 %) have discussed this in full. More
community profile; the selection criteria of textbooks; relevant is the high number of teachers that stated
the use of textbooks by teachers; teacher’s opinions that they had had this discussion with other teach-
about the textbooks for Countryside Schools. ers (10), followed by subjects on the initial training
course (7), meetings in the school and in the educa-
tion office (6), continuing training courses (4), and in
Academic and professional background other situations (5).
First of all, the research participants were character- It is important to emphasize that teachers that
ized according to their training and time of teaching. have had the opportunity of discussing Country-
The data indicate that teacher initial training is, most- side Education on upper level courses have less than
ly, in Pedagogy (84 %), followed by Normal Superior 10 years of experience teaching in schools. This in-
Course1 (13 %), and Language Teaching (3 %). A good dicates that the discussions coming from social
number of the participants have up to 10 years of ex- movements and public policies that contemplate
perience working as teachers (48 %); 10 to 20 years of cultural diversities result in new cares and academic
experience corresponds to 29 % of teachers and 23 % researches for Countryside Education. However, as
have more than 20 years on teacher’s career. shown in the research, this subject is not yet fully
1 Superior degree course that aims to train teachers able to teach in early childhood education and in the first years of Elementary School.
contemplated on courses of continuing training for The school attends students of four communities, among
teachers, which would allow consolidation of the them a settlement3. Most of the parents work in agriculture
e high-value the school, because the parents are participa-
already existing actions and the promotion of new tive in the activities promoted by the school, also they help
teaching-learning perspectives for people from in many actions that are necessary for the maintenance of
the countryside, allowing greater debates with the the school. (Teacher 11)
whole school community. The school attends children [in communities] where the
population is medium-low level, the family economy re-
volves around agriculture and some parents work in the
Countryside schools experiences urban area, the community has religious and cultural val-
ues with strong influence, especially in the Ukrainian and
When asked about the contact that they had with Polish cultures. (Teacher 27)
Countryside Schools before initiating their teach-
er’s activities, 62 % declared that had experiences
with Countryside Schools of their own commu- The selection criteria of textbooks
nity, expressed by statements such as: “my fam- Regarding the choice of textbooks for countryside
ily is from the countryside, I studied in this school schools, it was unanimous that the teachers chose
and nowadays I am still living and working in this together with the Municipal Secretary of Educa-
place” (Teacher 11)2. This demonstrates the interest tion: “The pedagogical coordinators responsible for
in contributing and following the changes in the com- countryside schools reached the teachers and the
munity; another example: “I studied here, but the textbook choice was made to contemplate the same
school was very small and it had only one teacher for material for all schools of the county” (Teacher 25).
all classes, now our community has grown” (Teacher The teachers also stated that they did not use the
3). There is also the perspective regarding teacher’s textbook guide4 to support their choice or to clarify
sons: “My sons study here, and I have always had con- points about the available textbooks. It is still evi-
tact with the countryside, because my parents were dent that there were only two collections available
farmers and I still live here” (Teacher 8). Another ex- for the teachers to choose, not allowing no further
perience approached by teachers refers to the initial possibilities of discussions and analysis.
training: “during undergraduate school, in the Meth-
odology course, I had contact with the countryside
school and nowadays I work in a multi-grades school, The use of textbooks by teachers
because it is very gratifying for me” (Teacher 21). Requested to describe how they use the countryside
These particularities on the teacher’s trajectories textbooks in the classrooms, 84% of teachers em-
reinforce the local culture valorization and the con- phasized that the use is directly related to the acting
tinuity of permanence in the community. Moreover, curricular contents for the school’s grades/years, as
these are important for the comprehension of the shown on the systemized answers on the following
actions performed in class, because, according to board (Tab. 1)
Rockwell and Ezpeleta (1989) the “knowledge that
a teacher develops while working with a group of In the moments that the contents fit with my planning and
children necessarily incorporates elements of other with the specific contents of the class (Teacher 4)
domains of his or her life” (p.25). Being an important support instrument for teacher’s work, I
use the textbook in class choosing the didactic activities that
helps in the contents, in the researches, and in the expansion
School’s community profile of teaching and learning. The most used are Portuguese and
Math, in which the used technologies go beyond the text-
Questioned about the profile of the school commu- book” (Teacher 23)
nity, teachers were able to describe the local reality The most used books in the classroom are Sciences, History
and present the characteristics of the students that and Geography, when they approach the required contents in
were attending the school: the countryside school planning (Teacher 19)
Complementary reading and activities that are focused or con-
The profile of the community (..) mostly work as farmers. nected to the bimestrial contents and that are aligned to the
The students live around the school and some of them use Pedagogical Political Project – PPP of the school. (Teacher 2)
the school transportation to get to school. The students
I use the countryside textbook, together with other books,
here attend up to the fifth grade and then go to some place
every time I see the need to improve the content. (Teacher 14)
else that provides high school. (Teacher 4)
 To remain anonymous, the participant teachers were identified by Teacher, followed by a number.
I work with multi-grades classes and there are moments that It disagrees with the programmed contents for the class, ac-
the books are necessary to attend the students that need cording to the pedagogical proposal of the county. (Teacher 10)
help, and to complement their activities. (Teacher 11) They are very bad, the matters are too repetitive, they do not
Daily in all subjects, but to provide continuity to a specific attract students’ attention. The matters are too condensed,
matter it is necessary to resort to other books or to enlarge the texts are hard for children to understand. (Teacher 28)
the activities to have an improvement on the quality of Too complex and low performance once the students cannot
teaching and learning. (Teacher 27) understand the content that has presented. (Teacher 17)
I use mostly for reading on the subjects of History and I would find it interesting if other than the countryside spe-
Geography. (Teacher 30) cificities it covered the contents of the curricular grade that
permeates the evaluations offered by the MEC, as well as
Tab. 1 Ways of using the books by the teachers on countryside the ones that are a part of the county in which the school is
located. (Teacher 19)
schools. (Souza and Garcia, 2017)
The collection we have this year come with little content,
thus it does not attend the learning need of the students.
The actions performed by teachers with the text- We need to research in books from other years. (Teacher 9)
books demonstrate that adaptations and integra- Unfortunately, this year’s books are not so good, because
tion happen, because there are gaps regarding the only two publishers presented the books for the school. The
used book, which results in teachers planning fur- contents are too abstract. (Teacher 3)
ther practices that promote the learning according It is important that the students know other coexisting realities
and cultures of other countryside communities of Brazil, but I
to particularities of their students. Among these, use other books to complement the contents. (Teacher 25)
the practices that can be highlighted are those Many times out of reality. Each community has its own reality.
that: 1. use appropriate language, 2. approach con- The theory does not always correspond to the reality of the
tents targeted to the class, 3. raise instigating and community in which the students are inserted. (Teacher 26)
contextualized activities, 4. allows to conduct I analyze as contingent to the student’s reality, however I
a broader learning and enables the student to per- highlight to contextualize with the student’s world knowl-
edge and its changes, not only grounded on the textbook,
form inferences, to inherit the acquired experience, because the students are citizens of the world, of a society
to create and re-create, and to integrate themselves that will demand knowledge. (Teacher 14)
to the conditions of their contexts, approaching
Tab. 2 Systematization of teacher’s opinions regarding the
what was proposed and suggested by Freire (2011). used textbook. (Souza & Garcia, 2017)
This consensus over the existing gaps on the text-

Teacher’s opinions about the textbooks books from PNLD Campo 2016 points out that the
for Countryside Schools relations between the subject of the school commu-
Further relevant comments related to the teacher’s nity and the educational policies are not yet properly
opinions regarding the chosen textbooks are sys- articulated, which would make possible the elabora-
tematized on the Board 2. In these comments, it has tion of materials, which will in fact contribute to the
been observed that there is a dissatisfaction of most school’s activities. In this case due the expressive
teachers regarding the organization of the books re- investment to the production of these materials, an
garding contents and language, due to not fully at- establishment of a dialogue involving the agents of
tendance the aspects related to the particularities of the Countryside School is needed; in particular to
their students. take into account the demands of each specific group
regarding the access to the universal knowledge.
4 Final Considerations
Recognizing and valuing the cultural diversity of teachers have the possibility of choosing the text-
the Brazilian schools communities, the educational book they will use in class, there was a realization
policies associated to the PNLD have developed ac- that the two approved collections for this choice did
tions and have stimulated the production of didac- not attend in a satisfactory way the teacher’s expec-
tic materials that in some way attend to the local tations, even when the received books were articu-
particularities. This research showed, however, that lated with other materials.
a meaningful attending of the school community Given the public investment designated for evalu-
yearnings is not happening, exemplified specially ation, selection, production, and distribution of
by the scarce applicability of the materials given to these textbooks, it becomes important to devel-
the students of the communities involved. Although op researches and actions that can hear in a more
systematic and efficiently way to the needs of the ticularities of the local realities on educational dis-
communities, in order to subsidize the production cussions, an aspect that can be facilitated by a more
of materials that meet and articulate the curricu- effective participation of teachers and of the school
lar contents with the specific needs of countryside community involved, the main mediators between
education. These actions can contribute to minimize the historically built knowledge, present in the
the common sensation of detachment between the books, and the life-knowledge accrued by the stu-
public authorities and the daily concerns and ten- dents themselves.
sions of the school’s world, commonly expressed by
teachers.
However, this requires an appropriation of the par-
References
Parecer CNE/CEB no 36/2001 (2001). Diretrizes Operacionais Souza, E.L.; Garcia, N.M.D (2016). Cultura local, escolha
para a Educação Básica nas Escolas do Campo, Brasília. e uso do livro didático de ciências: múltiplas e mútuas
Despacho do Ministério em 12/3/2002, publicado no influências. In T.MF. Braga Garcia, L.S. Bufrem & M.
Diário Oficial da União de 13 mar. 2002, Seção 1, p. 11. Gehrke (Eds.) Leituras: Escola do Campo e textos: propos-
tas e textos (1st ed.) (pp. 285–313). Ijuí: Editora Unijuí.
Decreto no 6.352 de 04 de novembro de 2010 (2010).
Dispõem sobre a política de educação do campo e Progra- Rockwell, E (1995). De huellas, bardas y veredas: una
ma Nacional de Educação na Reforma Agrária – PRONERA. historia cotidiana em la escuela. In Rockwell, E. La
DOU, Brasília, 5 nov. escuela cotidiana. México: Fondo de Cultura Econômica.
http://www.nppd.ufpr.br/nppd/wp-content/themes/
Ezpeleta, J.; Rockwell, E (1989). Pesquisa participante
nppd/arquivos/de-huellas-bardas-y-veredas-una-historia-
(2nd ed.). São Paulo: Cortez, Autores Associados.
cotidiana-de-la-escuela.pdf
Freire, P. (2001). Educação como pratica da liberdade.
Souza, E.L. & Garcia, N.M.D (2017). Estudo exploratório
Rio de Janeiro: Paz e Terra.
sobre a escolha e uso de livros didáticos por professores de
Escolas do Campo (not published).
Souza, M.A. (2010). Educação e Movimentos Sociais: a
produção do conhecimento no período de 1987 a 2007.
Curitiba: Editora UFPR
Editors??????
Changing media –
Production
changing schools?
of educational resources
(including special needs)
IARTEM 2017
M. Esplugues Cebrián | Didactic material produced by NGDOs as an alternative resource to promote individualised learning
Didactic material produced by NGDOs as an alternative

resource to promote individualised learning
Marta Esplugues Cebrián
Universitat de València, València, Spain | esplugues_marceb@gva.es
Abstract
This article aims to raise awareness among teach- The aforementioned subjects will form the basis for
ers that both the education system and the teach- our analysis. Our aim is to ascertain whether the pro-
ing methodologies they employ must be adapted gressive materials produced by organisations com-
to reflect societal developments. In line with this mitted to policies of cultural recognition and social
argument, we will examine the possibility of using equality promote a critical-dialogical approach and
different paper and digital educational media, such address issues of development education, or wheth-
as didactic material produced by Non-Governmental er they continue to replicate the same hegemonic
Development Organisations (NGDOs), which may models which appear in textbooks.
be used as an optional resource in everyday lessons
Keywords: development education; new pedago-
as an alternative or supplement to traditional text-
gies; teaching and learning strategies; primary and
books in subjects such as: citizenship, rights and
secondary education.
governance; gender; economic and social sustain-
ability; peace studies, and interculturality. Resources
of this kind can help teachers to promote targeted,
personalised learning among their students.
1 Introduction
In the following lines, I will summarise my contribu- states, we need critical brains to change the world,
tion to the round table Educational media in different not more passive students. We must avoid focusing
contexts, in which I have been invited to address the solely on academic success and teach our students
following questions: can different paper and digital to be critical citizens who will attempt to make their
resources respond better in different contexts? Can world a better place.
these different media promote individualised learn- For this reason, we must seek alternatives to
ing? My responses to these questions are drawn textbooks which more closely reflect our students’
from the theoretical background of my doctoral the- needs and preferences, and encourage them to de-
sis ‘The Development Education syllabus in materi- velop their skills to become intellectuals who fight
als produced by NGDOs’, with the addition of practi- for a better world. The aim is to substitute students’
cal input from my experience as a teacher from the personal achievement with collective achievement,
start of my PhD project to the present day. and NGDO materials can help us to do this at specif-
The objective of this article is to suggest several ic points in the lesson plan, as we will demonstrate
manifestations of capitalism and globalisation, par- below using practical examples. This is why it is so
ticularly those related to advances in ICT, and the important that Development Education concepts
ways in which they have influenced our society and are introduced at school, starting at the pre-prima-
the educational media we use. Teachers cannot con- ry or primary level. Transforming the teacher’s role
tinue to employ the same media used for decades into that of mediator of the teaching and learning
in a context of mobile learning, project-based learn- process will require greater empathy with students,
ing, positive discipline, flipped classroom, challenge- use of technological resources, revision of the syl-
based learning, and other new developments. labus where necessary, more attention to isolated
Similarly, in this era of global citizenship, the role subjects, consideration of new spaces, new organi-
of the teacher must also change to reflect a new sation times, etc.
teaching/learning paradigm more closely related to
the critical-dialogical approach. As Prensky (2016)
This research is situated in the context of Develop- come from the people, who can employ the instru-
ment Education, and it would thus be helpful to ments of political change and emancipation avail-
summarise the parallels with the ICT world in which able to them, such as collective discourse, as pro-
people live in a society where the differences be- posed by various social movements, pedagogical re-
tween south and north are increasing on a daily ba- newal movements, NGDOs, etc. in the public space,
sis. People from less developed countries must en- empowering them to promote policies of resistance.
gage in clandestine emigration, often to their former As teachers in schools, we must stop considering
metropolises, in order to find decent work, better ways to prepare students to obtain good marks and
educational opportunities for their families, hous- be academically successful, and begin to consider
ing, etc. This migration occurs mainly to the labour how to teach them to become critical citizens who
markets of developed countries (Castells, 1998). seek to build a better world. It is time to expand our
It is therefore important to note the policies of view of the materials available to us and diversify
resistance born of social movements and non-gov- our selection instead of focusing on a single stand-
ernmental organisations which promote other types ardised resource for a very specific type of student.
of initiatives and models of social participation, Our intention, on the one hand, is to highlight
supporting changes to the actions of governments the importance of reconsidering didactic materials,
to promote south-north equality and equity in the justifying our argument by selecting educational
wake of the World Social Forums and the World Edu- materials, more specifically those produced by Va-
cation Forums. lencian NGDOs in Spain, as an object of analysis, as
In the absence of real solutions from the govern- we consider these materials to be a strategic field of
ments of the most powerful, influential countries analysis for the concretisation and development of
in terms of social, economic and human develop- syllabi, in line with the contributions of authors such
ment policies, increasing numbers of stakeholders as Apple (1995), Sacristán (1991), Martínez Bonafé
are involved in these social, political and economic (1995; 2002) and Martínez Bonafé & Rodríguez
processes at the national level. Meanwhile, govern- Rodríguez (2010), as well as a didactic alternative
ment leaders follow the trend to delegate certain to the hegemonic textbooks, which merit attention
obligations, thus violating the fundamental rights when selecting the materials used in lesson planning.
of citizens such as the right to education or health, On the other hand, our aim is also to present al-
with the result that these basic pillars are covered by ternative or complementary suggestions from the
NGDOs in Development Cooperation programmes. materials published by NGDOs and to test whether
It is possible that these organisations will eventually these different media can promote individualised
take over official aid entirely and provide a response learning, helping teachers to promote new teach-
to these issues in less developed countries, although ing/learning methodologies such as project-based
such matters are usually overlooked in social science learning which are more closely linked to the critical-
or history books as we will demonstrate below. dialogical approach, including topics related to De-
For the reasons outlined above, we believe that an velopment Education, thus justifying the research
organised citizen response to social inequality must questions raised in this study.
3 Methodology
The aim of the investigation was to problematize b) How did each of the themes which define and
certain issues, but this article will focus primarily on lend specificity to the Development Education
the second research question. For more information, field materialise (citizenship, rights and govern-
please contact Esplugues (2015): ance; gender; economic and social sustainability;
a) How can educational proposals relating to the peace studies, interculturality and environ-
different stages of the Development Education ment)?
discourse, from the charity and humanitarian focus c) What pedagogic and didactic approach is im-
taken in the 1950s to the critical-solidarity focus in plicit in the published material, considering the
the 1970s, and the 5th Generation of Development role of the students or teachers in the material
Education in the 1990s, more commonly known as and the strategies used?
the global citizenship focus, be implemented?
The study sample consists of 19 publications which ríguez(2010) , who does not create his own file but
address the subject of Development Education (pub- uses that of the two previous authors.
lished between 2000 and 2011) in the third cycle of The steps followed in the investigation were:
primary education and the first cycle of secondary a) Pre-analysis, in which we explained the study
education. These publications were produced by sample.
NGDOs belonging to the Valencian NGDO Coordina- b) Initial contact established with all NGDOs by
tor in Spain. means of a letter explaining our research and
The methodology used in the investigation was inviting them to participate.
qualitative, as the process was not linear and many c) Count of the information obtained. The idea was
elements required adaptation. For this reason, we to summarise the information gathered in an
adopted a critical pedagogy in line with authors such inventory, which can be seen in Fig 1.
as Giroux (1996), Freire (2006), Carr (2013), Kemmis d) Critical review, in which we analysed the
(1999-2000), Apple (1995) and Mclaren (2008). materials summarised in the following table.
A software programme was not used, and instead e) Practical experience, including our own experi-
we created our own file based on the models used ence as primary school teachers putting some
by authors such as Sacristán (1991), Martínez Bon- of these NGDO didactic materials into practice
afé (1995), Parcerisa (1996) and Rodríguez Rod- over the last seven years.
Fig. 1 Inventory of NGDO didactic materials. (Author)
4 Results and discussion of data

