Digital technologies and education for the environment and sustainable development: the case of French associations[Numérique et éducation à l'environnement et au développement durable : le cas des associations françaises]

This project proposes an action research (Bradbury 2015) to identify the digital practices of French associations of education for the environment and sustainable development (EESD). Digital technology can be a powerful educational tool, but what about raising awareness of the major challenges facing humanity? Uncovering these practices involves identifying their three components: the technologies used (materials), the skills required to do so, and the symbolic representations associated with digital technologies by French EESD associations (the meaning given to it by their users). EESD associations often lack resources to carry out their missions, and digital technologies can be a crucial lever to enable them to succeed, especially since the vast majority of actors in France are relatively well equipped with digital technologies. While some studies have provided a quick overview of the use of digital technologies by French associations (Eynaud 2010), it is not the case for EESD associations. Moreover, the concept of practices that we propose to use has never been mobilised to do so. After a presentation of the conceptual framework and methodology, this report presents the results of the project, starting with a description of digital technologies used in the day-to-day management of these associations. It then presents the different digital practices mobilised in their EESD actions.