The work packages
Organization and functioning of local groups
It is fundamental to form on each of the territories local groups in order to develop the project whose mission will be to collect and analyse the practices implemented on the territories, to experiment different training modules, to participate in their validation and then to spread them in order to be the first users.In this logic, it will be compulsory to
- organize these groups, in space, time and the functions
- motivate them
- define the operating modes with them (what tools, for what purposes?)
- analyse the identified practices according to the agro-ecological knowledge.
- associate them to the assessment
Observation/census, data collection and analysis
The purpose consists in collecting information on significant experiences, (videos, recordings), then to analyse them with their authors (reflexive approach)
It will require many meetings with farmers, advisers, trainers, and of course local travels.
It will be finally, and most importantly be the opportunity to carry out insights of the current situation in order to develop the planning of the work package which follows, namely the trainings to develop on the territories.
Implementation of the trainings, experiments
From these observations and the information collected on the territories, the partners will elaborate an educational programme (meant to the trainers) and will define its contents and will create tools adapted to the situations. These tools will be presented to local groups of development, improved by them, and then experimented with a group in training.
Feedback of experiences, adaptation, implementation of good practices
It is important to recall that the partners do not work on a content of traditional training, but on a pedagogical approach adapted to the special case of agro-ecological knowledge and to its articulation with the scientific knowledge.
Indeed, it is a characteristic training of trainers constructed in a logic of action research: observation, questioning, experimentation, feedback on experience, validation, capitalization, and communication.
The know-how transmitted to the trainer is not locked and final since it takes place on her/his way to observe, to transmit, and not on the content of the transfer.
Here, and according to the experiences and reports of training implemented on the territories, the partners will first undergo a comparative analysis of the materials collected in the context of experienced training:
- Tools
- Evidence taken through Videos
- Assessment by learners
- Appraiser's observation/point of view
- Researchers' contributions
- Evaluation by the local group including the professionals
At this stage, experiences and practices particularly efficient, experiences and practices particularly efficient, will be heightened and others requiring a work of adaptation, improvement, enrichment, a questioning/challenging or giving up.
Writing of the training module, dissemination
On the basis of the achievements of the earlier work packages, the partners will write the final training module for trainers as well as the suitable educational tools.
It is difficult to predict the shape of this module and the tools, but it is clear that it will be many-sided and will mix the conventional approaches and more innovative tools.
This module will focus mainly on teaching methods allowing to associate didactic approaches working to facilitate the self-learning by the learners. It will put forward the recommendations on the part played by the trainer who must evolve from a stance of transmission of knowledge to a posture of a facilitator/mediator/guide.
Once defined the architecture of the module, the partners will combine the phases of "separate" writing according to the specific characteristics of each one and their adaptation to the content of the module (distribution made during the work package 5) and phases of collective writing through collaborative tools.
The content will be as varied as the analysis of video sequences, hearings taken, pedagogical tools together with an analysis of experiences, a tool for analysis of practices and evaluation...
Assessment
The external evaluation will be carried out by an expert in educational sciences; several possibilities are being taken into account.
The evaluator who has also a mission of teaching expertise will be involved in all the phases of the program, and will be invited to participate in transnational meetings, at least those that will focus on the content or key steps of the approach.
As far as the internal evaluation is concerned, the partners will focus essentially on the life of the partnership, the quality of the works, the taking into account of the cultural diversity, the functioning of the local groups, the content of the productions, the respect for the "to do it", the achievements of various work packages, the quality of the information and of the level of information for each.