The results of the research demonstrate that didac- male gender. Another aspect depicted in some ma-
tic material produced by NGDOs in paper and digital terials is new family models: single parent families,
format can promote individualised learning if used gay and lesbian couples, and their lack of acceptance
well by teachers. This will now be shown in response in some countries. These are very modern subjects
to the second research question, with the different which teachers should include in their lesson plans.
categories summarised here: A very easy activity is to bring different pictures to
Materials relating to the Citizenship, rights and class to ensure that all pupils feel included; most
governance category can be used in our lessons to often, traditional textbooks depict white families
expand knowledge of the rights to medical assis- with a mum, dad and children, with no mention of a
tance, to have a home and clothes to wear, and to stepmother or of two dads, despite these situations
obtain an education, since this is a highly relevant being quite common nowadays in students’ homes.
contemporary issue. Students should be encour- Even Disney has been criticised by the by LGBTIQ
aged to listen to, watch or read the news to gain (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual,
awareness that in most countries these rights are Intersex and Queer/Questioning) collective because
not guaranteed. It is important to use images taken the eleven films it has produced over the last two
from NGDO materials to prompt debate among our years do not talk freely and openly about this collec-
students and encourage them to think about issues tive. Disney has now announced that in 2018 they
such as fair trade, responsible consumption, etc. In will produce an animated film with a homosexual
this way, they will learn how well-known clothing character or a lesbian princess. If things are changing
brands such as Nike have been criticised for issues in the entertainment world, why should they not do
relating to the violation of labour rights. An activ- the same in schools?
ity such as the proposal from ‘Jóvenes y Desarrollo’, Economic and social sustainability is another of
which appears to be closely linked to students’ eve- the issues highlighted by NGDOs indicating the ad-
ryday lives, may be usefully incorporated into lesson vantages of immigration for the economy. Materi-
plans. Students could also be asked to write an essay als include help for teachers to combat racism and
on the failure to fulfil the promise made by national xenophobia among students, breaking down barri-
governments to invest 0.7% of GDP in less developed ers between the south and the north, or explaining
countries. As teachers and researchers, we question concepts such as micro-credit used by women in Af-
whether these subjects appear in your students’ so- rica to create their own sewing shops, again in the
cial science or history books. If not, we advise that you material produced by ‘Habita África, Africa cuenta’.
use these materials as an optional resource to help The Peace studies category gives teachers exam-
provide precise individualised learning for your pupils. ples of tasks to improve non-violent problem-solv-
These types of resources are also helpful in the ing skills: working in small groups and cooperating
Gender category, emphasising the role of women together, we can encourage our students to respect
which is often overlooked in traditional textbooks. their classmates regardless of their nationality or re-
Some NGDO materials promote the idea that wom- ligion. Through role-play, students will act out the
en are more than just housewives, and present ex- role of a person who lives in a different country with
amples of popular African writers, photographers fewer resources, encouraging them to appreciate
or singers in ‘Africa cuenta’, produced by ‘Habita what they have. Finally, service-learning activities
África’. Female empowerment through education recommended for Development Education should
is also covered in the materials, in which Mabel, a be implemented in schools, whereby students do
girl from the Dominican Republic, realises that she something helpful for others. For example, in Eng-
would like to be a teacher, and Saray, a gypsy girl, lish lessons, 6th grade students can act out a theatre
tells her grandfather that she wants to study med- play for pre-primary students related to gender and
icine. The book ‘ISCOD. Mi escuela y el mundo’ also human rights and using NGDO materials.
tells the story of the first woman to attend univer- Interculturality is another important category.
sity and the difficulties which she faced. Teachers How many teachers have students of different na-
can take advantage of these materials to introduce tionalities and cultures in their schools? I am sure
co-educational examples, with images from ‘Intered’ that most of the teachers reading this article do.
in ‘Quiero ser astronauta’ in which a man is depicted Do you think that teachers tend to be interested in
hanging out clothes and a boy is seen playing with their students’ lives in their countries of origin, or
a doll, activities more often associated with the fe- this is not considered important because it does
not appear in textbooks? A very rewarding activity The materials also include information on peas-
for students would be to take a map and locate the ant agriculture and food sovereignty as opposed to
countries where their families live and discuss their extensive farming, explaining the pros and cons of
festivities (Christmas would be a good pretext to in- both, and giving examples of different perspectives
troduce festivities around the world). NGDO materi- to encourage students to be critical and to look for
als can be helpful, as they include specific resources information in other media, before comparing it and
about Morocco, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Bra- writing their own essays expressing their opinions
zil, etc., the countries of origin of our students, who on the subject with a project-based learning meth-
have different tales to tell the rest of the students odology. They can then share their views with their
in the classroom about their cultures, religion, lan- classmates via a PowerPoint presentation. The ma-
guages, etc. terials also highlight the importance of the 3Rs (Re-
With regard to the Environment category, these cycle, Reduce and Reuse), allowing students to learn
materials provide information on the management to reuse and recycle and avoid wasting resources.
of resources such as water and electricity, accompa- This can be usefully indicated to our students in arts
nied by practical examples. They also explain mod- and crafts lessons, where they can create their own
els of production, distribution and consumption, games and toys from recycled materials.
showing the differences between south and north.
5 Conclusions
This research suggests that NGDO didactic mate- (2014) ‘PROCEEDINGS. Change education to change
rial can be used as an alternative paper or digital the world …! For an emancipatory educational ac-
resource, as it promotes individualised learning on tion!’, which suggested mapping educational ex-
the themes which define and lend specificity to periences and good practices as examples of good
the Development Education field. Nonetheless, the teaching methodologies, we have sought to present
pedagogical approach adopted in textbooks must our own teaching practice in the years since the
also be adapted to be more critical, as expected in beginning of the doctoral research process and af-
our modern society. Accordingly, we should analyse ter attending various international conferences on
each resource before using it, and only preserve education and speaking at the last six international
those aspects which we consider to fit our lesson seminars on the design and evaluation of teaching
plans. NGDO materials should be viewed as just materials held every year in Galicia by the MRP Nova
another resource, and they should not be followed Escola Galega.
chronologically as in a textbook since they also con- In our view, research on textbooks and education-
tain gaps in terms of the issues analysed. al media must continue in order to provide teachers
Following this study, and taking into consideration with the necessary resources to gradually imple-
the recommendations of the HEGOA conference ment the critical-dialogical paradigm in schools.
References
Apple, M. (1995). Ideología y currículo. Madrid: Akal. Giroux, H.A. (1996). Placeres inquietantes. Barcelona: Paidós
educador.
Carr, W. (2013). Becoming Critical hoy. Revista Inter-
universitaria de Formación del Profesorado, 77, 35–43. Habita África (2010). África cuenta. Madrid: Habita África.
Castells, M. (1998). Movimientos sociales urbanos. Madrid: HEGOA (2014). ACTAS. Cambiar la Educación para cambiar el
Siglo XXI de España. mundo … Por una acción educativa emancipadora!
Vitoria-Gasteiz: Lankopi, S.A.
Esplugues, M. (2015): El currículum de la educación para el
desarrollo en los materiales editados por las ONGDs Intered (2008). Quiero ser astronauta. Madrid: Intered.
(doctoral thesis). Valencia: Universidad de Valencia.
ISCOD (2005). Mi escuela y el mundo. Madrid: UGT
Freire, P. (2006). Sendes de Freire. Xàtiva: Edicions del Crec i Federación de Enseñanza ISCOD.
Denes Editorial.
Jóvenes y Desarrollo. (2004). Aprendiendo a ser ciudadano.
Gimeno Sacristán, J. (1991). Los materiales y la enseñanza. Madrid: Jóvenes y desarrollo. (Didactic Material produced
Cuadernos de Pedagogía, 194, 10–15. by a NGDO).
Kemmis, S. (1999–00). Aspiraciones emancipadoras en la era Mclaren, P. & Kincheloe, J.L. (Eds.) (2008). Pedagogía Crítica.
posmoderna. Kikiriki, 55/56, 14–34. De qué hablamos, dónde estamos. Barcelona: Graó.
Martínez Bonafé, J. (1995). Interrogando al Material Parcerisa Aran, A. (1996). Materiales curriculares. Cómo
Curricular. (Guión para el análisis y la elaboración de elaborarlos, seleccionarlos y usarlos. Barcelona: Graó.
materiales para el desarrollo del currículum). InJ. García
Prensky, M. (2016). Education to better their world.
Mínguez & M. Beas Miranda (Eds.). Libro de Texto y
Unleashing the power of 21st century kids. New York:
Construcción de Materiales Curriculares (pp. 221–245).
Teachers College Press.
Granada: Proyecto Sur.
Martínez Bonafé, J. (2002). Política del libro de texto escolar.
Madrid: Morata.
Martínez Bonafé, J. & Rodríguez Rodríguez, J. (2010). El
currículum y el libro de texto. Una dialéctica siempre abi-
erta. In J. Gimeno (Ed.). Saberes e incertidumbres sobre el
currículum (pp. 246–268). Madrid: Morata.
C. Vázquez Formoso, M. Castro Rodríguez | Analysis and classification of didactic materials for the inclusion
Analysis and classification of didactic materials

for the inclusion of people with hearing impairment
Carla Vázquez Formoso
University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain | carlavazf@gmail.com
Montserrat Castro Rodríguez

University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain | maria.castror@udc.es
Abstract
The aim of this study was, firstly, to identify didactic The sample consisted of 400 analysed materials. We
materials and resources developed for the hearing- used a mixed qualitative and quantitative methodo-
impaired, together with other materials not original- logy, which allowed us to identify the intratextual
ly conceived for this group but which may be useful and formal characteristics of the resources, as well
for facilitating their inclusion in ordinary classrooms; as classify and compare them according to criteria
and secondly, to classify and organize these materi- such as typology, target, format, and other criteria
als according to a taxonomic scheme so that they based on similar scientific literature. In addition to
may be accessible to teachers and the community identifying materials, a content analysis was carried
at large for use in classrooms or society in general. out in order to classify them according to the criteria
After identification and interpretation, a repository previously mentioned. These criteria also served to
was made accessible to the entire educational com- organize the materials and make them accessible to
munity, thus breaking down barriers to inclusion. teachers and the community in general.
Our investigation involved an exhaustive review of
Keywords: Teaching materials, educational
bibliographic resources available on internet blogs,
inclusion, hearing impairment, education of deaf
repositories and the web, as well as in physical
people, taxonomy of teaching materials.
libraries and specialized centres in printed formats.
1 Introduction
The education of people with special educational SEN, and specifically on hearing impairment, has
needs (SEN), and specifically, people with hearing been increasing, as well as the multiple method-
impairment, is marked by a changing road from ologies to be used in schools. Also, innovation and
ancient times from today, modifying and using dif- improvements in the field of technologies, and their
ferent methodologies and didactic materials. In this adaptation to educational and social processes are
sense, the current market gives the educational present every day, so it is convenient to think about
community specific materials with which to work, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
but also teacher’s exchange, modify and create ma- and Knowledge and Learning Technologies (NLT) as
terials. Thereby, the new technologies are a very an educational resource that can be adapted to the
favourable elements in helping with the communi- different learning processes that may arise from the
cation and development of people with disabilities, heterogeneity of the students.
specifically hearing impairment.
Fundamentally, in the field of research, it has been
worked on and studied about the educational per-
spectives and the curriculum adapted for deaf peo-
ple, and not so much about the materials. But every
day the diversity of teaching materials focused on
2 Objectives
The general aim of this investigation is identify di- And the specific goals are cclassify and organize
dactic materials and resources developed for the these materials according to a taxonomic scheme so
hearing – impaired children, together with other that may be accessible to teachers and the commu-
materials not originally conceived for this group but nity; as well as create a blog1 to publish those mate-
which may be useful for facilitating their inclusion in rials.
ordinary classrooms.
3 Theoretical justification: teaching materials, hearing impairment

and inclusion
Inclusion Hearing impairment

Years ago the special education was centred, follow- Deaf people are defined, according to WDF2, as
ing Arnáiz (2003) and Núñez (2008), in a segregat- people who use sign language as a way of primary
ing system, whereas, since the World Conference on communication, who identify themselves with deaf
Special Needs (Salamanca, 1994), an inclusive edu- people. The causes can be basically two: hereditary
cation is defended where ordinary schools are for or acquired; and the classification of deafness can
everyone, so to achieve it, it is necessary to carry out also be seen from two sides (López Urquízar and
changes, always taking into account that inclusive Royo, 2005): the place of the injury and the moment
education will be different in each school. of its appearance.
Authors such as Echeita and Sandoval (2002, FIAPAS (Spanish Confederation of Families of Deaf
cited by Peirats and Cortés, 2016) point out that People) formulates as development milestones of
the desired educational inclusion consists on “iden- education for deaf children:
tifying and minimizing the elements or barriers that > 16th Century: Pedro Ponce de León initiates the
hinder the learning and participation of students, as oralistic method in Spain.
well as trying to maximize the resources they sup- > 18th Century: the abbé L’Epée publishes in Paris
port both processes” (p. 92), promoting equality and the mimic or sign method.
ensuring the dignity of all students as basic rights. > 19th Century: it is proclaimed that the oral
It is, following Sandoval, Simón and Echeita (2012), method must be preceded by mimic on the In-
a gradual transformation of the educational system ternational Congress of Milan.
and learning environments to respond to the diver- > 20th Century: the Washington Deaf World Con-
sity of all the students. In this sense, mention Es- gress is pronounced in favor of total communi-
cudero (1990) and Muntaner (2000), this changes cation with deaf people.
are needed in terms of the organizational structure Therefore, the latest educational trends emphasize
of the centre, the curriculum, the basic teaching- a predilection for inclusive and bilingual education,
learning processes and education professionals to in oral and sign language (Humprhies et al., 2014).
achieve full and inclusive diversity in the centres. As such, the needs of the deaf children in the edu-
The support in the classrooms must be addressed to cational field are centred in the areas where they
the needs of the students and the teachers, reason can demand more support from the school: cogni-
why, it quotes Lozano (2007), the supports in the in- tive, socio-emotional and communicative - linguis-
clusive classrooms must be realized in the ordinary tic area. Jáudenes (2013), from FIAPAS, and Adrian,
classroom, and not in a different classroom. These Calafí, Gisbert, Hurtado and Pastor (2014), pro-
supports, says Notó (2000), can be viewed internal- pose measures that can help them in the classroom:
ly, centred on professionals who are part of the com- access information from different channels (using
munity of the school; or external, proposed by the the sign language, computer and augmentative sys-
Educational Administration and other organizations. tems), modify the work methodology, stimulate the
auditory route, establish a system of academic sup-
port, use technical aids that students may need, etc.
1 Materiales y recursos didácticos para la comunidad sorda. Enlace web: https://taxmaterialsordos.wordpress.com/
2 Word Deaf Federation. Recuperado de https://wfdeaf.org/
Also, we must take into account the fundamental disability, the classroom and the methodology used
role of ICT and NLT, in order to provide a learning to must be adapted, being flexible but specific, adapt-
the same extent for all students. Iglesias, Jiménez, ing to the different characteristics that the students
Revuelta and Moreno (2014) point out how the use will present in the classroom, being the traditional
of ICT in the classroom can prevent communication textbooks the main enemies of this educational
barriers that students with hearing impairments thought. (Castro and Castro, 2009).
suffer in the classroom and, as an example, Kourbe- Adaptations, preparation and selection of materi-
tis, Boukouras and Gelastopoulou (2016) under- als, following Camacho, Pérez and Domingo (2014)
line a project focused on hybrid textbooks. and Sánchez, Blanco and Castro (2015), are an
essential part of the process, helping to participate
and empower students, as well as the methodo-
Teaching materials logical strategies used in teaching, looking for all the
In order to talk about teaching materials, we must children to develop their potentials to the highest
take into account that any material can be used for (Vieiro, Gómez, Sánchez and García, 2015).
a didactic purpose, but Area Moreira (2004) defines There are many classifications in terms of typolo-
gy of teaching materials, in general or centred in the
“Properly didactic material as a set of pedagogical devices different disciplines, and each one focuses on dif-
or physical media that transmits the content or knowledge
that students must acquire in specific situations of ferent items to develop them. These items, accord-
‘teaching “ (p. 80).  ing to Alonso, Cantón and Gallego (1996), tend to
be based on the time of use of the material, com-
The relationship between attention to diversity and plexity, form, senses to which they allude, level of
materials is complex and also relevant, since ma- realism, language codes used, etc. Regarding the
terials and diversity must be united to favour the NEAE or NEE, some of these already elaborated
teaching-learning process of all the students. Teach- classifications, such as those of Moreira (2004)
ing staff should use resources and educational ma- or Alonso (2012), are focus more on materials
terials that help students to progress in their train- dedicated specifically to students with hearing
ing. When it comes to students with some type of impairments and NEE.
4 Methodology
The methodology chosen for this work is essentially inclusion and hearing impairments, paying special
qualitative because is a documentary analysis, but attention to those that could be designed to classify
we also use quantitative actions in a complementary the elaborate didactic materials about the disability,
way, giving us the option of counting and classifying or specifically in the field of deafness. In particu-
the materials. Nothing prevents the combination of lar, contact and virtual searches were done in the
both, according to Castiello (2002, quoted in Zapico, following contexts, search engines and web pages:
2012), considering they are not incompatible and the > Libraries of Coruña and Santiago Universities.
use of both is even necessary (Parcerisa, 1995; cited > Google and Google Academic.
in Zapico, 2012). The process followed was: > Databases ISOC3, Dialnet, Scopus and Web of
Science.
> Specialized journals on ICT and special education
Stage 1: highlighting Revista de Tecnoloxía Educativa, Re-
Bibliographical review around vista Galega de Educación or Relatec.
the basic concepts > IARTEM4 (International Association on Textbooks
A thorough and rigorous verification of the differ- and Educational Media).
ent revisions in the literature has been carried out in > CNLSE5 (Centre for Language Normalization of
order to clarify and systematise the different defini- Spanish Sign Language) virtual library.
tions and classifications related to didactic materials,
3 Base de datos de Ciencias Sociais e Humanidades do CSIC (Consello Superior de Investigacións Científicas) Enlace web: http://bddoc.csic.es:8080/isoc.doc
4 Enlace web: https://iartemblog.wordpress.com/
5 Enlace web: http://www.cnlse.es/
Stage 2: The classification sheets are structured in five sec-

Review and classification of teaching tions that will allow us to collect basic data about the
materials and resources didactic materials intended for people with hearing
The second stage is focused on direct work with ma- impairment, providing us with a series of equalities
terials included in the sample, which will be evaluated or similarities that will determine taxonomy that is
to give rise to the taxonomy being pursued. The ma- pursued in this study. We consider, therefore, that
terials will be analysed according to the classification the cataloguing of materials according to are for par-
cards designed specifically for the type of resources ents, students, educational stage, how they present,
with which it is working. Have been consulted: etc.; is the most simple form of obtaining the com-
> CNLSE, establishing that the library of resources mon features that will shape the taxonomy.
with which they count would be the central axis
to obtain the materials to be analysed. It has Title of the material
resources about the deaf community, videos Identification data
and audiovisual material that allows us to access Author
them online or face-to-face.
Place and date of publication
> Online resource banks: the search has begun by
Publisher
the online repository of the CNLSE and linked to
Format Manipulative
this repository are the different federations of
Printed
deaf people and the associations of parents and
friends of the deaf. Audiovisual
> Files of the governing bodies: we have accessed Digital

the web references of the Ministry of Education Web link
Culture and Sport, which has resources banks Target user
such as the Redined6 or Educalab. On the other Students
hand, in the autonomic aspect, access to the Teachers
libraries and publications of the various Educa- Families
tion Councils of the autonomous communities, Community
as well as to their training centres for teachers Educational stage
and Specific Orientation Teams. Child education
Primary school
Stage 3: High school
Formulation and reflection about the Group

taxonomy Stimulation of expression and communication
The final part of this research focuses entirely on the Materials of the educational curriculum
scientifically rigorous proposal of the taxonomy ob- Learning of SSL or CSL
tained after analysing the sample of materials. Previ- Dictionaries
ously, by filling out the classification sheets, the ba- Manuals and guides
sis was established to analyse them individually, and Tales and entertainment
by groups of users. Approach the taxonomy by itself,
Materials about deaf culture
it is done from the main point of view of the target
Others
users, so, from there, establish qualifying subgroups
in the same way for all the users thereof, as will be Tab. 1 Material evaluation guide. (Authors)
explained in the following pages.
5 Results
The main objective of this taxonomy is to facilitate demand these resources know where to find them
the search for didactic materials that revolve around easily. The decision of choosing the target users
hearing impairment, so that any of the users who (family, students, teachers and community) as the
6 Redined: Red de Información Educativa
main group to establish the taxonomy is due to the the faculty that can be considered when having a
fact that, when looking for materials to work and student with hearing impairments in the classroom,
use, the easiest thing to do is to directly go through such as the Acceso del alumnado con sordera al cur-
the group of tools that are appropriate for the work riculum de lenguas.
field or study of each one. Otherwise the groups of In regard to the learning of the SSL and CSL, we
belonging between which the different materials see collections as Vamos a signar at different levels,
were classified, once the main recipient is estab- having a printed book and an audiovisual material
lished, they are defined in: (DVD). The deaf culture is present in the document
> Citizen accessibility Sensibilización en contextos educativos, which allows
> Learning from SSL and CSL the educational community to understand the deaf
> Tales and entertainment students who attend school. Finally, the dictionar-
> Dictionaries ies, published for different ages, appear as a comple-
> Stimulation of expression and communication mentary material with strong presence in the class-
> Manuals and guides room.
> Materials of the educational curriculum
> Materials about deaf culture
> Others Resources related to use by students
Therefore, the classification of the materials is ex- Leisure, being a fundamental part of the develop-
posed as follows: ment of any child, is represented in printed, audiovis-
ual and manipulative format, like Animacuentos. The
tales are also mostly adapted to the SSL or the CSL,
Resources related to use by families so that, apart from those produced especially for
In this case, users can find printed, manipulative, au- this group, there are also other adapted by profes-
diovisual or digital materials. The first of the subcat- sionals. Although most of the materials are designed
egories, tales and entertainment, being also the most for the Primary Education stage, it should be noted
numerous. It includes, mostly, printed stories, such as that, for adolescent pupils, manuals and guides have
the collection of Carambuco Cuentos. The manuals been produced, as well as materials about deaf cul-
and guides for this group can be seen in print, audio- ture. Both deal with issues that may be relevant to
visual or digital, such as the Mi hijo sordo website. both deaf and listener youth but are adapted to the
People may be surprised that in the family environ- first ones, such as the digital material Mi blog paso a
ment, we see materials focused on the educational paso en LSE.
curriculum, but this is because materials Signando Respecting to the materials focused on the edu-
en primaria: recursos para el cole y la casa provide re- cational curriculum we find how the digital stand
sources that can be used both outside and inside the out, getting to produce mobile applications such as
classroom. Regarding expression and communica- AUDAGE. The dictionaries are found, as in previous
tion and knowledge of the deaf culture, it is materi- occasions, in a mostly printed format, although also
als that can provide families with information about digital, like the web Actividades en LSE.
a member with hearing impairments, and also help
him in the field of communication between them,
such as Preguntas y respuestas sobre el implante co- Resources related to use by the community
clear. Finally, there are classified materials like “oth- In the first place, as regards the deaf culture, there
ers” that try to prevent drug use in adolescents and are several printed materials dedicated to making
promote safe use of the Internet. this group more in depth known, such as Protagoni-
stasordo (FAXPG). On the other hand, as in the previ-
ous occasions, the learning of SSL and CSL is open to
Resources related to use by teachers the community, and, digital, audiovisual or printed
Regarding the resources for the teachers, the most materials can be found. We also find various manu-
interesting ones are those focused on the educa- als and guides, as well as other materials focused on
tional curriculum and the manuals and guides. The citizen accessibility, which bring to this community
materials that are in digital format are included in adapted knowledge in various areas such as driving
different Specific Orientation Teams that adapt and manuals, tourist guides, financial education, theatre,
publish resources for Primary Education. The printed movies and accessible literature in SSL allowing the
and audiovisual pieces offer different resources to improvement of the inclusion of this community.
Target users Families Teachers Students Community

Printed Printed Printed Printed
>T ales and entertainment > L earning LSE/LSC > Learning LSE/LSC > Citizen accessibility
>D eaf culture >D eaf culture > Tales and entertainment > Learning LSE/LSC
>E xpression and commu- >E ducational curriculum > Educational curriculum > Tales and entertainment
nication > Dictionaries > Dictionaries > Deaf culture
>M anuals and guides >E xpression and commu- > Expression and > Dictionaries
>O thers: drug prevention nication communication > Manuals and guides
and internet security >M anuals and guides > Manuals and guides > O thers: drug prevention
> O thers: drug prevention and internet security
and internet security
Manipulative Manipulative
Materials > Tales and entertainment > Tales and entertainment
and > Educational curriculum
resources
Audiovisual Audiovisual Audiovisual Audiovisual
> Tales and entertainment > Learning LSE/LSC > Learning LSE/LSC > Learning LSE/LSC
> Educational curriculum > Educational curriculum > Tales and entertainment > Tales and entertainment
> Manuals and guides > Expression and > Educational curriculum
communication > O thers
Digital Digital and APP Digital and APP Digital and APP
> Manuals and guides > Learning LSE/LSC > Learning LSE/LSC > Learning LSE/LSC
> O thers: drug prevention > Educational curriculum > Deaf culture > Tales and entertainment
and internet security > Dictionaries > Educational curriculum > Dictionaries
> Manuals and guides > Dictionaries > Manuals and guides
> O thers: drug prevention > O thers: drug prevention
and internet security and internet security
Tab. 2 Taxonomy: types of materials. (Authors)
6 Conclusions
By way of synthesis, we present some of the main > This work has allowed us to detect gaps in exist-
conclusions that derive from the research carried out: ing materials and resources on the subject and
> We believe that through the work done, the facilitates that the proposal can become an im-
needs and lack of resources on this subject have portant reference for publishers and producers
been clearly demonstrated. of didactic materials.
> This is one of the first works that has made pos- > The importance and continuous improvement
sible to centralize a large part of the existing of ICTs and TACs for their daily use in the class-
resource banks on the subject, which can be of room, helping the inclusion of the deaf children.
great help to teachers, families and other profes- > The taxonomy provides a functional and double
sionals. classification model, which allows to choose the
> The proposed proposal has helped to complete materials according to the recipient or the edu-
other existing classifications of materials that cational stage.
in most cases did not reflect the characteristics > The work has highlighted the need to favor and
and particularities of materials for deaf children. promote strategies that help in the processes
> The existence of this taxonomy opens future of adaptation of the “conventional” materials to
possibilities for the study and investigation of the particular ones of the deaf children.
the existing didactic materials to work on the
subject of deafness.
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Fernández Iglesias, R., Rodríguez Rodríguez, J. | The state of published research on teaching materials in Early Childhood Education
The state of published research on teaching materials

in Early Childhood Education: a first approximation
Rebeca Fernández Iglesias
University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain | fernandezi.rebeca@gmail.com

