Presentation of a cooperative engineering project for transferring the didactic institution of free text in ordinary classrooms

Abstract

This study explores cooperative engineering applied to writing practices in French primary schools, with a specific focus on the ‘free text’ method of the Freinet educational approach. Cooperative engineering, as defined by Sensevy and Bloor (2020), consists of educators and researchers collaboratively designing, implementing and refining a teaching sequence. This method is not intended to innovate per se, but to bridge the gap between theoretical models and practical application in the classroom, recognising variations in teaching practices. The research examines the transferability of the free text model to conventional school settings to improve students' writing skills and foster collaboration between students. After introducing the context and the model, the study describes the collective cooperative process with teachers seeking effective strategies for text production. In addition, it addresses the challenges that teachers face in adapting their methods and rethinking classroom organisation. Through observational data, interviews and multimedia documentation, this study aims to establish the conditions for successfully integrating free text into traditional classrooms.