Lesson Notes in the Humanities: From Erroneous Conceptions of the Logical Framework to the Misuse of the Steering Instrument by Teachers and Pedagogic Inspectors

Abstract

The present study examines the logical framework of the current humanities lesson note
sheet, its structuring, interpretation and implementation by the teachers and pedagogic inspectors
concerned. It was carried out on the basis of documentary sources, oral information gathered from
teachers, Pedagogic Animators and Regional Pedagogic Inspectors, as well as participant
observation of facts in the field since 2005. The data collected was analysed using a qualitative and
quantitative approach. At the end of the study, the results highlight the misconceptions that teachers
and humanities inspectors have about the relationship between the elements of the teaching sheet
and the content to be included. At the level of the logical framework of the instruction sheet, the
“live issues” identified relate to the formula used to justify lessons, the design of teaching-learning
activities, the role and number of didactic situations required in a teaching sequence, and the
perception of the links between the elements of this pedagogical management tool. The results also
show that the misconceptions held by pedagogic inspectors and humanities teachers about the
content and articulation of the elements of the pedagogical data sheet lead to shortcomings in its
elaboration. Weaknesses can be found in almost every compartment of this document, from
justification to lesson conclusion, including the identification and formulation of internal resources,
external resources, teaching-learning activities, milestone assessment and summary. To ensure that
this instrument plays its full role in pedagogical guidance, the study suggests that it be read through
the prism of both horizontal and vertical concordance.