University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain | jesus.rodriguez.rodriguez@usc.es
Abstract
Here we present a classification of different lines of Early Childhood education curriculum, and f) other
research regarding teaching materials in Early Child- studies about teaching materials in Early Childhood
hood Education. We identified five relevant lines Education.
and decided to add a final group including other The methodology used for this classification was
topics: a) studies about classroom materials and a bibliographic review based on search, selection,
teacher training and opinions about them, b) stud- analysis, reading, synthesis, and reconstruction of
ies about digital materials in Early Childhood Educa- the information. For the search, we identified useful
tion, c) studies about robotics as teaching material descriptors to find studies to suit our needs.
in Early Childhood Education, d) studies about toys
Keywords: Teaching materials, review, Early Child-
as teaching material in Early Childhood Education,
hood Education
e) studies about didactic materials in relation to dhe
1 Introduction
Didactic materials are one of the most important ally with the main purpose of facilitating the process
elements in the teaching-learning process in Early of constructing knowledge for both students and
Childhood Education. teachers. Likewise, Zabalza (2008) emphasized that
Zabalza (2016) affirmed that teaching materi- teaching materials are a valid indicator of the kind of
als are a valid indication of the kind of activities activities that children perform and the way schools
that children do and the way that schools respond respond to students’ needs.
to students’ needs; this author adds that materials In this first approximation, taking into account
constitute an essential element for the transmission the definitions by authors such as Urbina (2004),
of values and contents in the Early Childhood stage. Zabalza (2008) or Zabala (1995), we understand
Similarly, Urbina (2004) defended that teaching didactic materials to be aids to the pedagogical in-
materials configure and determine a methodologi- tervention that teachers do every day in their class-
cal variable with real importance in the learning- rooms, which become more enriching to learning as
teaching process in schools, therefore, how they are we learn more about them and how to use them.
used, will determine their value. This paper presents only the major blocks of re-
Nowadays there is a vast amount of teaching search found and the type of studies that we classi-
materials that we, as teachers, can use in our class- fied. It is based on a review of several studies carried
rooms, from the most traditional to more innova- out in Galicia, nationally and internationally for the
tive, printed materials to digital materials, and from purpose of putting them all together to become a
recycled materials to commercial ones. We part useful aid, orientation and foundation for future re-
from the idea pointed out by Parcerisa (1999), who search.
affirmed that the complexity of educational work In addition, we present examples of studies that
can do without additional terminological difficulties. we found particularly significant because of their
We should start by defining the term teach- approach and findings.
ing materials. Among the definitions, in 2002 The research could be classified into five major
Rodríguez and Montero described didactic mate- groups that were classified by taking into account
rial as resources designed and elaborated intention- their focus and the interest of their conclusions:
a) Studies about didactic materials and teacher Furthermore, we added a section for other studies
training and opinions about them in Early on didactic materials at this stage that were not re-
Childhood Education lated to each other or other established lines.
b) Studies about digital didactic materials in Early
Childhood Education Aims
c) Studies about robotics as teaching material in > To provide a classification of research lines on
this stage the topic.
d) Studies about toys as didactic material in Early > To determine the influence of new technologies
Childhood Education in the introduction of new didactic materials in
e) Studies about didactic materials in relation to Early Childhood Education classrooms.
the Early Childhood education curriculum > To develop a background documentary database
on teaching materials at this stage for future
research
2 Method
The methodology used to achieve these aims was a Finally, we made a revision of Congress proceed-
bibliographic review, based on the search, selection, ings related to Early Childhood Education, which we
analysis, reading, synthesis and reconstruction of found on the IARTEM website and in various Educa-
the information. tion journals.
For the search we chose several useful descriptors Selection was then made for critical reading and
to find research that would suit our needs, such as subsequent classification and organization. We
“teaching materials”, “lines of investigation”, “Early started by reading study abstracts to determine if
Childhood Education” and a variety of combinations their aims were in line with our needs. We also took
of these terms in three languages: Galician, Spanish study structure into account.
and English. Furthermore, we prepared cards indicating ab-
First of all, we used general search engines like stract, method and conclusions to help us summa-
Google, and then specialised databases such as rize each study.
Dialnet, ERIC, ISOC, and Google Scholar. In addition, After processing the information, studies were
we searched for theses related to the topic using da- classified into groups as will be shown in the results
tabases such as “Teseo”. section.
3 Results
We found a total of 48 studies related to teaching The following are some particularly significant
materials in Early Childhood Education. These were examples:
mostly carried out between 1990 and 2016, though The first example is a general study entitled
we also found a study from 1980. Here we only “Los recursos materiales en Educación Infantil” car-
quote some of them as examples for each group: ried out by Sainz in 1993. Sainz explains and offers
a classification of teaching materials needed to
design the learning-teaching process, and states
Studies about didactic materials and teacher that teacher training in this stage should include
training and opinions about them in Early work with teaching materials.
Childhood Education The results of this study are diverse, but what
This group included six studies. We can highlight the stands out is the adequacy of using images and
relation between the teachers’ selection of didactic musical instruments in Early Childhood Education
materials and teacher training in the field. to promote the integral developing of children.
This group contained empirical descriptive studies The author’s classification also includes edited cur-
applying a variety of techniques such as interviews, ricular material (text books), which have been ex-
observation or information collection using a ques- tensively studies by a variety of authors throughout
tionnaire to a previously selected sample. history.
In the international area, we can point out the work presented a descriptive case of action research in-
done by Byington and Tannock in 2011, “Professional volving a 7-session intervention plan in in a 5th year
development needs and interests of Early Childhood Early childhood Education classroom; the author
Education trainers”. The purpose of this research was concluded that the introduction of digital materi-
to determine the most important components for als was satisfactory for children and, with respect to
adapting the teaching-learning process to the needs teachers, the author states that it is necessary to put
and characteristics of children. aside traditional methodologies and choose meth-
These authors concluded that most teachers used ods where the children are protagonists, as in the
teaching materials that they had made themselves. project-based work defended by Díez (1998).
They also added that permanent teacher training Thus, the importance of new technologies in our
in this education stage is essential for the develop- society and their role in the classroom is acknow-
ment of active methodologies and for the design ledged, as is the need for teacher training in this area.
of teaching materials adapted for each situation,
as also affirmed by authors such as Campbell and
Milbourne (2005). Studies about robotic as teaching material
It should be underlined that most of the research in this stage
expressed the importance of initial and ongo- The next group of studies focused on robotics as
ing teacher training on teaching materials and the didactic material, seeing as a number of studies on
need for collaboration, co-operation and teamwork this topic have been carried out in recent years.
among school teaching staff for the analysis, selec- We found six studies carried out in the last ten
tion and use of teaching materials years and most of them in the international context.
We would like to point out a study by researchers
at the University of Massachussets in 2014 enti-
Studies about digital didactic materials tled “Implementing a Robotics curriculum in an Early
in Early Childhood Education Childhood Montessori Classroom”. For this study,
The second group of studies involved digital didactic they designed several activities to work with robots
materials, seeing as the introduction of new tech- and children in Early Childhood Education; these
nologies in Early Childhood Education classrooms authors concluded that the use of robots stimulated
has been the focus of several authors. We found learning and were positive regarding their introduc-
twelve studies in this field. tion to this methodology, characterized by the use
The introduction of new technologies in the field of new manipulative elements (Lillard, 2010).
of educational spurred several studies on didactic In a similar line, another particularly relevant
materials in a variety of aspects such as the design study was carried out in 2007 by Tanaka, Cicourel
of resources banks, how these materials are used as and Movellan and entitled “Socialization between
well as research on augmented reality and QR codes. toddlers and robots at an Early Childhood Education
One notable example is the study by Briceño in center”, dealing with the interaction between robots
2005: “Aplicación de un material educativo multime- and children and analyzing the behaviors of children
dia en las aulas de educación infantil”. Its aim was to working with robot programming and their partici-
apply a multimedia material based on learning strat- pation in the process.
egies to facilitate the process of reading and writing This study highlighted the fact that motivation plays
in Early Childhood Education. an essential role in the introduction of teaching ma-
The findings revealed a need to take into account terials into Early Childhood classrooms and that it is
children’s interests and motivations for working important for children to build their own learning.This
with multimedia materials and didactic materials in recent line of research seems to be a promising field for
general, and established this factor as a determinant continued work given the potential of these materials.
criteria for designing and choosing materials for
Early Childhood classrooms.
Special mention should be made of the case Studies about toys as didactic material in
study “La realidad aumentada y los códigos QR en Early Childhood Education
Educación Infantil: un estudio de caso” that Mirete The fourth group of studies focused on a topic that
presented at the IV International Congress of Inves- is closely related to the interests of children: toys as
tigation and Innovation in Early Childhood Educa- didactic material in Early Childhood. This group con-
tion and Primary School. In this study, Mirete (2016) sisted of six studies.
A significant example is the study by Castro car- tesoro perdido!” for the purpose addressing the
ried out in 2008 and entitled “Juegos, simulaciones need for finding material adapted to the capacities
y simulación-juego y los entornos multimediales en and characteristics of children and dealing with the
educación, ¿mito o potencialidad?”, which concluded metacognitive abilities of children at this age.
that simulations are not a substitute for real prac- The authors consider that it is possible to develop
tice, but they seem efficient in preparing for it. It is the competence of learning to learn, as defined by
also affirmed that their educational purpose is the Moral (2008), who described it as the abilities of
development of complex abilities and decision mak- thinking, autonomic learning and self-regulation.
ing. Moreover, it is considered essential that the use
of the toys in Early Childhood education classrooms
play a protagonist role in the learning-teaching pro- Other studies about didactic materials
cess, as defended by Froebel (2005). Finally, the last group included nine studies about
The research in this group agrees on the impor- the function of didactic materials, analysis instru-
tance of analyzing teaching practice and the role of ments and their evaluation, the relation between
teachers in the use of toys based on observation, and materials as well as coeducation and inclusion.
analyzing the behavior of children with the “toy”. In the learning-teaching process there is a place for
different elements involving teaching materials, and
in 2013 Moreno carried out a study in this line enti-
Studies about didactic materials in relation tled “La manipulación de los materiales como recurso
to the Early Childhood education curriculum didáctico en educación infantil”. The author conclud-
With respect to didactic materials and the Early ed that in this stage of education learning is mainly
Childhood Education curriculum, we found nine achieved through the senses, and that the manipu-
studies related to the three areas established in de- lation of teaching materials has real importance in
cree 330/2009, which regulates the curriculum of teacher training (Martínez, 1993).
this education stage in Galicia (Spain). An important theme in this field is co-education,
The research in this group is divided into the three and teaching materials play an important role in fos-
areas of experience. These studies advocate the se- tering and respecting this principal as a cross-sectional
lection of teaching materials according to the objec- theme in Early Childhood Education. This position
tives and contents to be worked with. was defended in 2015 by Diz and Fernandez in their
It is important to highlight cross-sectional ele- study entitled “Criterios para el análisis y elaboración
ments for addressing different competences such as de materiales didácticos coeducativos para la edu-
learning to learn. In this sense, we found the research cación infantil”. These authors concluded that in order
by Páramo, Carregal, Raposo and Martínez especially for teaching materials to be coeducational they must,
significant. In 2015 they carried out a study entitled among other things, grant both boys and girls the pos-
“Material didáctico para el desarrollo de capacidades sibility of representing themselves in a positive way
metacognitivas en Educación Infantil: ¡En busca del and the content must be free of sexist connotations.
4 Conclusions
Our review has led to a number of conclusions that ence of new technologies such as robots and video
we summarize as follows: games in Early Childhood Education classrooms.
1. After classification and thorough analysis, we In light of this review, we consider that future re-
can affirm that teacher training regarding the search should be done in the following areas:
characteristics and use of didactic materials is > The teacher training in Early Childhood Educa-
one of the elements that most concerns edu- tion in Galician Universities regarding didactic
cational research and that is closely related to materials
quality in Early Childhood classrooms. > The elaboration and design of teaching mate-
2. There is increasing research on robotics and digi- rials by teacher themselves.
tal didactic materials. > The elaboration of analysis instruments and
3. This analysis has helped us better understand dif- the evaluation of the characteristics and func-
ferent dimensions of the teaching-learning process tions of didactic materials in Early Childhood
involving didactic materials, and realize the influ- Education.
References
Briceño, M. (2015). Aplicación de un material educativo Mirete, B. (2016). La realidad aumentada y los códigos QR
multimedia en las aulas de Educación Infantil. Sevilla: en Educación Infantil: un estudio de caso. In Univesidad
University of Sevilla, department of didactic and educa- de Murcia. IV Congreso Internacional de Investigación e
tional organization. Innovación en Educación Infantil y Primaria. Murcia, Spain,
9–11 Libro de Actas Univeritad de Murcia (pp. 60–63).
Byington, T. & Tannock, M. (2011). Professional develop-
Murcia: Universidad de Murcia
ment needs and interests of Early Childhood Education
trainers. ECRP: Early Childhood Research & Practice, 13(2), Moral, C. (2008). Aprender a pensa – aprender a aprender:
11–22. habilidades de pensamiento y aprendizaje autorregulado.
Borbón, Revista de Pedagogía, 60(2), 123–137.
Campbell, P.H. & Milbourne, S.A. (2005). Improving the
quality of infantile-todler care through professional Moreno, F.M. (2013). La manipulación de los materiales
development. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, como recurso didáctico en educación infantil. Estudios
25(1), 3–14. sobre el Mensaje Periodístico, 19, 239–337.
Castro, S. (2008). Juegos, simulaciones y simulación-juego y Páramo, M.B., Carregal, D.N.D., Raposo, M. & Martínez
los entornos multimediales en educación, ¿mito o poten- (2015). Material didáctico para el desarrollo de capaci-
cialidad? Revista de Investigación, 65, 223–245. dades metacognitivas en Educación Infantil: ¡En busca
del tesoro perdido! RELAdEI. Revista Latinoamericana de
Díez, C. (1998). La oreja verde de la escuela: Trabajo por
Educación, 4(1), 45–72.
proyectos y vida cotidiana en la escuela infantil. Madrid:
Ediciones de la Torre. Parcerisa, A. (1999). Materiales curriculares. Como elaborar-
los, seleccionarlos y usarlos. Barcelona, Spain: Graó.
Díz, M.J. & Fernandez, R. (2015). Criterios para el análisis y
elaboración de materiales didácticos coeducativos para Rodríguez, J. & Montero, L. (2002). Un estudio de las per-
la educación infantil. RELAdEI, Revista Latinoamericana de spectivas y valoraciones del profesorado sobre los mate-
Educación Infantil, 4(1), 105–124. riales curriculares de la LOGSE. Enseñanza, 20, 127–156.
Elkin, M., Sullivn, A. & Umaschi, M. (2014). Implementing Sainz, P. (1993). Los recursos materiales en Educación
a robotics curriculum in an Early Childhood Montessori Infantil. Aula de Educación Infantil, 11, 31–37.
classroom. Journal of Information and Technology
Tanaka, F., Cicourel, A. & Movellan, J.R. (2007). Socialita-
Education: Innovation in Practice, 13, 153–169.
tion between toddlers and robots at an early childhood
Froebel, F. (2005). La educación del hombre. Madrid: Trillas. education center. PNAS, 104(46), 54–58.
Lillard, A. (2010). Montessori and playful learning. Urbina, S. (2004). Los recursos didácticos en la educación
American Journal of Play, 2(2), 157–186. infantil. Comunicación y Pedagogía: Nuevas tecnologías y
Recursos didácticos, 200, 56–60.
Martínez, A. (1993). El aula en Educación Infantil. In V.
García (Ed.). Educación Infantil personalizada. Zabalza, M.A. (2008). Calidad en la educación infantil.
(pp. 225–261). Madrid: Ediciones Rial. Madrid: Narcea.
Zabalza, M.A. (2016). Didáctica de la educación infantil.
Madrid: Narcea.
H. Ramires Jamur, G. da Silva Brito | Use of digital didactic materials in the DL from students’ point of view
Use of digital didactic materials in the DL

from students’ point of view
Helenice Ramires Jamur
UFPR and Centro Universitário Internacional Uninter, Curitiba, Brazil | helenicejamur@hotmail.com
Glaucia da Silva Brito

Federal University of Paraná – UFPR, Curitiba, Brazil | gal.brito@gmail.com
Abstract
In this digital age, it is necessary to understand how cetion of cyberculture of Levy (2010), the concept of
the study habits of university students in distance interaction and cooperation of Belloni (2010) and
education influence the process of digital didactic Primo (2013), and the conception of Freire (1996),
production. In this paper, the main objective is to especially with regard to reflecting on the teaching
identify students’ point of view regarding the use of and learning process. The partial results indicate the
digital educational materials. A questionnaire was importance given by the students to the develop-
applied for data collection, with open and closed ment of cooperative materials, with particular at-
questions, asking students in distance and semi- tention to the co-authorship and to the debate on
distance university courses – in an institution that the realized contents.
develops materials specifically for the digital envi-
Keywords: digital didactic materials,
ronment – about how they use digital materials. In
distance education, hypertext
order to substantiate this study, we chose the con-
1 Introduction
In Brazil, distance education has taken a different path contributes to active and cooperative learning. Area
from face-to-face institutions and basic education (2017) contributes to this reflection by criticizing the
schools in quickly adopting digital technologies. The textbook model that delivers only ready-made and
exponential growth of this modality of education is predefined content to the student, suggesting that
very much due to digital technologies, the Internet and digital didactic materials are an opportunity to review
to Web 2.0, which has enabled interaction between the educational process in a reflective and critical way.
students in fully digital Virtual Learning Environments. The present research is therefore an exploratory
One point that deserves to be widely discussed in dis- study developed as part of a doctoral research that is
tance education is the question of didactic materials. In still in progress, at the Federal University of Paraná,
this modality, didactic materials expand their function, which aims to survey students’ study habits in the
practically merging with the concept of “class” as the modality in question and analyze the possibilities
main source of mediation: since there is not necessarily and desires for interaction, specifically co-authoring,
a teacher present at all times, the conduct of much of from the point of view of the students. The guiding
the educational process is controlled by didactic mate- question of this exploratory study is summarized as
rial, which was elaborated by the teacher. follows: How does the school culture of university
In Brazil, Distance Education Course make exten- students in the distance modality influence the pro-
sive use of audiovisual material in connection with cess of this type of didactic production and allow the
printed materials. In view of this, we wanted to locate creation of other formats of didactic materials?
the points of permanence of the traditional didactic The purpose of this research is to understand how
model, identifying what digital materials are being the reading practices of university students in dis-
used and how students and the school culture influ- tance education course influence and are influenced
ence the choice of materials, and identify on what by the production process of this kind of didactic
basis they are chosen. In the search for a model of ac- materials, making possible or preventing the crea-
tive education, we identified hypertext as a possible tion of other models of didactic materials, produced
ally for the development of teaching material that in a cooperative way.
2 Theoretical foundation
Many surveys, categorized by Perez & Aretio (2014) tance educational materials that appropriate this
as mid-level, deal with aspects of management, or- language will have at their disposal a different form
ganization and technology in distance education, of communication, in which a different method
while micro-level research has been scarce; in this, from traditional textbooks is possible.
the authors include research on teaching and learn- When we speak of this audiovisual material, it
ing in distance education, covering research on ed- is almost obligatory to approach the interactivity
ucational design, interaction and communication present in it. Therefore, in order to define what we
in learning communities and the characteristics of mean by “interactivity” in such materials, we will
students. It is precisely into this research gap that resort to the studies of Primo (2011, 2013) which
our research has inserted. We focused in particular address the term and throw light on this discussion.
on the relation between the production of didactic Primo (1998) refutes the conceptualization that di-
materials – that is, the approach to the educational vides interaction and interactivity, he simplifies the
design – and the characteristics of students, which debate and focuses on human exchanges. Primo
can contribute to changes in digital materials for dis- (2013) suggests classifying hypertext according to
tance learning. its potential for interaction. In a previous study (Ja-
We suggest that through cooperative work, pro- mur and Brito, 2017), such classification served as
moted by the hypertext as didactic material, it is an instrument for analysing digital didactic materi-
possible to make the student the protagonist in the als, as follows:
educational process, following what Freire (1996)
advocates for an emancipatory education. For this Potential hypertext:
A type of hypertext where possible paths and movements
we need to clarify our concept of hypertext. Al- are pre-defined and do not open up space for the
though Landow (1992) and Snyder (1996) are the interacting visitor to include their own texts and images.
best-known authors to discuss hypertext in differ-
ent works, some Brazilian research has also focused Collaborative hypertext:
on updating the concept of hypertext, especially in Those who register on the site and modify the images
postgraduate linguistic programmes. Gomes (2011), previously produced by another artist are involved in a
hypertext. Collaboration is a collage, without discussion
Xavier (2007), Dias (2008), for example, have opted during the creative process.
for a definition of hypertext as text that allows non-
continuous reading, so that are theoretical choices Cooperative hypertext:
of the present work, understanding that hypertext Offers possibilities for collective creation but calls for a
is not restricted to the digital medium, but finds in continuous discussion to modify the product as it is devel-
oped. Unlike collaborative collage, cooperative hypertext
it the technology for its expansion and new reading depends on the debate.
formats. (Adapted from Primo, 2003, pp. 9–13)
So-called “cyberculture” brings with it new ways
of dealing with text. Lévy (2010, pp. 151–152) de-
It should also be noted that in this study we con-
scribes digital hypertext as “the great change”. We
sider “the didactic material as a cultural, physical or
agree with Lévy that language has a new meaning
digital object, developed to generate learning in a
in cyberculture, in which text is not only alphabeti-
specific educational situation” (Area, 2017, p.17).
cal but also iconographic and visual. In this way, dis-
3 Methodology
This exploratory, qualitative study aims to focus the The study is collective, in which the collaborators
study object for the ongoing doctoral research. To were the distance-learning students of a Brazilian
do this, we chose one of the institutions that partici- higher education institution that has more than
pated in the previous study and actually use digital 200 000 students enrolled in this modality. The di-
materials to look for students’ perceptions of the dactic materials used by these students have been
materials. Alves-Mazzotti and Gewandsznajder developed for reading in digital media, that is, a ma-
(1999) explain the importance of exploratory stud- terial with structure, font size and specific format
ies for research, especially in identifying the context for use on mobile devices or computers, without the
to be observed. typical features of print materials (Ferreira, 2008).
In order to collect the information to generate the Part 3: Study routine:

data presented here, a questionnaire was devel- Students’ descriptions of the modality of studying at a
distance and the advantages of digital materials, agreeing
oped, which is available on the google docs plat- or disagreeing on a likert scale. In this section, we also
form. We divided the questionnaire into three parts asked how they navigate hypertext material and the de-
as follows: sires and needs already felt while browsing the material.
Part 1: Sociocultural profile: All questions had space for voluntary contributions
Questions aimed at outlining the profile of students,
devices used to access digital materials. from participants who wished to make other state-
ments, or to enter other options for response.
Part 2: Experience with digital learning materials:
Issues addressing familiarity with digital materials,
frequency and form of use, assessment of the material used
and expectations for the future of digital and
printed materials.
4 Methods and Sample

