Apports du tutorat en ligne pour la production écrite dans un dispositif de télécollaboration
Résumé
Because they have induced a transformation of our approach to writing, multimedia technologies cannot be
ignored when it comes to the teaching of written production. Information and communications technology (ICT)
can encourage authentic communicational practices. With written production tasks based on digital tools,
students are encouraged to write for other readers than their teacher. What can be the role of the teacher or of
the tutor when written production is based on digital technology? Various studies show that scaffolding plays a
major role.
This paper deals with the role of the tutor in a written production task based on digital tools. I study a
telecollaborative project between 25 tutors pursuing a Master’s degree in Paris to become French language
teachers and 13 undergraduate students learning French in Hong Kong. Each group is made up of two tutors for
one learner. The exchanges are directed towards a writing project using new technologies, a blog dedicated to
student life in Paris and in Hong Kong. Learners first read an article written by one of their tutors on a theme
about student life in France; then they write an article on the same theme about student life in Hong Kong. The
texts, in which participants talk about their experiences, are posted on the blog, thus highlighting the social
dimension of the project. It also aims at giving learners various models for their productions.
My research question deals with the scaffolding by tutors. How can tutoring be a help for written production? To
answer this question, I study articles written by learners and tutors, instructions proposed by tutors, as well as
questionnaires completed by learners and reflective texts written by tutors at the end of the project. The analysis
of the corpus shows that the reading of texts written by tutors provides assistance to learners when it comes to
written production. By writing articles and disclosing themselves, tutors encourage learners to produce
autobiographical texts. The participants in the project are well aware of that. The tasks are personalized by
tutors who guide the production of learners, adapt to their interest, and build a progression accordingly.
Learners use in their productions ideas, themes and expressions that are to be found in the texts written by their
tutors. The study thus brings to light the benefits of tutors’ commitment on learners’ involvement.
Cet article s’interroge sur l’étayage des tuteurs dans un projet de télécollaboration entre 25 tuteurs inscrits en
Master de didactique du français langue étrangère à Paris et 13 apprenants de français inscrits en Licence à
Hong Kong. Les échanges s’articulent autour d’un projet d’écriture mobilisant les nouvelles technologies : un
blog consacré à la vie étudiante à Paris et à Hong Kong. Les tâches sont personnalisées par les tuteurs qui
guident la production des apprenants, s’adaptent à leur intérêt et élaborent une progression adaptée. En
rédigeant eux-mêmes des témoignages et en acceptant de se dévoiler, les tuteurs encouragent les apprenants au
récit autobiographique. On peut ainsi observer dans les productions des apprenants les effets du tutorat à
travers la reprise de thématiques et d’expressions.