Participants in the study were distance-learning environment, in which different types of resources
students from a Brazilian institution. This is an in- are used. There are videos, texts, links to other ar-
tentional sample, in which a criterion for selecting ticles available on the Internet, news and in some
collaborators was that the materials used by the in- cases, activities with issues or mini-games.
stitution were prepared specifically for digital medi- In all, 32 students answered the questionnaire
um and not merely in .pdf versions of printed mate- with 21 questions, including multiple-choice for-
rials. The digital didactic materials of this institution mats, open and closed questions.
are a hypermedia available in the virtual learning
5 Results
As a cut of the research in progress, we present the re- perception of this student of an advantage of such
sults of some of the central questions that throw light digital materials in relation to the printed book:
on the question about the hypertextual format and the fact that it has links to other sources of informa-
its relationship with the possibility of co-authorship. tion.
One of the central issues of this exploratory study Another issue that deserves attention was that
was to find out whether having digital materials when I come across links in digital material the re-
specifically designed for this purpose, in the format sponse options were as follows:
of hypermedia, would have any impact on the way
of studying. Four students reported that the materi- a) I click on all of them, but I do not read all the
als did not change their way of studying, while the texts.
remaining 28 confirmed that the format did make b) I open all the links and read all the extra texts.
them change the way they study. Although the stu- c) Jump to the next page without clicking.
dents did not report how their study changed, digi- d) Access only the links of videos, nor click on links
tal culture – unlike printed culture – brings elements to texts.
of interaction that may offer an explanation: the e) I use another technique that I would like to
construction of a certain autonomy of study may be mention. (open field)
one of them. In this perspective, Area (2017) argues
that Internet has as its characteristic the diffusion of This question was intended to consult students on
text that is “open, intangible, interconnected, audio- how they navigate digital materials. Our question was
visual, multimedia and in constant transformation” whether inserting links in these materials takes the
(p. 15). focus of the student to the main content, or whether
Also regarding changes in the way of studying, linear print formats are more useful, or or whether
one student stated: “The material is more compre- this would be wasting the best of the digital medium.
hensive, and I like search links.” This indicates the The answers were among the options a and b.
There were no respondents who jumped to the next It could be said that this was one of the central ques-
page without clicking or who accessed only the vid- tions of the study: believing that the digital medium
eo links, suggesting that although they come from allows cooperation, co-creation, co-authoring, we
a basic “banking” type of education, in the words of wanted to know whether in distance education in
Paulo Freire, the students show interest in the edu- which the teacher is not physically present, or with
cational process, even with all the reading effort re- sporadic classroom lessons, there would be space for
quired when browsing hypertextual materials with this collective construction.
different links. The majority of the students stated that they
We find provocations and different researches would like to contribute their experiences, talk to the
on this subject: Castells (2014) himself deals with author or make a comment to the class; in addition
hypertextuality in his texts from another point of to these, a few responses mentioned the desire to
view, while Ferreira (2008) demonstrates the con- extend their social network.
trary in his studies. But in this cut, empirically, it was This presence of a desire to participate, to be an
still necessary to clarify the question of whether active subject in the educational process, points to
navigation would be differentiated by hypertextual a path, full of obstacles without doubt, but a path
material or not. that can be traced to carry out the walk-in distance
Another highlight of this research were the an- learning that intends to form critical, participative
swers to the following question: subjects and producers of new knowledge, not only
reproducers.
At some point during your studies, in your readings,
you have felt the urge or need to (check how many
responses you wish):
a) Contribute with some of your experience.
b) Ask the author a question.
c) Make a comment with the class.
d) Share a portion at your social media pages.
e) Another ..
6 Considerations about the study

The results, which are still preliminary and only par- als. In addition, we draw attention to the students’
tially analyzed and presented at this conference, revelations regarding the use of links, which is a key
point to the need for students to contribute to digi- feature of digital materials. There are still questions
tal didactic materials through cooperative work. The that require new data to deepen the analysis, and
many answers to the question about their desires the second stage of this investigation is also neces-
when studying that were focused on “Contribute sary, which will be interviews with the students who
with some of your experience”, ”Ask the author a answered the exploratory study. More clues will be
question”, ”Make a comment to the class” indicate investigated in order to understand the relationship
the present and desirable space for the use of co- of the students with digital didactic materials, with
operative materials that allow for co-authorship the critical and reflexive formation, and with the cul-
and for debate about the contents of the materi- tural practices of reading.
References
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nas ciências naturais e sociais: pesquisa quantitativa e tigación y tendencias de la educación a distancia en
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Belloni, M. L. (2007). Educação a distância no Brasil.
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internet, os negócios e a sociedade. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar.
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São Paulo: Parábolas Editorial. Contemporary Critical Theory and Technology. Baltimore:
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Coscarelli, C.V. (2012). Hipertextos na teoria e na prática.
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Ferreira, R. (2008). Interatividade educativa em meios digi-
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N. Hurst | Local culture and beyond in Portuguese-produced English language teaching (ELT) coursebooks
Local culture and beyond in Portuguese-produced English

language teaching (ELT) coursebooks
Nicolas Hurst
University of Porto, Portugal | nrhurst@letras.up.pt
Abstract
The issue of how to deal with ‘culture’ in the con- ‘hidden curriculum’ with respect to cultural content
text of English language teaching materials is not (Cunningsworth, 1995; Hurst, 2008) or the poten-
entirely recent and much debated (Byram, 1997; tially hegemonic socio-political dimension of inter-
Akbari, 2008). Seminal work in the field includes national coursebooks (Holliday, 1994; Gray, 2002).
Kramsch (1993) who has extensively discussed the However, within the context of Portuguese-pro-
importance of culture, cultural space, the indivisibil- duced ELT materials, research is less widely available.
ity of culture and language and learner identity. Our
Keywords: English language teaching; cultural con-
attention has also been drawn to the dangers of a
tent; coursebooks; Portugal.
1 Introduction
The centrality of coursebooks in the educational More recently, the leading figure in ELT materials
context has long been recognised, in general, as well development research, Brian Tomlinson, also con-
as in the specific context of English language teach- firmed the continuing persistence of this view, while
ing (ELT). For example, Robert O’Neil, a successful emphasising different lines of argument:
ELT coursebook author and methodologist in the
1970s and 1980s stated: Proponents of the coursebook argue that it is a cost-effec-
tive way of providing the learner with security, progress
and revision, whilst at the same time saving precious time
[…] the use of published textbook materials as a basis on and offering teachers the resources they need to base their
which to mould the unpredictable interaction that is neces- lessons on. (Tomlinson, 2012a: 158)
sary to classroom language learning. It is also suggested
that learners who do not work from textbooks may be de-
prived of a useful medium of orientation and study outside
the classroom. (O’Neil, 1982: 104)
2 Coursebooks and Teaching

Indeed, not a few teachers would say that it is the results of an online survey indicated that 59.48%
impossible to teach without a coursebook and for of parents considered coursebooks to be ‘very impor-
not a few learners (with limited economic resources) tant’ in helping them to accompany the schoolwork
coursebooks provide their only opportunity to read of their children (ibid: 8) and 94.61% of parents actu-
and be in touch with the printed word (with liter- ally consult their children’s coursebooks to ascertain
acy being among the highest rated values in con- what their children are doing at school (ibid: 9). This
temporary European society). Among the general research further demonstrates that parents also learn
public, great trust is placed in the authority of the from the children’s coursebooks, that the subject mat-
coursebook, perhaps even to the extent that what ter of coursebooks provides topics of conversation
the coursebook says has more validity than what among family members, that parents usually use the
the teacher says. Indeed, many parents pay out large coursebook if they want to help their children study,
sums of money each year to corroborate this status that most parents (79.17%) prefer coursebooks to
(perhaps some 150–200 euros per child). other educational resources (ibid: 14) and concludes
Research in Portugal (Dias de Carvalho & Fadigas, that Portuguese parents consider the coursebook is “a
2009) indicates that coursebooks play an important learning resource which cannot be dispensed with in
role in the relationship between schools and parents: the education of their children” (ibid: 23) .
3 ELT coursebooks in Portugal

In the Portuguese ELT coursebook market both inter- ELT materials production (see Tomlinson, 2012b:
national and local publishers compete for the same 271 for a succinct summary of six pedagogical prin-
sales but while international publishers have by no ciples), are then replicated in Portuguese-produced
means the upper-hand in the Portuguese market, coursebooks since they are competing within the
they at the same time exercise considerable influ- same national market.
ence over the type of coursebook made available However, in relation to ‘cultural content’ in ELT
to the local market. The levels of competition and coursebooks, much of the published research has
demands of a global market mean an international focussed on two distinct strands. Firstly, research
coursebook has to evidence both very high quality has examined international coursebooks produced
production values, as Tomlinson (2012b: 171) notes: in the UK or USA for the international market; for
“[i]n my experience of language classrooms in over example, see Gray (2002 & 2010); Ulrich (2004)
60 countries, global textbooks attract teachers and or Caukill (2011). Or, secondly, the research has fo-
learners everywhere because of their high produc- cused on how particular examples of these publica-
tion values and face validity” as well as an almost tion function in specific teaching-learning (national)
‘teacher-proof’ approach to the use of coursebooks, contexts; for example, Basbe (2006) on Argentina or
a characteristic which was identified long ago by Arikan (2005) on Turkey. In contrast, my previous
Swan (1992), quoted in Hutchinson and Torres research which provides the academic context for
(1994: 33) and requoted in Bell and Gower (1998: this paper focused on a specific teaching context,
116) “books sometimes take important decisions Portugal, only coursebooks produced specifically by
regarding the whats and hows of teaching out of local authors/publishers and a specific conceptual
the hands of teachers who, having been absolved of issue: How has cultural representation evolved over
responsibility, then sit back and simply <operate the time (1981–2006) in these Portuguese-produced ELT
system>”. These characteristics, along with the im- coursebooks?
plied de-prioritising of pedagogical values that drive
4 The research background

This recent research (Hurst, 2014a) used a corpus change, the corpus was also moulded by a variety
of four sets of three coursebooks, each set taken to issues, initially their physical availability/existence,
represent a particular response to a moment of cur- but also by a concern not to analyse coursebooks
ricular change in relation to ELT in the third cycle (7th, still currently on the market, which might produce
8th and 9th grades) of compulsory education in Portu- commercially sensitive information; and also by an
gal. This cycle of education is the only one which has ethical concern to avoid conflicts of interest, given
consistently maintained ELT in its curricula over the that the corpus contained only Portuguese-pro-
period since the political upheaval in Portugal as- duced coursebooks, written by local authors, gen-
sociated with the revolution of 25th April 1974 until erally experienced teachers from the state sector,
2006. In addition to its intention to reflect curricular some of whom were still working in local schools.
5 ELT and the concept of culture

Definitions of ‘culture’ are not in short supply; rang- language) is not derived from a desire to understand
ing from distinctions between ‘high’ and ‘popular’, these phenomena as mental processes or abstract
between ‘explicit and ‘implicit’, between ‘visible’ structures but rather to include an anthropologi-
and ‘invisible’, between ‘material’ and ‘immaterial’ cal perspective within our understanding: culture
or even between capital ‘C’ and small ‘c’ culture. is a “historically transmitted pattern of meanings
However, culture has many more dimensions than embodied in symbols, a system of inherited con-
a simple dichotomy can explain (Hurst, 2014b). Cul- ceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of
ture is a social context in which people live out their which men communicate, perpetuate, and develop
lives in the real world: from the point of view of lan- their knowledge about and their attitudes toward
guage teaching any interest in the culture (and the life” (Geertz, 1973: 89). Language and culture are
social phenomena which are shared by all humanity exist without the other (culture) and that this reality
and lie at the centre of our social life. “Human culture should therefore be mirrored in language teaching
always includes language, and human language can- materials produced for the classroom context.
not be conceived without culture. Linguistic practice
is always embedded in some cultural context or To speak a language well, one has to be able to think in that
language, and thought is extremely powerful. A person’s
other” (Risager, 2006: 4). The real world demands mind is in a sense the centre of his identity, so if a person
that language users are in some way culturally com- thinks in English way in order to speak English, one might
petent to an equal degree that they are linguistically say that he has, in a way, almost taken on an English
identity. That is the power and the essence of a language.
competent and perhaps that one (language) cannot Language is culture. (Wang, 2008: 59)
6 Specific ELT coursebook research in Portugal

Hurst (2014a) examined in depth the way culture prehension, while superficially appealing is also not
was represented in a specific corpus of coursebooks necessarily productive in the long term since full
following the guideline that representation is “the comprehension is rarely required in ‘real world’ con-
production of meaning through language, discourse texts of language use. In relation to reading texts,
and image” (Hall, 1997: 16). In this research, ‘lan- there is a discernible shift away from artificial ‘class
guage’ was interpreted as an analysis of dialogues texts’ produced by the coursebook authors or their
present in the corpus, reading texts were taken to associates to more authentic (web-sourced?) texts
be ‘discourse’ and the coursebook illustrations were but with little variety in terms of type of text, the
‘image’. The analysis of the dialogues was informed majority being descriptive or expository and lit-
by reference to Leech (1998) and Gilmore (2004); the tle concern to do anything more with the ‘content’
analysis of the reading texts was informed by refer- than to show/describe what people do (in order
ence to Stern (1993), Byram (1993), Rivas (1999) to ‘cover’ the topics laid down in the national pro-
and Corbet (2003); and the illustrations were ana- gramme) but with little regard to the belief/value
lysed following inspiration from Perales & Jiménez systems that affect/govern the way people act/live.
(2002), Hill (2003) and Keddie (2009). The research Rarely are learners been confronted with issues re-
is an original attempt to discern how the verbal and lated to identity and beliefs, the fundamental ele-
visual elements are ‘connected’ in the production of ments of any inclusive approach to cultural under-
cultural representation. standing and interculturality. Finally, in relation to
In general, major improvements occurred be- illustrations, the enhanced production quality and
tween 1989 and 2006 in relation to the overall increased use of colour photographs found in the
pedagogical quality of ELT coursebooks produced in more recent publications belies the continued dis-
Portugal with respect to cultural representation. For connect with any pedagogical purpose: illustrations
example, in relation to dialogues, there was found to remain largely decorative in function. But using
be an almost total lack of vernacular language which illustrations as prompts without necessarily
negates learners the opportunity to experience how having any associated specific language input
different socio-cultural identities are negotiated as (vocabulary matching exercise?) could certainly can
it is through such informal talk that degrees of soli- cause learners to produce and provide their teach-
darity with social groups are established and main- ers with evidence/information as to how to proceed
tained (Thornbury & Slade, 2006). Learners need in order to build on what the learners already know.
to become increasingly aware of the importance of These coursebooks would have been greatly en-
‘meaning’ (in its broadest sense) and how it is con- hanced by requiring the learners to confront and re-
veyed and not just how ‘form’ is constructed. The act to the illustrations rather than just look at them
idea that a simplified non-authentic dialogue gives in passing as they work on texts or exercises.
the learners a better chance of achieving full com-
7 Recent developments
By way of updating the research referred to above, of a pair-work activity. In Spotlight 1 (2010, 38-39),
3 more recent editions of Portuguese-produced 7th there is potential to explore 5 texts about ‘Fami-
grade ELT coursebooks were examined for the pur- lies around the world’ but the main task consists
pose of my IARTEM presentation in Lisbon (in Sep- of matching colour photographs with these texts:
tember 2017). The coursebooks were ‘New Wave 1’ a minefield of stereotypes is made available to the
(2011 edition), ‘New Getting On 7’ (2011 edition) and learners which a novice or underprepared teacher
‘Spotlight 1’ (2010 edition). Under consideration here would find hard to avoid. In any case, the subsequent
then is a qualitative analysis of how these course- activities highlight possessive determiners and the
books deal with cultural representation in the unit- possessive case before allowing the learners to lis-
sized topic of Home-Family Life, as determined by ten to 3 teenagers talking about their families and
the national programme for the 3rd cycle. The confer- then, finally, writing a ‘short text’ about their fam-
ence presentation format allowed time for the only ily. The aim having a strong focus on cultural content
two perspectives to be discussed: how the topic is is not to change the learners’ identities, rather it is
initially introduced and how the topic is further de- about providing opportunities for the learners to
veloped in subsequent activities. become better equipped to construct their own self
The materials/activities from these coursebooks (Risager, 2006). There is no need for English teach-
do not help learners to become more aware, more re- ers and learners to become in any way auxiliaries for
flective, more critical and more equipped to perform some kind of cultural or linguistic English-speaking
their own meanings, as is expected of transcultural empire (Edge, 2006). Learners need to be engaged
users of language incorporating the role of cultural in the social practice of using the English language
mediators (Zarate et al, 2004). In New Wave 1 (2011, while at the same time respecting the local eco-
22–24), there is no attempt to focus on the cultural nomic, social and educational context (Pennycook,
content: the family in question is fictional (The Mim- 1994).
sons, an attempt to invoke TV’s The Simpsons?) and A general conclusion about these examples is
the main task is match snippets of text with the that local writers/publishers need to re-formulate
cartoon illustrations. There are 6 true/false ‘com- their concept of ‘target culture’ towards a more in-
prehension’ questions and then the focus shifts ternational model which does not imply a cultural
to possessive adjectives which are again required/ approximation or assimilation but rather adopts a
demanded in the ‘development task’ of writing 5 more dynamic, intercultural slant. Learning English
sentences about ‘your family’. In New Getting On 7 in this educational context, the 7th grade in the Por-
(2011, 42–43), there are more opportunities to ex- tuguese state school system, has little or nothing to
plore the content, at the Lead-in stage and through do with so-called ‘integrative motivation’. The at-
the provision of more substantial, richer texts. How- titude to ‘cultural content’ is still rather tangential
ever, the subsequent ‘comprehension’ questions or incidental; there needs to be more recognition of
are a matter of matching phrases to speakers in the centrality of cultural content, since content rich
the texts and vocabulary work. The ‘development materials are far more likely to provoke language rich
phase’ basically repeats the Lead-in but in the form responses.
8 Future tendencies
As we move towards increasingly digital, multime- them to develop a critical cultural awareness by
dia, interactive formats of materials delivery, deal- themselves. Coursebook writers must adapt to this
ing with cultural representation will mutate into new era and its almost limitless resources in ways
something even more dynamic and complex. We that are still hard to imagine, but which represent a
have to reject representations that see culture as huge opportunity in helping learners to learn in dif-
something static, homogeneous and apolitical, that ferent ways. For example, the availability of online
communities either have or do not have (Canale, dictionaries could radically reset the lexical range/
2016). Increasingly, learners of English in Portugal, coverage and level of difficulty of some reading
and around the world, will have access to authentic texts; or the instant availability of video clips, that
materials through digital technologies via the Inter- provide a degree of contextualization that no 2D
net that are not coursebook derived and that enable resource can achieve, could reset the way practice
activities are set up. However, computer assisted lan- function, as they represent ‘stability’ and ‘structure’
guage learning (CALL) and teaching software have (Parrish & Linder-VanBerschoot, 2010), an impor-
not turned out to be the educational panacea that tant epistemological value within the educational
some authors had predicted (Mukundan & Nime- system in Portugal which has been subject of much
hchisalem, 2008, 2011), neither have coursebooks uncertainty and hierarchically imposed change since
disappeared, perhaps because of their symbolic 1974.
9 Conclusions
ELT coursebooks are characterised by their use of books are undoubtedly cost and time effective edu-
the target language to organise and direct the way cational instruments which through necessity form
the learners (and teachers) approach the proposed the basis of many classes delivered in heavily loaded
classroom activities aimed at teaching the target ELT timetables. However, coursebooks should not
language. The instructions, the exercises rubrics and be taken at ‘face value’ (i.e., they are just a means
so on are formulated in the L2 in such a way as to to teach another school subject, a foreign language):
be clearly understandable and ‘doable’; there can they are dynamic, cultural artefacts which should
be no room for doubt otherwise the lesson will not be critically reviewed and evaluated in a much more
proceed smoothly. In addition to this collateral ‘ex- systematic manner. Coursebook writers and their
posure’, learners must experience and practice the publishers should be much more engaged with the
language through a wide range of communicative teachers (and learners) who actually make use of the
events: this is a sociocultural perspective on learn- coursebooks; for example, user feedback should be
ing. The coursebook should ‘scaffold’ learning, pro- much systematized and influential than is currently
viding support for collaborative learning experienc- the case.
es as well as explicit teaching (Horsley & Walker, Coursebook writers in Portugal still have an im-
2006). portant role to play; their responsibilities should also
Coursebooks must include a greater variety of ex- include re-training and development sessions so
ercises and texts, place more emphasis on the au- that the creative spark that guides the production of
thenticity of the language modelled and employed, their materials. Writers must take into account new
use more visuals to help transmit meaning and insights from research in the field rather than simply
construct meaningful contexts. The predominant perpetuate a strong-selling format (an increasingly
position of local publishers in the Portuguese mar- glossy, teacher-targeted package). In the same light,
ket allows for a more contextualised educational re- publishers should also be more willing to evalu-
source which takes on board these insights, broadly ate their ‘products’ using criteria other than sales
speaking to ‘humanise’ the materials more, to allow figures.
more ‘space’ for personalization and choice. Course-
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S. López Gómez & J. Rodríguez Rodríguez | Videogames and education: initial reflections from a review of international research
Videogames and education: initial reflections from a review of

international research carried out between 2010 and 2016.
Silvia López Gómez,
University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, silvia.lopez.gomez@rai.usc.es

University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, jesus.rodriguez.rodriguez@usc.es
Abstract
IOur aim was to review the international literature fects, such as aggressiveness, was widely studied,
regarding research carried out on videogames and as were the cognitive effects on users such as mo-
education. The principal objective was to identify tivation, attention and problem-solving. An increase
the main lines of research in the field, focusing our was also observed in the number of publications on
attention on work published since 2010. For this the design and evaluation of videogames specifically
purpose, the study sample consisted of publications developed for the learning of curricular contents.
included in the following academic search engines Recent lines of research include the effects of vide-
and databases: TESEO, ERIC, REBIUN, ProQuest Dis- ogames on students with functional diversity, the
sertations & Theses Global, Dialnet, CSIC-ISOC and use of videogames to increase physical activity, and
ScienceDirect. After analyzing the contents of the the creation of videogames by students themselves
documents, we identified nine major lines of re-
Keywords: Videogames; Education;
search. It was observed that the relationship be-
Lines of research.
tween videogames and potential behavioural ef-
1 Introduction
In the early 90s, research on video games began to pro- The studies involving lines of research arising from the
liferate and diversify. Studies arose from fields such as relation between videogames and education have fo-
psychology, technology, philosophy, and sociology. The cused mostly on research carried out in the 80s and
fact that researchers approached the study of video 90s, but there is a lack of analysis regarding research
games from diverse backgrounds has generated a va- carried out since the year 2000. What has been pub-
riety of research lines, including those related to video lished usually involves specific periods in recent years
games and education. and specific aspects, but not the general perspective of
video games and education. And thus arises the need
for and relevance of our study.
2 Objective
The aim of this article is to carry out a review of the identify the main lines of research in this field, paying
international literature regarding research on video special attention to publications since the year 2010.
games and education. The principal objective is to
3 Methodology
We did a systematic search of video games and edu- We did not restrict the search in terms of publication
cation, in order to determine what was being investi- date, and we selected papers in Spanish and English.
gated and what was being overlooked in this area. The The search used terms such as: “serious games”, “video
search was carried out in the following databases: TE- games", “videogames” and “videojuegos” combined
SEO, ERIC, REBIUN, PROQUEST, DIALNET, CSIC and Sci- with “education” or “educación”.
enceDirect.
A total of 2237 references were found, of which 366 Therefore, most were carried out by novice research-
were considered relevant because they addressed ers during their period of training.
the effects of using digital games in teaching-learn- We should point out that it was difficult to com-
ing processes. pare and generalize the results obtained in the dif-
For the content analysis of the documents, we ferent lines of research. The study conclusions were
used a deductive-inductive category construction very diverse, as were the study criteria and the vari-
process taking into account the issue with the main ables analyzed. Moreover, there was lack of agree-
issue in each publication. ment among authors regarding issues such as game
Many of these empirical investigations arose from genres, and research was carried out in diverse con-
theses and dissertations in American universities. texts.
4 Results
We have organized the lines of research in the field of > Frequent: Learning a language. For example:
video games and education as follows: Sandberg, Maris & Hoogendoorn (2014);
Vanderburg (2015); Perry (2015).
1. Procedures and tools for the development of > Curricular subjects: History; Physics; Chemistry;
educational video games. Mathematics; Language; Nature; Geography;
2. Efficacy of video games created Biology... For example: Magnussen, Hansen,
by the research team itself. Planke & Sherson (2014); Smith (2014);
3. Effects of video games. De Castro (2015).
4. Educational strategies for the use of video > Transversal: Prevention and/or treatment of drug
games in education. abuse; Computer Programming; Sex education;
5. Perceptions regarding the use of video games Internet security; Coexistence at school...
as didactic resources. For example: Kamberi (2015); Chaudron,
6. Profiles of video game players. Di Gioia, Gemo & Lagae (2015).
7. Video game content analysis. > Higher Education: Bacteriology; Hydrocheology;
8. Video game user habits. Construction processes... For example: Sugimura
9. Creation of video games in the classroom. et al. (2014).
> Health. For example: AlJaberi (2010);
We will briefly explain each of the above and make Saksono (2014).
reference to sample publications. > Others: Theater; Hockey; Support for inter-
generational games... For example: Siyahhan
1. Procedures and tools for the development (2011).
of educational video games
This includes studies involving the design of methodol- 3. The effects of video games
ogies to guide the design and evaluation of education- These study the effects of video games on:
al video games or provide frameworks for the develop- > People with functional diversity. Among children
ment of video games. For example: Manrubia (2014); with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down Syn-
Torrente (2014); Xu (2015); Padilla et al. (2015). drome, Specific Speech Disorders, Attention Deficit
Within this category we also include studies focusing Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), etc… Focusing on
on the specific elements of game design. For example, cognitive functions (memory and executive func-
the features that video games should possess in order tions), classroom participation, attention… For ex-
to be attractive to students, if having a storyline im- ample: Armendarez (2015); Rodríguez-Jiménez
proves games, if game aesthetics can have a significant (2015).
impact on learning outcomes, and so on. For example: > Reseach on the potential harmful effects of high
Cagiltay, Ozcelik & Ozcelik (2015); Zeglen (2015). levels of video game use. For example: Brom, et
al. (2014); Maras et al. (2015); Demirtas, Ulasb
2. Efficacy of video games created & Kizildagc (2015).
by the research team itself > Research on how learning and school performance
These studies focus on describing video games devel- may be affected. For example: Barron (2015),
oped and evaluating their effectiveness. Zhao & Linaza (2015), Cipollone (2015).
> And research on the potential benefits of active > Family (parents ...) For example: Friedrichs,
video games (based on the movement) in terms of Gross, Herde & Sander (2015).
increasing physical activity among students. For > Video game users. For example: Del Moral &
example: Vernadakis, Papastergiou, Zetou & Guzmán (2015).
Antoniou (2015). > Video game specialists. For example: Alias,
Rosman, Rahman & Dewitt (2015).
4. Educational strategies for the

use of video games in education 6. Profiles of video game players
The purpose of these studies is to determine how to These studies analyze the sociological and psycho-
use video games (commercial) as didactic materials. logical characteristics of video game players by com-
Within this category, the studies have been classi- paring them to non-players.
fied into 3 subcategories: They aim to understand behavior, motivations,
> Analyze how to introduce video games into the conduct, preferences, game habits, profiles...
classroom. For example: Monjelat (2013); For example: Navarrete & Molina (2015); Haddad
Méndez & Lacasa (2015). (2016).
> Investigate the role of teachers as guides in
game-based learning scenarios within train-
ing processes. For example: Quintanal (2014); 7. Video game content analysis
Huerta & Portela (2015); Del Moral & Fernán- These studies analyze the characteristics of video
dez-García (2015); Shah (2015). games already developed.
> Make proposals for instructing families on the They analyze structure, genre, implicit messages,
healthy use of video games. For example: Alles transmitted contents and values, plot, behavior of
(2013). the protagonists, clothes, actions that take place,
scenography, lighting, rules of the game, and so on.
Some of these studies use specific tools for analysis.
5. Perceptions regarding the use of video For example: González-Tardón (2014); Planells
games as didactic resources (2015).
These studies investigate opinions on the potential
benefits of video games for learning and perceptions
regarding their use in the classroom. They also ana- 8. User habits
lyse the assessments regarding particular games. These present the findings of surveys conducted
The research focuses on one or more of these groups. regarding the number of hours played per week,
> Teaching staff in compulsory education. platforms used, favorite games, etc... For example:
For example: Takeuchi & Vaala (2014). Muñoz-Miralles et al. (2014); Rehbein, Staudt,
> Students in compulsory education. For example: Hanslmaier & Kliem (2016).
Bourgonjon, Valcke, Soetaert & Schellens
(2010).
> Future education professionals. For example: 9. Creation of video games in the classroom
Marín-Díaz, López-Pérez & Maldonado-Berea These studies aim to demonstrate the knowledge
(2015); Wu (2015). and skills that students can acquire by design-
> University students and teachers in general. ing their own digital games: academic learning
For example: Riemer & Schrader (2015); (mathematics), critical media literacy, creativity,
Bossolasco, Enrico, Casanova & Enrico (2015); digital literacy, motivation, ...
Elmgreen (2015). They propose models for teaching computer pro-
gramming. For example: Molins et al. (2014); Lamb,
Annetta & Vallet (2015).
Conclusions
To finalize, we would like to simply highlight some showing the potential of this methodology for
findings and conclusions: acquiring learning and developing skills related
> Regarding the research analyzing the possible to digital literacy, mathematics and science, cre-
negative effects of playing video games, no ativity, logic, computational thinking and social
empirical studies have been found that categori- skills. Most researchers agree that game design
cally assert that video games cause addiction, can have a positive effect on learning.
violence, problems for physical or mental health, > Insofar as video game content analysis, there
school failure, or similar. Nevertheless, recom- continues to be a prepoderance of male charac-
mendations are made for limiting consumption ters in videogames, and despite signs of change,
due to the exponential increase in video game sexist stereotypes still endure.
use. In addition, there are recommendations for > In spite of the numerous advantages listed in
education to promote critical consumption of publications and studies regarding the use of
media. video games as teaching materials at all educa-
Over the years, educational video games have been tional levels, teachers point out barriers to their
criticized by various scholars. With the populariza- use such as the following:
tion of serious games that approach the level of > Insufficient teacher training for using video
commercial video games (mainly in terms of graph- games in the classroom.
ic design), the negative opinions regarding these > The low quality of digital educational games.
digital games designed for didactic purposes has be- > Negative perceptions on the part of parents.
gun to diminish. > Lack of technological support.
> Regarding research on the use of video games > The inadaptation of games to the curricula.
and sedentary lifestyles, many authors suggest > Students are not always aware of the learning
that there are advantages to using video games they acquire, nonetheless, they are enthusiastic
based on movement in physical education class- about the potential for the integration of games
rooms to increase students’ physical activity, but into formal education.
the question remains whether this motivational > There is considered to be a lack of empirical
effect will endure over time. In general, European studies focusing on the effects of digital games
and American research on the relationship be- in the classroom, and a scarcity of research re-
tween video game use and childhood obesity lated to the methodological strategies for using
conclude that there is no significant relationship, video games in the school context.
but these studies contrast with Asian results. > Video games are still an untapped resource in
In this line of research, there is a need for empiri- the field of education, and this will remain the
cal studies based on the opportunities and limi- case until adequate resources are provided for
tations of using video games on mobile devices teachers, such as: video games that are more
and comparing those that use (or not) geoloca- effective from an educational standpoint (open,
tion and Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, holo- adaptable, addressing a variety of different
grams or even wearables. needs, with positive social values, and so on);
> Insofar as emerging lines of research, the crea- and until adequate support is provided for video
tion of video games by students themselves is game use and analysis.
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Editors??????
Changing media –
Musicschools?
changing and arts
IARTEM 2017
M. Prais de Aguiar Marim Gois, G. G. Ballande Romanelli | A survey of educational materials for children’s choirs
A survey of educational materials for children’s choirs

with an emphasis on playfulnes
Micheline Prais de Aguiar Marim Gois
Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil | michelinegois@gmail
Guilherme Gabriel Ballande Romanelli

Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil | guilhermeromanelli@ufpr.br
Abstract
This study addresses one of the interfaces of PhD is, past the narrow prescriptions of a program, the
research in Music (Music Education and Cognition) vehicle of a value system, an ideology, a culture.
in the post-graduate program in music at Paraná Therefore, the goal is to find evidence on the results
University (UFPR), Brazil. Choir singing is an activity of ludic actions in books and/or teaching handbooks
practiced all over the world in the most varied for- on choir conducting, resources that promote musi-
mations and with different objectives. However, the cal knowledge and which, at the same time, provide
focus of this project is on children’s choir singing. In children’s choirs conductors and musical educators
this project, we explain some of the theoretical dis- with a new outlook on the possibilities of instru-
cussions on the aspects and effects of playfulness mentation as an applicable educational process.
through interventions in the practice of children’s
Keywords: Children´s Choir; Playfulness;
choir singing, such as the use and handling of text-
Choir Conducting Textbook/Handbook
books. According to Choppin (2004), the textbook
1 Introduction
In light of the theme “The Playful Dimension in the tice of children’s choir based on the use and han-
Training and Professional Practice of the Choir Con- dling of textbooks intended for this purpose. From
ductor,” among the many ways of looking at it, we Choppin´s studies (2004) we draw attention to the
explore the role of playfulness in choir conductor textbook seen as an educational tool. In addition, it
training. It is known that practical work with children becomes clear that the book is a necessary teaching
is, or should be, permeated by ludic activities. In fact, resource.
as previously observed in research carried out for my In order to achieve the research objectives, the
Masters1 degree, it actually is. Having said that, the methodological approach used was bibliographical
question is: where does it come from? When inves- investigation, in the form of an essay, based on the
tigating the professional training and actual practice conversation between the Music Education litera-
of children’s choir conductors, one notices that it is ture and the Books and Textbooks literature that is
not found in choir conductors´ technical and aca- still in an initial stage, also taking into account the
demic training textbooks. Hence the concern and development stage of the research project.
conciliation between the research theme and the After the bibliographical review, an empirical
investigation about the textbooks that substantiate study that is still under development and is charac-
this practice. terized by the its closeness with the field of study
One of the interfaces of the research, as already in its practice will follow, to identify important sta-
mentioned, is the reflection on the playful aspects tistical data on playfulness in the choir conductor´s
of and in the training of children’s choir conductors. training and professional practices as indispensa-
From this perspective, we propose to elucidate as- ble knowledge when it comes to teaching music to
pects and effects of playfulness in the musical prac- children.
2 Music and the Textbook

By means of a survey on the production of textbooks a critical analysis of the textbook cannot be isolated
for teaching music all through the history of Music from the general context of the Brazilian education
Education in Brazil, the importance of the textbook system. Thus, from the analysis of several aspects
as part of the pedagogical process becomes clear of these textbooks, it is possible to reach a broader
owing to its relationship with and presence in the dimension, considering the music teaching textbook
classroom, in addition to its role in the acquisition of as a cultural object that reflects the history of Brazil-
knowledge, which can happen in many ways, be it ian Music Education in its complexity.
mediated by the teacher or through direct reading The textbook is then perceived as an active media-
(Romanelli, 2018). Analysis is seen as an important tor in the process of construing concepts, behaviors,
mechanism to find out about the several dimen- and thoughts about the Brazilian musical culture,
sions of music teaching, the context in which it hap- and that it should not be dissociated from its broad-
pens, the student-teacher relationship and knowl- er meaning, which involves pedagogical, economic,
edge field. The possibility of examining the thoughts and political-ideological aspects.
relating to a given historical and cultural point in Based on this investigation and analysis, the
time and the teaching trends and educational poli- textbook is seen as an important reference for un-
cies that influence this production become evident derstanding the teacher’s relationship with music
in this process. This idea restricts the understanding teaching, the student’s relationship with the con-
of the book as a cultural object that may contain the tent, and the relationship of practice with the edu-
representation of a certain period and its context cational policies, and its relevance for the construc-
(Teuber et al., 2015). tion of knowledge and representations, which are
In view of the historical facts, it can be said that often mediated by the contact with and the reading
books still belong to an area that is very little studied of books.
in Brazil. From this perspective, it is understood that
3 In the Book and in Practice

Many research projects register the different spaces Godoy (2007) complements this notion by saying
where the process of music teaching and learning that choir practice is a vehicle for the development
takes place, and the different ways in which it hap- of musical skills and knowledge. Thus, the teaching
pens. It is important to emphasize that there has of music and choir practice are inseparably intercon-
been an increase in the scope of Music Education in nected, where the conductor is a teacher that must
the most different contexts. Kraemer (2000) places organize the choir for educational purposes. For
Musical Education within these new spaces, observ- Godoy (2007, p. 3), the conductor “must also be a
ing that it is an area of “knowledge that “deals with competent educator”.
the relationships between a person(s) and music The growth of children´s choir practice has cre-
under appropriation and transmission aspects” ated different access possibilities to the universe of
(Kraemer, 2000, p. 52). art and music. Conversely, it also leads to the emer-
Currently, these multiple spaces and possibili- gence of concerns and referrals within a musical
ties have broadened the field of study. Studies and and educational perspective. The different contexts,
research in the field of musical education point where the educational-musical practices are in-
to choir singing as a space for teaching and learn- cluded by way of choir singing, generate discussions
ing music. Therefore, thinking about music educa- that emphasize pedagogical-musical practice issues,
tion through choir practice would mean seeking an but which also deal with the conductor´s training to
awareness of the time in which we live and think- exercise his/her functions.
ing about the parties involved in this complex and In children’s choir practice, authors like Rao (1993),
dynamic historical-cultural context. Leck (1995), Campos (1997), Schimiti (2003), Lack-
Figueiredo (2006) states that the experience of schevitz (2006), and Lima (2007), approach the
singing in a choir favors the development of musical- theme through their professional experiences in
ity and the capacity to communicate using the voice the area, stressing that the conductor must be at-
in a process of musical education, which is a set of tentive to the needs that are a consequence of his
practical stimuli to sensitize the person to music. activity. Considering that “the child learns by play-
ing and when playing he/she is happy” (Cely, 1997, comes to playfulness in the children’s choir context.
127), the reflection is deepened by studies about the Their theoretical contribution comes from a wider
presence of playfulness in the conductor’s formative view of children’s culture, understanding it as an au-
process to perform his/her practical functions in the thentic field of human behavior. For those authors,
children’s choir. the playfulness is a central aspect of the culture,
Some authors, directly or indirectly, have contri- particularly during the infancy.
buted to the discussion about the children’s choir The ideas of the authors presented above allow us
as a space of learning through playful interventions to look at musical practice in the form of children’s
involving games and playing, in a broader perspec- choir singing as a relevant educational-musical pro-
tive, which includes the pedagogical-musical ques- posal. However, it can be observed that little is said
tion: Schimiti (2003) warns us that in working with about practical actions based or with an emphasis
children it is necessary to realize that abstract theo- on playfulness regarding the training of the chil-
ries, if replaced by more concrete references, bring dren’s choir conductor. It is clear that playfulness
a more immediate result, a more secure and playful is present in the conductor´s teaching practice, but
understanding; Figueiredo (1990) shows the im- not so in the conductor´s training. The premise here
portance of adequate rehearsal preparation from is that in the relationships children establish among
an educational standpoint. A pleasurable and well- themselves, a way of being and acting in the world
founded practice will stimulate constant search is irrevocably consecrated: playing. This is a funda-
for activity and improvement (apud Gois, 2015); mental element that characterizes the specificity of
Lakschevitz (2006) calls attention to the conductor´s children’s cultures and constitutes a central factor
attitudes and procedures used when working with intrinsic to the very idea of childhood (Sarmento,
children, pointing out that “pleasure, games, play- 2002). Therefore, playfulness is an essential knowl-
ing” should always be present (Lakschevitz, 2006, edge for the conductor in his/her children’s choir
pp. 55–56). Authors like Huizinga (2001), Macedo teaching practice.
(2003), and Brougère (1998) are references when it
4 From Book to Practice

From what has been seen so far, in the investigation music as an autonomous subject-matter integrated
and research analysis process, the textbook is under- to other artistic languages as their principle and, in
stood as an important reference to understand the the 80’s, textbooks became the main segment of
relationships between teacher and music teaching, the Brazilian publishing market, with features that
student and content, and practice and educational differentiated them from textbooks from previous
policies, since it is recognized as relevant to the con- periods, where “music teaching has witnessed the
struction of knowledge and representations that are emergence of recreational and playful practices
often mediated by the contact with and the reading that totally escape the issues and objectives proper
of these books. to music” (Loureiro, 2003, p. 72), owing to the mul-
The textbook is then perceived as an active media- tipurpose proposal that prevailed in that period. In
tor in the construction process of concepts, behav- the 1990s they exhibit new characteristics owing to
iors, and thoughts about Brazilian musical culture, the importance ascribed to audiovisual resources.
and so it should not be dissociated from its broader This fact is related to the technological advances
meaning, which involves pedagogical, economic, and the possibilities presented by these resources in
and political-ideological aspects. education.
Historically, based on the substitution of Or- After the changes approved in August 2008, ac-
pheonic Singing for music education, the influence cording to Law 11,769, whereby music became a
of the twentieth-century artistic currents, and mandatory subject-matter, a series of issues began
the increased interest of musicians in education to be underscored. Education came to be seen from
(Fonterrada, 2008, p.214), production is linked with a broader human development perspective. Music is
the legislation and with the new features acquired now understood in its theoretical and historical as-
by music education, resulting in the growth and sig- pects, and sensitive to its musical elements (that is,
nificant diversification of the Brazilian didactic pro- the elements of sound) in the musical pieces heard,
duction. Later, in the 60’s and 70’s, some works have including their historical and cultural context, with-
out neglecting emotions and impressions. Musical books is renewed by the demands of the market, by
Education is then seen as essential for the develop- the change in children’s behavior and the renewal of
ment of cognitive, psychomotor, emotional, affec- the school, and by the context to which it belongs
tive, and consequential skills for socialization. Influ- (Souza, 1997, p. 10).
enced by this new momentum, the production of
5 Conclusions
The study reported herein reveals, all the way regarding gestures and moments during rehearsal,
through musical education, the development of a but when it comes to the applicability to the chil-
proposal that converses with practice. It acknowl- dren’s choir context, nothing could be found.
edges the existence of different notions and practic- Until then, thinking about books or teaching ma-
es related to music education that can be examined terials intended for teaching meant immediately
through a historical record, i.e. the textbook, which considering the school and, consequently, the class-
is common in teaching relationships as a result of room. The horizons were only broadened on account
its production and of the elements involved in its of the many issues involving the use and handling
creation and use. Considering that the study of a of teaching materials and their applicability, bearing
historical perspective can help us to understand the in mind the variety of contexts where they could be
present and to better grasp the notions and struc- found, and their historical trajectory. The starting
tures of our day, it can be concluded that an analysis point was the importance of thinking of books in an
of playfulness aspects of musical education con- attempt to shed light on what they contain as the
tributes to the awareness of the complexity of the custodians of ideas, emotions, meanings, stories,
process, thus allowing more room for discussion and and projects they hold (Garcia & Schmidt, 2013).
aligning thoughts and practices with current think- This matter broadened the focus and took it be-
ing. yond the school structure. In order to see it, in the
At first, it is clear from the contact with music- sense of understanding its existence, it is necessary
teaching materials available, in formal and non-for- to appropriate its structural causes, to understand
mal contexts, that there is a lack of didactic material it in its conceptual complexity, in its multiple func-
conceived specifically for children’s choir conduct- tions, in its coexistence with other educational sup-
ing. The bibliography found on choir conducting ports, and to take into account the diversity of influ-
addresses the work of the conductor in its general ences from the agents that envelop it.
aspects with an emphasis on technical questions
References
Brougère, G. (1998). Jogo e educação. Porto Alegre: RS Artes Fonterrada, M. T. O. (2008). De tramas e fios: um ensaio so-
Médicas. bre música e educação (2nd ed.). São Paulo: Editora UNESP.
Campos, A.Y. (1997). Técnica Vocal. In Cruz, G. (Ed.). Canto Braga Garcia, T.M.F. & Schmidt, M.A. (2013). Os manuais
Canção Cantoria: como montar um coral infantil didáticos em pesquisa: apreendendo significados da ex-
(pp. 31–52). São Paulo: SESC. periência escolar. In T. M. F. Braga Garcia, M.A. Schmidt
& R. Valls. Didática, história e manuais escolares: contex-
Cely, E.B. (1997). Brinquedoteca espaço lúdico de educação
tos ibero-americanos (1th ed.– Ijuí), (pp. 11–29).
e lazer. In S.M.P. Santos (Ed.). Brinquedoteca: o lúdico em
diferentes contextos (p. 125–127). Petrópolis: Vozes. Godoy, V.L.S.N. (2007). Educação Musical Coral. In 16º
Encontro Nacional da ABEM e Congresso Regional da
Choppin, A. (2004). História dos livros e das edições didáti-
ISME na América Latina (pp. 1–9). Anais: Campo Grande:
cas: sobre o estado da arte. Educação e Pesquisa, 30,
ABEM.
549–566.
Gois, M.P.A.M. (2015). A dimensão lúdica na regência de coro
Figueiredo, C.A. (2006). Reflexões sobre aspectos da prática
infantil (master's thesis). Curitiba: Universidade Federal
coral. In E. Lakschevitz (Ed.). Figueiredo, C. A., Laksche-
do Paraná, PR.
vitz, E., de Hollanda Cavalcanti, N. & S. Kerr Ensaios:
olhares sobre a música coral brasileira (pp. 7–49). Rio de Huizinga, J. (2001). Homo ludens: o jogo como elemento da
Janeiro: Centro de estudos de Música Coral/Oficina Coral. cultura. São Paulo: Perspectiva.
Kraemer, R.D. (2000). Dimensões e funções do conhecimen- Rao, D. (1993). We will sing. USA: Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.
to pedagógico-musical. Em Pauta, 11(16/17), 50–73.
Romanelli, G.G.B. (2018). The news satatus of music in
Lakschevitz, E. (2006). Ensaios: olhares sobre a música coral Brazilian school since 2012 and the role of music text-
brasileira. Rio de Janeiro: Centro de estudos de Música books. Curitiba: Universidade Federal do Paraná.
Coral/Oficina Coral.
Sarmento, M. J. (2002). Imaginário e Culturas da Infância.
Leck, H. (1995). Vocal techniques for the young singer: An Texto produzido para o projeto POCTI/CED/49186/2002.
approach to teaching vocal techniques utilizing the advan- Instituto de Estudos da Criança. Universidade do Minho.
tages of visualization, movement and aural modeling
Schimiti, L. M. (2003). Regendo um coro infantil: reflexões,
(video) U.S.A., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Plymounth Music Co.,
diretrizes e atividades. Revista Canto Coral. ABRC,
Inc.
Associação Brasileira de Regentes de Coros, 01, 1–9.
Lima, M. (2007). O Canto Coral Como Agente de Transfor-
Souza, J. (1997). (Ed.) Livros de música para a escola: uma
mação Sociocultural nas Comunidades do cantagalo e
bibliografia comentada. Porto Alegre: Curso de Pós-Grad-
Pavão-Pavãozinho: Educação para Liberdade e Autonomia
uação em Música-Mestrado e Doutorado/ UFRGS.
(doctoral thesis). Rio de Janeiro: Universidade Federal do
Rio de Janeiro. Teuber, M., Schlichta, C.A.B.D., Ribeiro, P.E. & Romanelli.
G.G.B. (2016). A seleção dos livros didáticos de arte pelo
Loureiro, A.M.A. (2007). O ensino de música na escola
PNLD: análise e uso em sala de aula. In Gómez Mendoza,
fundamental. Campinas: Papirus.
M.A.; Braga García, T.M. & J.Rodríguez Rodríguez Me-
Macedo, L. (2003). A dimensão lúdica nos processos de morias de la Conferencia Regional para América Latina de
aprendizagem. Folha Educação, 20, 6–7. la International Association for Research on Textbooks and
Educational Media IARTEM 2016 (pp. 157–169). Pereira:
Universidade Tecnológica de Pereira.
X. Levoin | Digital tools and media in music education: small-scape uses, niche market
Digital tools and media in music education:

small-scape uses, niche market1
Xavier Levoin
Éda, Université Paris Descartes & LabSIC, Université Paris 13 | xavier.levoin@gmail.com
Abstract
In this paper, I try to define the main characteristics secondly, I introduce main characteristics of digital
of digital tools and media used in music education media in terms of reproducibility (technological and
in conservatories. Borrowing elements from a PhD rationalizing aspects); finally, I address institutional
thesis situated within the framework of the theory conditions for the limitations of the use of digital
of cultural (and educational) industries, I address the tools and media in conservatories. The question of
following problem: why such a contrast between a the industrialization of education in the world of
very large “social” injunction to a digital conversion conservatories is raised, and I argue that the condi-
of teaching, and very limited and disparate prac- tions for such a process are not met here.
tices of digital tools and media in conservatories?
Keywords: Music education, conservatories, digital
Firstly, elements of discursive context are presented,
tools, industrialization
1 Foreword
French conservatories are an unknown landscape, sion of teaching and learning activities, rationaliza-
partly because their very contrasted and local char- tion of educational work and ideological pressure for
acteristics. Less studied than other educational insti- change.
tutions, they are mainly dealt with from the stand- The situation of music education in conservato-
point of sociology of culture (e.g. Menger 2009). This ries is particularly interesting: it seems to be signifi-
paper focus on the conditions under which special- cantly different from school education, in the sense
ized digital tools and media are used in French music that practices and the frame of reference call for the
conservatories, and address a more specific ques- world of craftsmanship. However, this education is
tion: why such a contrast between a very wide “so- closely linked to the musical and audiovisual indus-
cial” injunction to a digital conversion of teaching, tries. Indeed, it contributes to the training of per-
and very limited and disparate practices of digital formers and creators, of personal support (Becker
tools and media in conservatories? In other words, 1988) and amateur musicians who play a crucial role
why do digital practices (i.e. the use of digital tools while being music consumers.
and media as mediation tools) appear to be so non- Methodology is based, on the one hand, on a cam-
standardized, even more than in compulsory school- paign of comprehensive interviews with teachers
ing? and conservatory managers, and on the other hand,
This paper borrows elements from a PhD thesis, in on a corpus of media and institutional discourses
the framework of the theory of cultural (and educa- about conservatories. I will first present elements of
tional) industries (Huet et al. 1984; Mœglin 2005), discursive context (ideological aspects in the indus-
which try to clarify evolutions in cultural, commu- trialization of education framework) then charac-
nicational and educational matters, with the aim teristics of digital media in terms of reproducibility
to articulate strategies of the industries, activities (technological and rationalizing aspects), and, I will
of creators, strategies of publishers, producers and finally address institutional conditions for the limi-
broadcasters, cultural practices, development of the tations of the use of digital tools and media in con-
use of tools and medias. More precisely, this work is servatories.
primarily concerned with the question of industri-
alization of education (Mœglin 2016), that is the co-
existence of three indicators: technological conver-
1 This paper differs a bit from the one presented at IARTEM 2017 in Lisbon: the explanations necessary to understand the institutional framework of conservatory education in
France required a longer development than expected, leaving aside the question of innovation and prescription.
2 Critical statements about conservatories
So-called conservatism Promises of transformation

Teaching in conservatories has been the subject of On the opposite, digital technology in teaching is
repeated controversies in France, particularly about supposed to transform pedagogy, and each new (or
its supposed pedagogical conservatism. It has thus newly introduced) tool is given a pedagogical power:
become commonplace to play on the homology be- more motivation among pupils, especially through
tween conservatory and “conservatism”, even among the “playful” aspect of the tools.
politicians in charge of cultural matters. For example, This point is well known (see, for example, Cu-
Bruno Julliard, deputy mayor for culture in Paris says ban 1988), and so as not to quote the promotional
in Le Monde, Nov. 17, 2014, that “part of the conserva- speeches of hardware manufacturers and software
tories [of the city of Paris] bears its name well…”, that publishers, let’s hear a conservatory director, talking
is, are so conservative that they deserve to be called about special schedule classes (CHAM):
conservatories.
Three points are particularly criticized. First, a cur- Here we are: in terms of the use of new technologies,
CHAM is our flagship, because.. anyway, the title of the
riculum that requires the prior learning of solfeggio CHAM is “collective practices and new technologies”. It’s
(acquisition of the basics of musical language) be- a rather an exceptional CHAM in France; I think it’s the
fore practicing an instrument. Second, the primacy only one, and we don’t have a curriculum strictly speak-
ing, as in other conservatories. In any case, it’s not in the
of parents’ social preferences in choosing the instru- philosophy of the place: here, […] we’re really in research
ment over possible children preferences. Third, old and pedagogical innovation […] We refuse to talk about
pedagogical methods, based on imitation (in music “conservatory”.. we are really there, in a playful search,
and cultural openness for the youngest, and then even
composition as in playing an instrument), systematic
for adults [..] (Interview: Juliette, conservatory director)
repetition (playing scales), and the use of outdated
textbooks (methods dating from the end of the 19th For Juliette, “new technologies” refers to the place
century, such as the Méthode rose for the piano). of computer assisted music in CHAM class; it is sup-
Moreover, it is commonly said that music education is posed to transform music learning in a playful ac-
late, relative to other social activities; conservatories are tivity, and moreover, conservatory in a new kind of
even worsely considered, even by teachers themselves: teaching and learning place. This extract illustrate
a frequent assimilation of technological innovation
Well, I’m thinking about Bercklee, but I was also watching and pedagogical innovation, a point largely dis-
to LIPA, the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, where
even the Royal Academy [..]: they have a lot of stuff, they cussed in the literature (see for ex. Baron 1990).
have, for example — that’s where I say we’re late — in their Thus, in terms of discourse, the criticism of so-
website, there are links to go to, for example, a performance called conservatism and the promises of a great digi-
study cell on stage, how to use performance on stage for
tal turn seem to call for a widespread use of technol-
this, for that.. That is to say, they use the tool as one would
go to a library to find an encyclopedia [..]. ogies. However, as we will see, uses mainly remain at
(Interview: Pierre, conservatory director) the stage of the experimentation.
3 Small scape uses, non standardized tools

Disparities in digital practices
While the disparity of uses of digital tools in edu- tions, teachers and directors report refusals of pur-
cation is emblematic, despite the development of chases from the authorities who see conservatories
policies of usage, the case of conservatory teaching as places to learn violin or piano, and not to “play”
needs a specific focus. with digital tools. Arnaud, one of the directors inter-
First, because the tools used in a learning perspec- viewed report the case of a convention with a highly
tive have not always been designed for this pur- respected creation studio for a collective creation
pose, perhaps more in the case of music than in any project. Each child had to play music with a joystick
other subject. At least, tools that are not perceived connected to a creation software (Meta-mallette2).
as educational by the authorities in charge, are con- But joystick did not appear to the authorities as a
sidered as educational by teachers. In many situa- music learning tool.
2 http://www.pucemuse.com/recherche-developpement/meta-mallette/.
No consensus appears, in fact, about what is educa- ing to answer this question, we need to clarify the
tional. The divergences do not only concern teachers nature of the tools used in music education.
and authorities (joysticks, but same could be said of
computers), but also teachers and directors:
Types of digital tools and media
So we use the meta-instrument as a pedagogical object of To categorize tools and media used in conservato-
sound manipulation and as an object of live music, and
as an object of creation… MAO [Computer assisted music], ries, starting from teachers practices would be par-
but it remains circumcised [sic] to the class of MAO and to ticularly difficult, given their disparity and the lack of
partnerships with certain classes of musical education who visibility about published materials. Moreover, music
will come to work with this; that is, I was expecting it to be…
educational tools do not have distribution channels
that it goes through all the musical education. But for that,
you need equipment. So, imagine, when in the budget, I as structured as the more general products. Instead,
asked for 18 joysticks. I will present a typology based on the principle of re-
(Arnaud, conservatory director) producibility, central in the theory of cultural indus-
But this is not the only explanation for the limited tries (Huet et al. 1984), and for understanding the
and uncoordinated nature of practices and tools, be- process of industrialization, because this criterion
cause most practices are above all experimentations. is the primary condition for generalization. Further-
more, such a typology could help to understand the
conditions under which practices are homogenized
Experimentations or not, may be transferred, and also constitute pros-
More than differences between practices, the prin- pects for the development of markets.
ciple of experimentation prevails. The word is not to Applying the model built by Mœglin (2005) for
be understood as in experimental classes or schools, tools and media in music education, four types of
with support from the authorities, but as individual tools can be identified, according to their reproduc-
practices of teachers, closely linked to their own ar- ibility (column 3) and the fact that the tool conveys
tistic career, as Romain states: content, or not (column 2).
It’s true that I tend to look for the tools by myself, because I content reproduci- example example
find that it can be interesting to isolate — in a teaching pro- bility (compulsory (conser-
ject — and at the same time, it’s a research [Romain manip- schooling) vatories)
ulates at the same time an application on his smartphone];
there, I have two parameters. The idea is to see what we can Type 1 no no quill pen children
do. We haven’t started yet, but with a tactile surface.. size
Me: Which application? instrument
Romain: It’s always the same: it’s PureData, it’s a bit of a Type 2 no yes computer Karlax
do-it-yourself implementation […].
Type 3 yes yes, self-media self-
(Romain, teacher in charge of a musical computer workshop)
small-scale published
sheets,
software
When recognized by the conservatory, experimenta-
patches
tions are negotiated with the authorities, being the
Type 4 yes yes, textbook methods,
only way to obtain approval (even if it is only a silent large-scale tutorials
approval):
Tab. 1 Tools and media in music education. (Author)
Baptiste: So, you’ve obtained permission from the conser-
vatory, of course, but also from [local authorities]?
Harold: [Laughs] In fact, we keep it in beta, we say it’s a Type 4 media include methods, which act as text-
beta. As long as they say it’s a beta, it’s fine with everyone. books, while responding to different formats often
We’re experimenting with things. linked to the score music model. Some of them are
included in low-cost collections adapted for use in
In any case, specific tools and media for music men- the classroom (e.g. Dover editions or other pocket
tioned in the interviews stay very local and are score formats). This type is highly replicable, mainly
merely known outside the conservatory walls. In by photocopying.
such conditions, if everything is disparate and local, Type 3 media corresponds to scores produced by
are tools and media in practice not usable outside teachers, or course assignments and schedules on
their first employment context? Are there any intrin- upcoming activities. Teachers like Romain (men-
sic characteristics that could explain why tools and tioned earlier) also create patches for free software,
media are poorly used in conservatories? Before try- acting like free software developers.
Type 2 tools are illustrated by designers of pro- imitated. Self-media can circulate between teach-
totypes such as the Karlax3, a digital instrument ers, and gradually lose the link with the author, by
equipped with motion sensors, which can only be re- forgetting the author’s credits. The author still ap-
produced by a small number of actors, early involved pears in the published manual, but he has assigned
in the production process of such instruments. his rights to another intermediary.
Type 1 tools are instruments made for use by It can therefore be said that the more reproduc-
young pupils, the only difference between instru- ible the medium, the more it is part of an industrial-
ments for professionals (“concert instrument”) and ized process, the more the uses move away from the
those dedicated to learning being their size. initial experimentation. However, the actors who
All these types must be understood as Weberian contribute to the industrial process are few, and
idealtypes: a tool can move from one type to an- do so only if there is an opportunity to reach a mas-
other, depending on the greater or lesser distance sive audience, that is, beyond the mere horizon of
between the product and its creator. For Type 1, musical education. This is the case, for example, of
the craftsman controls the process of manufactur- Type 2 tools such as computer-assisted music soft-
ing the instrument, from the beginning to the end. ware: useful for music production and exploitable
The situation is different for the Karlax, where the in amateur practice, they are much more widely dis-
prototype can circulate more widely and can be seminated.
4 Conditions of practices
Institutional context
The objectives of conservatory education should be the nature of the institutions, by careers and pro-
distinguished from those of compulsory schooling. fessional statutes less stable, by the weakness of
For the latter, the aim is to ensure for everyone the prescribed curriculum, and by the scarcity of peda-
“transmission of knowledge” and to “share with stu- gogical control in the conservatories. It could be said
dents the values of the Republic” (Education Code, that the conservatory system is far away from the
art. L111-1). For conservatories, it’s mainly about bureaucratic idealtype (Weber 2003). Conservatories
training and accompanying professional or amateur are structures that have so much more autonomy,
musicians: educational freedom and choice in the selection of
media.
Educational and artistic missions: In such an institutional context, an easy interpre-
The [conservatories] have as their central mission the tation of the lack of a generalization of experimenta-
sensitization and training of future amateurs in artistic tions could lead to the hypothesis that low bureau-
and cultural practices; some of them also provide pre-pro-
fessional training. […] They are places of resources for ama-
cracy minimizes the possibilities of dissemination of
teurs; they inform them, [..] they welcome them on their innovation. But this would be to yield to a diffusion-
premises and encourage the development of exchanges ist reasoning, widely criticized by the sociology of in-
and collaborations between amateur groups [..]. They are
novation (Akrich et al. 2006), and to consider that
centers for the development of cultural life…
(Charter of Arts Education in Dance, Music and Theater, innovation would always be top-down. It is not the
Ministry of Culture and Communication, 2001). case, and as many authors (e.g. Depover 1996) have
shown, the novelty coming from local initiatives is
It should be noted that legal framework does not more likely to take root.
have the same status: while the tasks, means and
functioning of school education are defined by law,
the conservatories have their missions set out in a Grassroot innovation?
Charter signed by the Ministry of Culture, local au- In a grassroot model of innovation, bottom-up in-
thorities and professional federations. novation is not only the work of individuals who are
Moreover, administrative organization is not the more innovative than others; it is mainly based on
same in both. Beyond separate ministerial supervi- the existence of collectives, or at least networks of
sion (Education vs. Culture), the situation of the two colleagues who can collectively contribute to the
systems differs, to sum up, by a greater diversity of job and expand it to other environments. Quentin
3 http://www.dafact.com/fonctionnalites.php?id_product=1.
(2012) shows the importance of collectives in the collaboration have been implemented. This is the
production of resources for teachers, and one could case of Canopeea4, an association who organize
imagine that similar phenomena can be observed in widely open meetings all over the country, applying
music education. creativity methods (brainstorming, for example) to
But in the case of conservatories, very few commu- encourage experience sharing. However, once the
nities seem likely to share experiences, tools and activist period is over, the collective seems to have
media, even if in a context of social movements lost its vitality and opportunities for exchange have
against budget cuts, new meeting places have been become more limited.
established and where approaches of sharing and
5 Conclusion
The (modest) aim of this article was to shed light on a sufficient volume to go beyond the scale of niche
the use of digital tools and media in music educa- markets, and the conditions under which teaching is
tion. Starting from a simple observation, that is, the carried out encourage individual rather than collec-
existence of general discourses on the promises of tive work. Consequently, the overall characteristics
digital technology for education, quite similar to of the environment are more a matter of craftsman-
those that can be heard about general schooling ship than of industrialization.
(digital technology as a way of catching up with It is also necessary to distinguish the industrial-
major social trends and transforming pedagogical izing logic that we were trying to identify from the
practices in depth), I have examined the relevance existence of phenomena of merchandization and
of the theoretical model of “industrialization of edu- privatization, with which they could be confused. If,
cation” to highlight the differences between these indeed, we understand by merchandization the phe-
two educational sectors. This theoretical framework nomena of competition between schools, and by
articulates three markers to capture the existence privatization the emergence of new private entities
of industrializing logic: an ideological dimension, a competing with public ones (and not the privatiza-
rationalizing dimension, and a technological dimen- tion of the public sector itself), those two phenome-
sion. Two of these dimensions are obvious here: ide- na characterize the world of music education today.
ology and technology. But if we take a closer look, Thus, several online music schools5 offer videocon-
for example by presenting a typology of tools and ference courses, or connect teachers and students,
media based on their industrial potential (reproduc- and explicitly present themselves as alternatives to
ibility), and by taking an interest in the experimental conservatories. This, in addition to the phenomenon
nature of projects that appear innovative, we realize of technologization discussed in this text, leads us to
that the situation of education in conservatories is believe that we are witnessing phenomena of indus-
very different from that of general education. The in- trialization in musical training, rather than of indus-
stitutional framework does not offer a standardized trialization of musical training itself.
approach to practices, audiences do not represent
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en éducation – Le cas de la France]. Revue française de
celui des nouvelles technologies? Actes du Colloque du
pédagogie, 92(1), 57–77. DOI https://doi.org/10.3406/
REF. Retrieved from https://edutice.archives-ouvertes.fr/
rfp.1990.2474.
edutice-00000822/document.
4 http://www.canopeea.fr/.
5 See for example https://www.imusic-school.com/ or https://www.unizic.com.
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l’incertain. Paris: Gallimard.
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et industries culturelles (2nd ed.). Grenoble: Presses univer-
sitaires de Grenoble.
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communicationnelle. Grenoble: Presses universitaires de
Grenoble.
Mœglin, P., (Ed.) (2016). Industrialiser l’éducation:
anthologie commentée (1913–2012). Saint-Denis: Presses
universitaires de Vincennes.
Quentin, I. (2012). Fonctionnements et trajectoires des ré-
seaux en ligne d’enseignants (PhD thesis). École normale
supérieure de Cachan. Retrieved from http://halshs.
archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00823180/document.
Weber, M. (2003). Économie et société. [1956]. Paris: Pocket.
F. Gonçalves Pedrosa | How are the didactic manuals for Brazilian five-string guitar course written?
How are the didactic manuals for Brazilian five-string

guitar course written?
Textbooks and educational media in the teaching of stringed instruments
Frederico Gonçalves Pedrosa

Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil | frederico.musicoterapia@gmail.com
Abstract
This report is part of a research developed in the (2000), Bourdieu and Chartier (2001) and Forquin
Music Master’s Program of the Federal University of (1993) as well as researchers of the violas like Vilela
Paraná – UFPR. The investigation analyzes printed (2011), Nogueira (2008; 2016) and Sardinha (2012).
and virtual textbooks for Brazilian five-string- gui- It was found that is more possible to understand
tars course (violas), mainly in musical notation, with textbooks when the scores are combined with tab-
the purpose of examining: how they are written; the latures and that the main distribution of these ma-
form of placement; what information they carry; terials is made in a virtual way.
and which musical graphics are chosen for registra-
Keywords: Textbooks, Brazilian ten-string guitars,
tion and which are excluded. The theoretical frame-
Violas
work of this research is based on authors like Batista
1 Introduction
The beginning of the Moor’s presence on European de mão, came the Portuguese violas, which, in the
continent dates back to 722 AD. They also brought Brazilian colonial period, was an instrument of great
the first instrument of strings with an arm where use by the colonizers (Sardinha, 2001; Morais,
notes can be modified, denominated Oud – the Ara- 2006; Nogueira, 2008).
bian lute. Given the enculturation between Moors, Despite the Portuguese origin, it is in Brazil that the
Christians and Sephardic Jews, a Latin Guitar was Brazilian five-course guitars (henceforth called violas
created around the thirteenth century. From the – its Brazilian and Portuguese name) manifest them-
Oud and the Latin Guitar emerged the vihuelas, in selves in a more grandiose form (Ivan Vilela, 2005).
Spain, and violas de mão, in Portugal. With the violas There are several types of viola throughout Brazil.
Fig. 1 Some Brazilian violas: Viola caipira, viola fandangueira, viola de catira, viola from Northern Minas Gerais, viola made by
luthier Virgílio Lima and viola Dinâmica Del Vecchio. (Corrêa, 2002, p. 10)
Between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, of the Church restricting their use to accompany
the first textbooks were made for violas, in Spanish manifestations of popular Catholicism, these instru-
and Portuguese (Taborda, 2002). Nogueira (2008) ments retreated into the countryside. Therefore,
pointed out that they were written, mostly, in tab- the knowledge about them began to be transmit-
lature. Since the French Revolution, with the created non-formally. It is only in the twentieth century
tion of the Conservatoire de Paris, in 1794, the stand- that the viola, as well as its musicality, returns to the
ardization of written music only in scores began capitals (Vilela, 2011; Dias, 2012).
(Gonçalves, 2009), which influenced textbooks for Although Brazilian violas, as well as the music
viola (like it is possible to see at Fig 3). It is only in this that is produced using them, returned to the “ma-
historical point that a stabilization of the graphic jor cities” at the beginning of the last century, it is
elements in the musical notation was raised (con- only since the 80’s that consistent advances were
sidering only the western music), excluding the use achieved regarding the transmission of the viola
of tablatures (Bosseur, 2014). knowledge. With the movement of teaching viola
The tablatures written for the violas present some comes the question of how to write – if it is better
divergences since the 16th century. In that period, scores, tablatures or both (Dias, 2012).
there were many types of tablatures (e.g. French, Nogueira (2008) points out that every musical
Italian, Spanish and German tablatures). Nowadays, transcription implies in a loss, of some elements
it is more likely to find Italian or Spanish notation. have no correspondent in other signs which is in-
According to Nogueira (2008), tablatures are forms tended to be transcribed or the coding was not
of writing in which the signs reveal heights accord- foreseen as far as they are considered contingent.
ing to their position in the arm of the instrument, For instance, one of the problems found in the act
represented by numbers. In the Spanish notation of writing for Brazilian violas is that, because it is a
(Fig 2), the spatial conventions of height are the double-strings instrument, some string orders are
same as the conventional notation – sharp in the up- arranged in octaves. Thus, when writing scores for
per part. In the Italian tablature (Fig 3), the opposite these instruments, it is common to omit the higher
happens. octave of the pairs, leaving their presence implied.
From the 16th century until the end of the 18th cen- According to Corrêa (2002, p.80), it is possible to
tury, violas were instruments intensively used in Bra- find that the disposition of the strings is written as it
zilian urban environments. However, with the laws is shown below (Fig. 5):
Fig. 2 Spanish Tablature from 1549. (Nogueira, 2016, p. 125) Fig. 3 Italian Tablature from 1554. (Nogueira, 2016, p. 125)
Fig. 4 Paixão. (Ribeiro 1789, p. 70)
Fig. 5 Viola strings. (Ribeiro, 1789, p. 70), (Corrêa, 2002, p. 80)
But for practical proposes the octaves are written such as shown at Fig 6:
Fig. 6 Viola strings simplified. (Corrêa, 2002, p. 80)
As the book A arte de Pontear Viola (Corrêa, 2002) the musical notation and visual signs and; ii) to ex-
became the main reference to discuss these instru- amine how effectively the aforementioned methods
ments, it is common to find the form of writing pro- achieve the goal of transmitting knowledge. For this
posed by its author in other publications. purpose, we recognize that didactic manuals are phys-
Finally, it should be noted that currently there are ical and digital objects that support didactic texts pro-
other forms of distribution and commercialization of duced in school culture, which express the tradition of
Brazilian violas textbooks, such as sites, where specific cultural selection and didactic imperatives. Produced
musical classes or materials can be bought and dis- by people immersed in a sociocultural context, this
tributed online. It is interesting to note, however, that material displays reading practices as well as forms
even these new materials are shown as sheet music of their appropriation and use as commercialization
scores and/or printed tablatures. (Aran, 2009; Batista, 2000; Bourdieu & Chartier,
Therefore, the following study intends to: i) analyze 2001; Forquin, 1993; Williams, 1961).
how a printed didactic material of Brazilian violas uses
2 Methodology
In order to understand the writing and form of musi- It was considered printed and digital textbooks, mas-
cal notation presented in textbook for Brazilian violas, ter’s dissertations, transcriptions of scores, as well as
for what type of viola is written as well as their ma- videos-lessons found on DVD and on the YouTube site.
terial support, we first collected materials that repre- The dissertations were included based on the focus on
sented different forms of notate. This selection forms transmitting knowledge about violas specific to the
a sample of the production for educational purposes Brazilian context (e.g. viola fandangueira and viola ma-
for different Brazilian violas. chete). The manuals have been organized in Tab. 1
Title Transcription’s Author. Year Product

1 Troca de Pares: um estudo sobre escalas duetadas Braz da Viola 2009 Book
2 Viola de Cocho: Método prático Braz da Viola 2004 Book
3 A Arte de Pontear Viola Roberto Corrêa 2002 Book
4 Ensaios para Viola Brasileira Fernando Deghi 2003 Book
5 Viola nos sambas do recôncavo baiano Cássio Nobre 2008 Thesis
6 Na trilha da viola branca Cintia Ferrero 2007 Thesis
7 Juriti Mineira Roberto Corrêa S/D Transcription
8 Nordestina Adelmo Arcoverde 1997 Transcription
9 Pau-Brasil Zé Guerrero - Transcription
10 Forrozal Marcos Pereira - Transcription
11 Copaíba Zé Helder - Transcription
12 Viola Quebrada Ivan Vilela - Transcription
13 Saudade do Cinema Paradiso Ivan Vilela - Transcription
14 A Arte de pontear Viola Roberto Corrêa 2015 Video Lessons
Tab. 1 Textbooks. (Author)
The parameters for analysis were the presence of the These variables were chosen based on what was
score and the existence of fingering for the left hand presented in the introduction – the historical issues
(L.H.) and the right hand (R.H.); the presence of tabla- to write for violas – and for the reason they are the
ture considering the type of tablature – Italian or Span- main points of discussion when we analyze musical
ish – and the existence of note value up the numbers notation in textbooks designed focusing on violas as
– rhythmic tablature. It took into account what type it can be seen in Nogueira (2008), Dias (2012) and
of Brazilian violas the material is intended for; what Ruas Júnior (2014).
tune and, at last; what material support they use.
3 Results and Discussion

Tab. 2 presents all data chosen for analysis in all textbooks:
Material Part. Fingering in Tab. Rhythm in Type of Type of viola Tuning Material
the score the score tablature Suport
1 X Italian Caipira - Printed
2 X Italian Cocho Canotio Solto Printed
3 X R.H. X Spanish Caipira Cebolão D Printed
4 X R.H. and L.H. X X Spanish Brasileira Cebolão D e Rio Printed
Abaixo
5 X X Spanish Machete e Natural do Machete, Printed
Caipira Rio abaixo e travessa and digital
6 X R.H. and L.H. X Spanish Fandangueira Intaivada Printed and digital
7 X X Spanish - - Manuscript digitalized
8 X Nordestina Natural Digital (score)
9 X L.H X Spanish Caipira - Digital (score)
10 X R.H. - Cebolão Digital (score)
11 X R.H. and L.H. - - Digital (score)
12 X R.H. and L.H. Brasileira Cebolão D Digital (score)
13 X R.H. and L.H. Caipira Cebolão D Digital (score)
14 X R.H. X Spanish De Arame Cebolão D Digital (DVD)
Tab. 2 Manual Analyzes. (Author)
Type of Brazilian Viola and Tuning

The first thing we would like to highlight is that in did not show rhythm notation in tablature and were
some materials no description was found related not accompanied by the score. They are the only
to what type of Brazilian violas (4, 7, 10, 11) was to ones written in Italian notation. In these two cases,
perform the piece, as well as what the appropriate with the printed material comes a CD for the reader
tuning was. It was considered that, when this hap- to accompany the reading – so the audiovisual de-
pened, it was always referred to the caipiras violas vice is essential.
in the cebolão tuning (Corrêa, 2002, p.35) in D ma- The materials 3, 5, 6 and 9 used combined tabla-
jor (D) or E major (E). This happened because viola ture and score. By using these two resources, they
caipira in cebolão tuning is the most prevalent in the were able to divide the necessary signs of musical
viola literature. notation (fingering for right and left hands) between
these two forms of writing for strummed string in-
struments.
Notation Unlike the aforementioned material, material 4,
There are many ways of noting significant elements which also features score and tablature, has a more
so that the pieces can be interpreted to match the confusing aesthetic. Deghi (2004) used a rhythmic
author’s satisfaction. Materials 1 and 2, for example, tablature combined with the score. It is possible for
the viola player to execute the pieces only with the pose, Nobre (Fig. 5) uses the combined score and tab-
tablature (since it has indication and description of lature, which visually simplifies the understanding.
the tuning, typing, fingering and rhythmic notes) The first and the fourth set of notes in Fig. 5, for
or only with the score (which has all the necessary example, are typed in the same fret of the third
descriptions). That is because the author addresses
his sheet music to both beginners and experienced
musical reader.
Fig. 8 (Vilela Pinto, 2008, p. 1)
Fig. 7 Rhythm Tablature. (Deghi, 2004, p. 13)
Materials 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13 have only scores. The

transcription of Nordestina is, from these scores, the Fig. 9 (Nobre, 2008, p. 104)
one that presents less information; it is only possible
to find information about absolute notes. Forrozal order of strings. In the first set, the two strings of the
and Copaíba show lack of fingering but present all pair are executed, while in the fourth set only the
other important data for their execution. higher string, assuming that it is touched with the
The transcriptions by Vilela (S/D) try to account thumb (since the higher string is arranged in the up-
for a practice he did in an innovative way for viola per part). The only notable absence is the fingering
caipira. This composer, currently, thinks the instru- of the right hand, which could be added to the score
ment as a tool for counterpoints. To do so, it signals or the tablature.
the stems of the notes downwards when it is to
be performed with the thumb, and upwards when
it is to be performed with the other fingers of the Material
right hand (12). However, to perform the counter- It is interesting to note that, besides most of these
point more precisely, the composer uses the strings textbooks show a large number of transcriptions,
of the pairs separately. Thus, Ivan Vilela Pinto uses the major part of them do not. We could hypothe-
the bowing signals (common to bowed string instru- size that it happens due to the fact that the Brazilian
ments) when he wants to indicate only a note of the textbooks began to be produced in the period of the
pair. advent of the internet.
In the Fig. 4, the compass 29 shows the arcades On current days, the internet is an important tool
down, that signal to touch only the lower notes of to the teaching and learning the Brazilian violas pro-
the fourth order. In the compass 32, the upbows cesses with several sites enabling virtual learning
mean to touch only the higher notes of the same starting from, beyond notation, audiovisual refer-
forth pair. The difficulty of this notation is found in ences.
the number of elements displayed and because the
score does not reflect the real sound written. This
notation works only with a bull. For the same pur-
4 Conclusions
The study reported here showed divergences in the almost disappeared in the nineteenth century, both
ways of writing for the violas nowadays and in the in Brazil and in European countries.
past. Besides, the scores as the standard are clear- After the revival experienced by the Brazilian vio-
er and more efficient than the scores or tablatures las from the 60’s (Dias, 2012), it was observed an
alone. So, it emphasizes the importance of com- increase of production of didactic materials and
pleting the tablatures with the scores, and that the academic texts for these instruments. Although all
scores accompanied by tablature are clearer. musical notation is exclusive (Nogueira, 2008), it is
Nogueira (2008) highlights two important his- important to consider a way to find a notation that
torical facts: 1- the first notation for string instru- covers all the important aspects when writing for
ments was the Ttablature, several forms of this writ- the violas.
ing fully counted on informing the performer what Finally, we point out that the sales of viola’s text-
was necessary at the time; and 2 – the contradic- books are been done almost exclusively on the in-
tions of writing, given that various forms of writing ternet but, this fact aside, this material conserves
(e.g. Spanish, Italian, French and German tablature) the traditions of musical conservatories at the same
between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries time they are trying to find the best way to notate
for the instrument today called viola (but which relevant techniques for the violas.
was called viola de mão, vihuela or baroque guitar)
References
Aran, A.P. (2009). Materiales curriculares: cómo elaborarlos, Nogueira, G.G.P. (2008). A viola conanima: uma construção
seleccionarlos y usarlos. Barcelona: Editora Graó. simbólica (doctoral thesis). São Paulo: USP.
Batista, A.A.G. (2000). Um objeto variável e instável. Nogueira, G.G.P. (2016). A viola e suas metalinguagens:
Texto, Impressos e Livros Didáticos. In Abreu, M. (Ed.). notação no gesto e aprendizado não formal. Revista
Leituras, História e História da Leitura (pp. 529–575). Tulha, Ribeirão Preto, 2(1), 119–143.
Campinas: Mercado de Letras; ALB/São Paulo: FAPESP.
Paixão Ribeiro, M. (1789). Nova Arte de Viola que ensina a
Bourdieu, P. & Chartier, R. (2001). A leitura: uma prática tocalla (..). Coimbra: Universidade de Coimbra.
cultural: debate entre Pierre Bourdieu e Roger Chartier.
Ruas Júnior, J.J.P. (2014). Nova arte de viola: analise crítica
In Chartier, R. (Ed). Práticas de leitura (2nd ed. rev). São
de um tratado setecentista. Anais XXIV Congresso da
Paulo: Estação Liberdade.
ANPPOM. São Paulo, 25–29 de agosto.
Corrêa, R. N. (2002). A arte de pontear viola (1st ed.) Brasília, Sardinha, J.A. (2001). Viola campaniça: o outro Alentejo.
DF: Três Américas. Lisboa: Tradisom.
Deghi, F. (2004). Ensaios para viola brasileira. Taborda, M.A (2002). viola de arame: origem e introdução
Vol 1. São Bernardo do Campo, SP: Violeiro Andante. no Brasil. Em Pauta, 13(21).
Dias, S.S.A. (2012). O processo de escolarização da viola Vilela Pinto, I. (2005). Na toada da viola. Revista USP, 64,
caipira: novos violeiros (in) ventano modas e identidades. 76–85. São Paulo, Ed. USP: 2004–2005 n.64, Ed. USP, São
São Paulo: Humanitas. Paulo, Brasil.
Forquin, J.C. (1993). Saberes escolares, imperativos Vilela Pinto, I. (n.d.). Ricciardi, Rubens. (n.d.)
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28–49, https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.
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Forquin_saberes_escolares.pdf (doctoral thesis). São Paulo: USP.
Morais, M. (2006). A Viola de Mão em Portugal (c. 1450- Williams, R. (1969). Cultura e Sociedade. São Paulo: Editora
c.1789). Nassare – Revista Aragonesa de Musicología, XXII. Nacional
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M. Makovský, T. Voštová | How to cook without a (text)book. Didactic materials for art education in the Czech Republic
How to cook without a (text)book

Didactic materials for art education in the Czech Republic
Miloš Makovský
Jan Evangelista Purkyně University, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic | milos.makovsky@kaveka.cz
Tereza Voštová
Jan Evangelista Purkyně University, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic | vostova.tereza@gmail.com
Abstract
The article deals with didactic materials for art texts provided with an approval clause of the Minis-
education in basic education. We examine their re- try of Education, Youth and Sports are in a significant
lations to the issue of visual literacy, to the current disproportion with most other subjects and include
discourse, and to the professional community of art publications approved fifteen or more years ago.
teachers. We ask what role the printed didactic ma- We present selected research projects in this field in
terials play within these areas. the Czech Republic. Finally, we suggest some specific
Our ongoing research proceeds from the fact that criteria for creating and verifying new didactic mate-
art education is a compulsory subject in all years of rials for art education.
basic education and a subject with a high percent-
Keywords: art education, didactic material, text-
age of uncertified teachers. Textbooks and teaching
book, visual culture, visual literacy, approval clause.
1 Introduction
“Rather than taste being a highly individual attribute, However, the practice partly remains resistant to
Bourdieu saw it as a by-product of education and access,
generating a ćultural capital´ that reinforced and en- these objectives. We believe that optimally designed
hanced the economic distinctions of class.” and regularly updated didactic materials (such as
(Mirzoeff, 1999, 11) textbooks) would help stabilize this situation.
The article is based on dissertations of both au-
The introductory quote aptly illustrates the wider thors (both research projects are ongoing); while
contexts of the issue under discussion. Although the the first one deals with didactic materials for art
article primarily deals with printed didactic materi- education, the other one examines the mechanisms
als for art education, it comments on the unsatisfac- of developing visual literacy in teaching art educa-
tory state of the subject, especially at the level of ba- tion. Both theses agree on the role of art education
sic education. Continuous efforts to update the field in contemporary society. Although the objectives of
of art education are made, for example, by the Czech education are stated in the curriculum documents,
Section of INSEA (International Society for Education the everyday practice is different, and the didac-
through Art). Their inputs (especially conferences) tic materials used by teachers vary. Yet they should
influence the art-pedagogical discourse, through provide the community of teachers of art education
which they also indirectly influence the formulation with a common communication framework and
of curriculum documents: the support for meeting the educational objectives.
Our main research question therefore is: What is the
A major medium of communicating cultural perspectives effective role of printed didactic materials during the
and values are images. Art education is the subject where
images play a central role. (…) In order to foster an educa- educational process in art education at primary and
tion of self-determination and political responsibility the lower secondary schools?
competences to ‘read’ images, to observe their aesthetic
strategies and to reflect their intentions and meanings is
crucial. Thus art education comes in sight as a major sub-
ject for an education that aims at preparing the individuals
for a self-determined living in a globalized media culture.
(Buschkühle, 2016, p. 10–11)
2 Theoretical Framework
First, it is essential to clarify key terms and concepts The procedure for granting the clause is initiated by
used in the article. In the Czech Republic, curriculum the publisher. At least two positive reviews are re-
documents are created at two levels – the Frame- quired for granting the clause. They focus on the fol-
work Educational Programmes at the national level lowing:
and the School Education Programmes at the school > overall conformity with general and curriculum
level. These documents work with the so-called key documents and the Framework Education Pro-
competencies1 that students should attain during gramme;
each stage of education. > professional accuracy of the content;
The Framework Education Programme for Basic > adequacy for student’s age and attained
Education is divided into so-called educational are- competencies;
as. Art Education is (together with Music Education) > methodological and didactic rendition;
part of the area called Arts and Culture. Educational > comments, other professional opinions of the
content of the field is divided into three basic cat- reviewer.
egories: Developing the senses, Applying a subjective
viewpoint and Verifying the communicative impact. Many experts consider this system to be too be-
The field of our interest is further limited to the nevolent and call for a clearer set of criteria (Průcha,
compulsory basic education (children aged 6–15). 2006, p. 20; Klapko, 2006a, p. 49, 2006b, p. 57;
Basic education is divided into two stages (1st to 5th Knecht, 2006, p. 85; Čecrvenková, 2010, p. 87).
grade and 6th to 9th grade) – during the first stage The concepts of visual culture and visual literacy
(primary education), students are taught and led are closely related to the current needs of art educa-
by one teacher only, while during the second stage tion, yet they are not explicitly included in the curric-
(lower secondary education), each subject is, ideally, ulum documents, as they are “new” and differently
taught by a single professional teacher. Art educa- interpreted.
tion is a compulsory subject in all grades. However, Due to the emergence of modern technologies at
according to previous findings of the Czech School the turn of the 20th century, the model of natural
Inspectorate, art education is taught by up to 40% language5 has been gradually replaced by the visual
of uncertified teachers at lower secondary schools model. (Mirzoeff, 1999, p. 3). M. Heidegger (1977,
(Valeš, 1997, in Slavík 1998, 2005). pp. 70–71) described this visual essence of the mod-
The key term is didactic materials. We understand ern period as “the rise of the world picture” (mean-
them as material didactic resources defined in the ing the world grasped as picture, not a picture of the
broad terms (i.e. both as resources present in the world). Nonetheless, the rapid development and ac-
classroom per se and as resources used by teachers celeration quite soon lead to postmodernism, a wild
during their preparation) but limited to non-periodi- and ever-growing visual jungle, which no longer fit-
cal print publications.2 ted this concept (Mirzoeff, 1999, p. 3, 5, 7). “Visual
Some of them may be granted the approval culture directs our attention away from structured,
clause of the Ministry of Education, Youth and formal viewing settings (…) to the centrality of vis-
Sports (MEYS). In art education, there is a signifi- ual experience in everyday life.” (Mirzoeff, 1999,
cantly smaller number of textbooks and teaching p. 7). Consequently, not only visual theory, but also
texts provided with this clause compared to other the formation of visual perception must inevitably
subjects3 – just ten of these publications have been transform within basic education – ideally in the
granted the approval clause fifteen or more years teaching of art education.
ago and the validity has been extended ever since4. “The constituent parts of visual culture are, then,
Despite their indispensable qualities, they unfortu- not defined by medium so much as by the interac-
nately lack links to contemporary art and visual cul- tion between viewer and viewed, which may be
ture. termed the visual event. (…) In short, seeing is not
1 Key competencies are defined at the national level and stand “above” individual school subjects. They include learning competencies, problem-solving competencies, com-
munication competencies; social and personal competencies; civil competencies; working competencies. Each subject has so-called expected outcomes (e.g., “[pupils will]
choose, combine and create tools for their own personal expression, and compare and evaluate its impacts with the impacts of existing and regularly applied tools of visual
expression” at 1st to 5th grade and 6th to 9th grade. At the school level, expected outcomes are specified for a shorter period (e.g., for the 6th grade, “[pupils will] apply their
personal perception of reality in order to create and interpret works of visual artistic expression”) and they are accompanied by subject matter (e.g., “subjective expression of
personal perception of reality by using various materials and techniques – mixed media”). Pupils develop their key competencies by gradually acquiring the expected outcomes.
2 Periodic publications cannot receive the MEYS approval clause and their inclusion would also significantly expand the area under consideration.
3 E.g., 231 pieces for Czech Language and Literature, 282 pieces for English, 155 pieces for Mathematics and its Applications, 16 publications for Music Education (data of 2016).
4 Two five-part series: Obrazárna v hlavě [The Picture Gallery in the Head] and Průvodce výtvarným uměním [The Visual Arts Guide].
[any longer] believing but interpreting.” (Mirzoeff, “With the growing influence of semiotics, cultural
1999, p. 13) In Mitchell’s (1994, p. 16) words, seeing anthropology and theories of culture in the field of
is reading. Within pedagogic discourse, the issue is art education, the term visual literacy appears in the
further elaborated from the point of students’ per- Anglo-American theory of art education and design
sonality shaping and self-identification. In order to since the mid-1980s.” (Fulková, 2002, p. 12). The
be perceived as a full member of society – a capa- issue of visual literacy concerns vision and all visu-
ble, active and knowledgeable individual –, a person al aspects shaping the current visual culture. In the
(student) must have control of a basic package of pedagogical context, visual literacy aims to stimulate,
literacies. Rabušicová (2002, p. 11) states that “the shape and support the individual’s abilities and skills
ability to participate in the world of information has related to viewing, interpreting, classifying and shap-
gradually become a more important prerequisite ing ubiquitous visual elements in order to be able to
for the economic and social development of nations fully participate in modern multimedia communica-
than their natural resources wealth.” The basic triad tion. Accordingly, the incorporation into art educa-
is no longer sufficient: “new personalities” should tion (including didactic materials) would meet the
be equipped with media literacy, reading literacy, requirements of being up-to-date, forming and culti-
and, in the context of this article, with visual literacy. vating aesthetic feeling and value judgements, and,
(Altmanová, 2010, p. 4; Rabušicová, 2002, p. 10). last but not least, of forming students’ self-identity.
3 Research of Didactic Materials for Art Education in the Czech Republic

The 2013 survey research (Géringová, Makovský, Based on a questionnaire survey among teachers
Minař íková) found out that most often, primary and graduates of secondary professional schools
school teachers base their lesson preparations on and on a research in school library collections, Po-
two specific categories of printed didactic materials: lanecký (2006) carried out an “inventory check” of
methodical manuals published before 1989 (linked available didactic materials on the history of art and
to the curriculum and put together by experts) and culture. He observes the lack of systematic research
creative task workbooks published after 2000 (com- on didactic texts in the Czech Republic, resulting in
mercially published materials without professional a problematic situation for the potential emergence
supervision). Neither of these categories includes of new textbooks.
contemporary visual arts and culture overlaps. Of Červenková’s (2010) and Sikorová’s (2010)mono-
the approached teachers, 70% stated they would graphs include very comprehensive research devoted
appreciate new didactic materials for art education. to the use of textbooks at lower secondary schools.
However, due to a small sample size (36 teachers), They confirmed the important role of textbooks in
we consider the survey to be only a preliminary map- teaching English, history, mathematics, and civics. Un-
ping of the issue. fortunately, art education was excluded already in the
Similarly, Zálešák, who asked teachers at primary pilot phase, since textbooks were not used during the
schools (35 teachers) and gymnasiums6 (25 teachers) observed lessons. As the author herself states, “even
whether they work with contemporary art in their the absence of textbooks in the classroom indicates
lessons and what resources they use. The most fre- their role in the educational process.” (Červenková,
quent response was exhibitions (15), the publication 2010, p. 14). We find this research important espe-
Pru°vodce výtvarným uměním I.–V. [The Visual Arts cially as a methodical and theoretical support and as
Guide I.–V.] (10) or the academic journal Ateliér [Atel- a work focusing not only on the student–textbook
ier] (9) (Zálešák, 2007, p. 240). This research sample but also teacher-textbook relationship.
obviously works with contemporary visual culture Brücknerová (2010) also emphasizes the need for
more often, which is probably due to the participa- the research on textbooks of art education; she
tion of gymnasium teachers – in this case, art educa- refers to the fact that in art education, Czech
tion usually focuses on the history of art. teachers probably have the greatest freedom and al-
most complete absence of textbooks.
5 The natural language model includes the spoken word and its written form, in culture represented mainly by newspapers and novels.
6 A type of school emphasizing academic learning; comparable to British grammar schools.
4 Methodology of Research on Didactic Materials for Art Education

The above-mentioned research projects show the these criteria in more detail.
predominance of quantitative methodology, but the In connection with the main research question
discourse in the field of art education has been in- (What is the effective role of printed didactic mate-
clined towards qualitative methodology – it reflects rials during the educational process in art education
the practical turn in the social and human sciences at primary and lower secondary schools?), a series of
(see Slavík et al., 2014), requiring an intensive inter- subquestions gradually emerged, which might work
connection of theory and practice in the field. A sim- as relevant criteria for production of future printed
ilar trend is evident in textbook research in general – didactic materials:
observational and interviewing methods are increas- > What criteria are placed upon didactic materials
ingly frequent (Sigurgeirsson, 1992 in Červenková, for the subject of art education at primary and
2010, p. 13). We too find the effort to connect theory lower secondary schools by
to practice of the field important. We use quantita- a) curriculum framework,
tive methods especially for the initial “mapping” and b) current discourse in the field,
to gain insight into the distribution of the concerned c) certified teachers,
issues. The explanatory sequential mixed methods d) non-certified teachers? How do these criteria
approach (Creswell, 2014, p. 224) appears the most differ?
appropriate. Here, the quantitative phase (question- > How are contemporary visual arts and culture
naire survey) is used to get an idea of the range of di- represented in textbooks of art education?
dactic materials used and the most common criteria > How is the development of visual literacy
applied by their users. Based on the survey results, a involved in textbooks of art education?
qualitative phase (interview) is conducted to explain
5 Quality Criteria for Didactic Materials for Art Education

Legislative criteria for didactic materials are phrased III. How does the didactic material encourage dia-
broadly, professionally specified by their link to the logue between teachers and students over con-
Framework Educational Programme and expert re- temporary pieces of visual arts (or arts of other
viewers. Many authors, however, consider this sys- types)?
tem to be too benevolent. Therefore, we present IV. How does the didactic material refer to contem-
questions specifying the relation of didactic materi- porary visual culture (e.g., in advertising, applied
als to the examined issue, which could be included arts, etc.)?
in a potentially revised review report: V. How does the didactic material encourage
I. How does the didactic material encourage dia- teachers to instigate students to interpret visual
logue between teachers and students over their pieces of art or their own work?
work? VI. How does the didactic material work with pro-
II. How does the didactic material encourage dia- fessional terminology?
logue between teachers and students over clas- VII. How does the didactic material support the
sical pieces of visual arts (or arts of other types)? creation of interdisciplinary overlaps?
6 Selected Examples of Didactic Materials for Art Education

We have recently noticed increased production of Ko-text: tvar, zvuk a gesto, tvu°rce, učitel a žák
quality domestic publications of visual artists, art [Co-text: Shape, Sound and Gesture, Author, Teacher
historians, curators, or museum and gallery educa- and Student] (Dytrtová & Raudenský, 2015) is the
tors, who do not apply for the MEYS approval clause, result of the collaboration between an art education
yet their results meet most of the criteria. Moreover, theorist and a visual artist. Teachers and pupils con-
they aptly refer to contemporary visual arts and cul- tributed to the publication with experimental learn-
ture. Three examples are given below. ing tasks. The authors readily covered the current
developments in the field (e.g., the method of con-
ceptual analysis, see Slavík, Dytrtová & Fulková,
Fig. 1 Excerpt from Ko-text [Co-text]. (Dytrtová & Raudenský, 2015)
2010). Resembling a game, the publication requires Proč obrazy nepotřebují názvy
the initiative of teacher, for whom it is primarily in- [Why Paintings Don’t Need Names] (Horák & Fran-
tended. ta, 2014) is written for non-professional readers (in-
cluding children) and deals with the most important
Nápadník do hodin výtvarné výchovy periods of the history of art in a playful and compre-
[The Book of Ideas for Art Education] (Jašurková, hensible way. The book “does not provide answers
2015) focuses on the “gap” in the practice of art and solutions, but it encourages curious students
education (i.e. modern and postmodern art) and to ask questions, which can intensify their aesthe-
declares a clear link to the Framework Educational tic experience” (Macháč ek, 2017). It is very popular
Programme. The publication is intended for teachers with teachers of art.
and instructors.
7 Conclusion
The article assessed the current situation in art edu- call for revision or specifications of the conditions
cation in Czech basic education through the issue of for granting the MEYS approval clause. We think
didactic materials. The selection of these materials that the issues of visual literacy and visual culture
lies entirely within the teachers’ authority, many of should be better integrated. The development of
whom, however, are non-certified. There are very visual literacy significantly contributes to appropri-
few textbooks for art education with a valid ap- ate personality development, forming full members
proval clause of the Ministry of Education, Youth and of contemporary society.
Sports. Moreover, they do not reflect contemporary After systematic research in the two areas out-
visual arts and culture. Consequently, teachers re- lined in the introduction, we formulated and intro-
sort to a wide range of officially unapproved texts of duced a series of hypothetical questions, which we
different quality and methodology. We introduced also examine in our dissertation research projects.
three apt examples. Next, an extensive questionnaire survey among
Previous research projects show the importance teachers of art education and semistructured in-
of the role of textbooks both in lessons and in their terviews are planned in order to analyse the role of
planning or preparation. At the same time, experts didactic materials in art education (Makovský).
At the same time, we will look into the practice – We believe that this approach will provide an ade-
through lesson observations, analysis of framework quate insight into the examined issue and will im-
curriculum timetables, questionnaires, and group in- prove the initial situation for the sake of potential
terviews with students in order to assess their abil- new didactic materials.
ity to interpret historical and contemporary images
of visual culture (Voštová).
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M. Roumy Akue | Creative monitoring and resources coproduction as key levers of differentiation for design students’ education
Creative monitoring and resources coproduction as key levers

of differentiation for design students’ education
Magali Roumy Akue
Paris-Descartes University, Paris, France | magali.roumy@etu.parisdescartes.fr
Abstract
The goal of this research is to evaluate the ability of know what has already been created. Creative moni-
a blended creative monitoring system to support a toring associated to coproduction of resources could
renewed and singular creative cultural knowledge be a way to renew the student’s cultural knowledge
base for design students in which they coproduce base and at the same time to feed their personal
resources for themselves and their peers. path. Indeed, this approach allows pooling resources
For design students to become future designers, but raises the question of defining an editorial slant
understanding the creative ecosystem requires an for coproduced resources without giving up singu-
important and constantly renewed creative cultural larity of each contributor’s choices.
knowledge base. This endeavor is daunting because
Keywords: Creative monitoring, Coproduction,
designers produce a lot of new design projects every
Differentiation, Cultural knowledge base
year. Yet, to create new artefacts, students need to
1 Context and problem

The goal of this research is to evaluate the ability of Beyond the cultural base, the curriculum addresses
a blended creative monitoring system to support a the question of singularity. Every student should
renewed and singular creative cultural knowledge produce his own creations, answering original prob-
base for design students in which they coproduce lems. Teachers should help students to identify their
resources for themselves and their peers. personal path connected to their own view. “Person-
For the design students to become future design- al” is the fourth most used term in the curriculum
ers, understanding the creative ecosystem requires with 36 records, behind “Research” (173), “Project”
an important and constantly renewed creative cul- (143) and “Culture” (168).
tural knowledge base. This endeavor is daunting, Yet, there are no professional textbook for design
design is a growing and atomized field (Julier, 2014, teachers and students to respond to these require-
2017) in which a lot of new design projects are creat- ments. Anyhow, is a textbook sufficient for this need
ed every year. Yet to create new artefacts, students for permanent culture renewal?
need to know what has already been created. The digital environment and the economics of
The requirement of the ever-renewed cultural contribution offers opportunities to rely on shared
base is clearly stated in the French post-graduate productions and exchange. Relationships between
curriculum. Indeed, the curriculum insists on the actors become interconnected to support a com-
constant evolution of the information universe and mon production (Stiegler et al., 2008).
on the contemporaneity of design themes to be ad- We study a blended learning system that fits in
dressed. this new paradigm. The system sets to practice
It also recommends the promotion of “curiosity creative monitoring in which student’s coproduce
and reflection in a state of watchfulness and inno- resources for themselves and for their peers. The
vation, to listen to international design news and consultation and contribution of these resources be-
evolutions.” The understanding of mutations in dif- come an enabler to acquire an evolving and singular
ferent areas of design and the consolidation of an cultural knowledge base in the fast-growing context
active renewable cultural knowledge requires a per- of design.
manent creative monitoring (Design Degree Cur-
riculum, 2012).
2 Conceptual framework
To analyze this blended learning system, we articu- Creative monitoring and Information
late creative monitoring, co-production and dif- acquisition
ferentiation conceptual frameworks. We explore Information is the purpose and the goal of the moni-
creative monitoring framework to understand the toring process dedicated to creative purpose. It’s
acquisition process and the nature of information to not about gathering information exponentially, but
be collected. The coproduction framework helps as- rather to identify information that reveals future
sess the opportunities provided by a shared produc- trends, weak signals (Ansoff, 1984, Hiltunen, 2006),
tion. Differentiation enables us to question teaching fresh information, that is, recent information (Dou,
requirements in order to lead every student and pro- 2004; Deiss, 2015), gray information (AFNOR 1998;
vide singular inputs. Schöpfel 2015), difficult to find but could help to de-
sign the future. (AFNOR, 1998).
Information may be collected in the course of “un-
Creative monitoring directed monitoring” for instance through seren-
Creative monitoring is an environmental scanning dipity or during “active monitoring”, that is a sys-
process to gather key inputs that enables creativ- tematic and conscious monitoring within a defined
ity (Goria, 2017). It’s an activity geared toward un- perimeter (Mc Kenzie, 2003). Monitoring can be
derstanding the environmental ecosystem in order “outsourced”, distributed and led by a large group of
to identify design opportunities and “improve or at people within the organization or externalize out-
least maintain the habitability of the world” (Finde- side the organization (Salvetat, 2008).
li, 2010, p. 292). Analyzing a creative monitoring system must take
We characterize creative monitoring by its process these elements into account in order to identify the
of information acquisition and exploitation. user’s ability to find, select or produce information.
Monitoring process Coproduction

We are using the general definition of the environ- Coproduction of resources1 involves the cooperation
mental scanning process (Balmisse & Meingan, of at least two stakeholders in a production. It may
2008) tailored to the creative context of design. It be initiated by teachers or students. It is intended to
includes five stages: improve the quality of what is produced, “to succeed
1. the first stage is a targeting themes stage, in together in what we couldn’t achieve alone and pro-
which the seeker locates the relevant axes, the- mote innovation.” (Ricciardi-Rigauld, Henri, 2010,
matic or keywords that need to be monitored. p1). In the cooperative co-production, each partici-
2. The second stage is collecting materials, record- pant acts in complementarity with the others.
ing and storing.
3. The third stage is an analysis step. It can be re-
ports, synthesis, or classification system. Differentiation
4. The fourth and fifth stages are dedicated to syn- Differentiation implies the idea of adjusting one’s
thesis and making available information gath- teaching to “help each student achieve a learning
ered. during which the information leads to the goal” (Prud’homme et al., 2005), focusing on student
formulation of hypothesis or strategic scenariis. needs (Tomlinson & McTighe, 2010).
The quest for differentiation leads teachers to pro-
In the remaining of the paper, we will summarize pose teaching situations in which each student can
those steps in two different activities: consultation explore his or her own perimeter within a group ac-
(stage one to three) and contribution (all the stages). tivity (Przesmycki, 1991, 2008). This requires a safe
and challenging teaching environment yet adapted
to learning objectives (Subban, 2006).
1 We define resources as grains defined by Loffreda and Bruillard in 2016, that are, elementary components that cannot be reduce.
3 Data context: creative monitoring system

In the creative monitoring system, students produce design projects, write articles coproducing con-
resources that are design articles, edited online on a tent. At the end, they present their work to the
private pedagogical platform. whole community.
They can consult any resource in the platform at 3. Third (Fig. 3), the activity includes an on-line
any time, search for articles with keywords or with training, where students consult and contribute
design categories to generate narrow results. to the creative monitoring platform, produc-
The creative monitoring system includes three ing a collective memory in the long run. At this
stages (Fig. 1): stage, students can contribute independently
Fig. 1 Creative Monitoring global blended system. (Roumy Akue, 2017)
Fig. 2 Training face-to-face session (Roumy Akue, 2017) Fig. 3 Creative Monitoring system on-line-training ((Roumy Akue,
2017)
1. First, a workshop while the trainer teacher and submit their article to a moderator-teacher.
explains how to use the platform. Contents are shared. Students can contribute in
2. Second, (Fig. 2), a face to face session. All stu- their own work perimeter.
dents and teachers work together to classify
4 Methods and sampling

The experiment took place in France and integrates We used a qualitative and quantitative approach
5 design schools for one academic year, from Sep- and a triangulation of the data to understand the
tember 2016 to July 2017. processes of cooperative contribution and consulta-
The whole community was composed of 5 schools tion, behavior and motivation.
distributed in 11 subgroups cooperating and sharing Qualitative analysis is based on 1 students’ fo-
resources (Ricciardi-Riguauld, Henri, 2010). cus group, 1 teacher’s focus group (field notebook)
and 5 semi-directive interviews with 5 design teach- We analyzed activity traces such as the frequency of
ers who were involved in the project. We also par- consultation and contribution, the balance between
ticipated in all stages of the project since its early the contributions of the different groups, the fresh-
beginning. In the semi-directive interviews, we gath- ness of referenced design projects, the consultation
ered information on the consultation and contribu- frequency of articles written by other contributors,
tion motivation. We particularly studied the motives that is not written by the student himself.
behind design fields selection and the contributed By crossing our qualitative and quantitative data
subjects regarding to scholar requirements. we investigated the efficiency of the coproduction
Quantitative analysis is based on the platform us- based creative monitoring process for the acquisi-
age data. tion of an evolving and singular culture base.
5 Results
A broad cultural base supported “The advantage with this platform is that you can find
by the coproduction reference that you will find nowhere else.” (NCE)
Since 2014 (the opening of the platform) there has

been 292 users and 590 articles published (2014–2017). Students contributions match with their own singu-
In the sole studied academic year (September lar research
2016 to June 2017), 145 students used the platform,
203 articles were published, and 3870 articles were “Most of the references we edit are linked to our research.” (TQ)
viewed. A single student would not have been able

to produce those contents alone. The use of the platform shows that students con-
The monitoring and contribution process was sult articles written by their peers in line with their
outsourced, protected and distributed in the whole needs and contribute according to their paths. But
community. Furthermore, students consulted 89% we must underline that contribution impact others
of the articles they didn’t write, the platform opens student’s consultation. It implies that we have to
the access to a broad range of articles unwritten by pay attention to the balance of contributions.
those who consult them. We can say the system
achieves objectives that a single student couldn’t
(Ricciardi-Rigauld, Henri, 2010). A differentiated cultural base supported
by coproduction: imbalance
Contributions spanned across 3 design fields (image,
A differentiated cultural base supported object and space) and 5 themes opening exploration
by coproduction: students goals of fields different than student’s own specialties and
Now, if we pinpoint the learning goals mentioned by specific interests.
students, they used the platform to reinforce their 2 groups were the most active contributors, cre-
comments or nourish their own work. Each student ating an imbalance in terms of the fields studied in
adapted his consultation and contribution to his the articles. The groups contributed up to 40% and
singular need and his work perimeter (Przesmycki, 41% respectively. As a consequence, 59% of articles
1991, 2008). They used the platform to complement are product design projects, 23%, images design pro-
their essays in an active monitoring logic in line with jects and 17% space design projects.
their schoolwork, or to find unknown projects confi- This imbalance of contributions highlights a risk,
dent of the rich and secure information context. We the behaviors of students are impacted by their ex-
can consider this information as gray because they perience on the platform.
would be difficult to find otherwise.
“Artice (the platform) allows me to have project references Adjustment of student’s behaviors
that reinforce my topics” (TQ)
We identify 3 kinds of student’s behaviors:
“Artice (the platform) is the first source I visit to find a project. > Sharing, students choose their research subjects
It brings together the name, the context, the date, the visual and projects, with regards to what they would
representation, the article, a lot of information in the same
like to make known to others.
place. For me, it’s a designer bible, the first place I visit.” (IS)
“the table that I find super beautiful, I would dream to “There are a lot of product design projects, so this encour-
have, I liked to share it, that’s why I chose this and not age you to post a product design project.” (NCE)
something else” (JS).
“I did not feel like publishing a twenty years old project,
because I thought the platform was not oriented.” (ME)
> Militancy, contribution is driven by the wish to
rebalance the common memory in line with
We notice that students gradually adjusted the
their design view.
standards of their productions through self-modera-
“Me, it’s more projects that are not there at all [...], I think it’s tion attitudes influenced by the existing articles.
important that the architectural arts are represented, the
arts, the design, there is not enough for my taste, that’s it. “ There is a dual adjustment dynamic:
(LQ)
> The integration of a broad and evolving com-
“It pushes me to put references that are less known, which mon cultural base during consultations.
are in my culture and that we do not find often enough.“ > The affirmation of an area of interest influenced
(KT)
by their peers’ research problems, their wish to
“It seemed to me that I had to put projects a little more con- spread their design views and influence their
crete, just product design more industrial.” (KT) peers design culture. And sometimes, self-cen-
sorship to comply with other contributions.
> Self-censorship: students interpret the publish-
ing recitals and decide to comply with what they
understand from the existing contributions.
6 Conclusion and discussion

The goal of this research was to measure the ability The platform faces the issue of balancing contri-
of a blended monitoring system to support differen- butions without denying the singularity of each con-
tiation through the coproduction of resources aim- tributor’s choices.
ing to renew a singular creative cultural knowledge The principal limitation of this research is its dura-
base. tion. It could be extended to understand better how
In the creative monitoring system, students pro- both teachers and students personal design views
duced resources that are design articles, edited on- influence the knowledge base and how the imbal-
line on a private pedagogical platform. ance between design fields distort the production of
By doing this, the students extended their design resources and affect self-censored users.
culture and affirmed their own work area. Yet, we As a research perspective, we will investigate the
also noticed the emergence of “parasitic” behaviors critical question of the editorial slant homeostasis.
such as self-censorship and militancy that could Particularly, we will pay attention to two adjust-
imbalance the whole monitoring and contribution ments levels:
process. Students’ behaviors were influenced by
others’ contributions. Therefore, some design fields > The global organizational level, by balancing the
are more represented, and some students try to pro- presence of different groups of contributors.
mote their design vision. This entails a risk of ampli- > The individual level, by working on the aware-
fication of different kinds of imbalance, field imbal- ness of individual contributors (from which
ance, design approaches imbalance. position am I contributing?).
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© 2019 IARTEM and the editors: E. Bruillard, A. Anichini & G.-L. Baron
Design: Y. Behnke
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Analysis and classiﬁcation of didactic materials

Conference Paper · November 2019

Carla Vázquez Formoso Montserrat Castro Rodríguez

La Tablet en la escuela: Revisión bibliográfica en Scopus View project

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

for tertiary ESP 22 Didactic material produced by NGDOs

Changing media – changing schools?

An overview of the scope of the 14th IARTEM International Conference

Fig. 1 Overview of Lisbon IARTEM conference themes (Bruillard, 2017)

Does the use of educational digital resources at school provide

Pablo Joel Santana Bonilla

Jesús Rodríguez Rodríguez

Study Specific Aims

Tab. 1 The wider research project: summary of specific studies. (Authors)

Some results from Study 1 elaborated by teachers and managed by different

Institutional Web Commercial Teacher networks Web portals not for

Some processes for filtering No usual processes for filter-

Differences between plat- Some focused on specific

Commercial Web platforms Web portals

Tab. 3 Differences between commercial platforms and portals. (Authors)

3 The purpose of this contribution

Permanence and change in literacy textbooks from the

Tania Maria Figueiredo Braga Garcia

4 Results and data discussion

e) The constant use of moving letters to support

Getting the best of all worlds in classroom materials

2 ESP in the post-method era

3 Technology and ESP

Cultural change in classrooms through the use

4 Results and data discussion

Relevance of Teaching Materials

Study on the theory and the practice of color

Maria Laila Tarran

1 Collective Dynamics: study of the color

2 Art tutorship: multiple appliances online

5 Free translation from the original. (N.T.)

6 Free translation from the original. (N.T.)

3 Color extended field: queries and capabilities

10 Free translation from the original. (N.T.)

Fig. 2 Menu, Additive blending. Source: <https://estudodacor.worpress.com>

Board games and acquiring knowledge of history:

Mirjana Senić Ružić

3 Results and data discussion

Images of the crisis of white patriarchy

4 A reverse order of gender hierarchy in the textbooks

5 Traces of a symbolic white structure in the textbooks

Fig. 1 Nettelblad & Ekdahl

5 Discourses of the Crisis of White Patriarchy Concealed by

Searching for Brazilian identity in the 1900s:

1 Introduction: A brief presentation of Brazil in 1900s

3 Methodology: Textbooks as identity documents –

4 Results and data discussion:

Teaching materials for teaching history: teachers’ perspectives

2 Procedures: strategies and tools

ANSWER’S CONTENT Nº produced by the teachers were presented in printed

New educational media for creative and socially open schooling

3 Educational publishers enter the field

4 New knowledge via new media in secondary education

5 Innovations in educational media as trailblazers for the definition

e) The constant use of moving letters to support

5 Free translation from the original. (N.T.)

6 Free translation from the original. (N.T.)

10 Free translation from the original. (N.T.)

5 Discourses of the Crisis of White Patriarchy Concealed by

3 Methodology: Textbooks as identity documents –

4 Results and data discussion:

5 Innovations in educational media as trailblazers for the definition

6 Key elements of cross-media social studies formats for secondary

A new way for teachers to prepare lessons?

3 The individual activity of organizing resources by teachers:

3 Theoretical justification: teaching materials, hearing impairment

> Files of the governing bodies: we have accessed Digital