Call for communications for special issue #80 "Enactive perspective(s) in learning sciences"

Editors of the thematic issue
Germain Poizat, University of Geneva, Switzerland
Nicolas Perrin, Teacher Training College of Vaud, Switzerland
Leticia Renault, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Julia San Martin, University of Aysén, Chile

Call for contribution
This thematic issue will a combination of guest contributions and of articles received in response to this call for papers (limited selection). It will be composed of articles in French and English (for non-native french speaker only).

Important dates
- July 15 2023: Direct paper submission deadline (50’000 characters)
- February 15 2024: Deadline for the final version (revised)

Format/langage
French speakers should write in French. Non-native French speakers must write in English (a copyediting is required if it is not the mother tongue).

Manuscript Preparation
Intellectica is a referenced French-language journal, created by the ARCo in 1985. It is devoted to the publication of theoretical, epistemological and historic work, shedding light on current debates, in the domain of cognitive science. The published material includes long reflective, critical and/or prospective articles. The journal gives priority to work carried out or presented in an interdisciplinary perspective. Articles whose content or form restrict the audience to a small circle of specialists are given lower priority (see online archive: http://intellectica.org/en/numeros).

This editorial policy excludes contributions of a purely empirical nature (whether it be experimental, observation, etc...), since such work already has a multitude of journals devoted to such work. The Editorial Committee nevertheless ensures that reflexive work which is presented is in phase with the current empirical state of the field and, if necessary, presents a synthesis in the heart of the article (see the instructions for manuscript preparation: https://intellectica.org/en/authosrs).


Archive and Open-Access Policy of the Journal
Intellectica has opted for an embargo of two years on original articles. Beyond two years, the articles (editor’s post-print version) may be freely distributed from the Intellectica site or any other site. In the end, all the archives of the journal will be available on an open archives platform: https://www.persee.fr/collection/intel

Manuscript submission
Please notify the coordination in advance of your intention to submit a paper for this special issue.
Submission of articles must be addressed to soumission@intellectica.org.
Indication for manuscript preparation: https://intellectica.org/en/authors
Submission deadline: July 15 2023

Description of the Thematic Issue

This thematic issue aims to promote the understanding and appropriation of the enactive approach and concepts within learning and training sciences; to discuss its fruitfulness (theoretical, empirical, practical) or not in terms of knowledge production on learning or development, and in terms of transformation of practices (teaching practices, educational practices, training practices) ; to contribute to mutual understanding and constructive debates between educational sciences and cognitive sciences (at least within the enactive approach); to encourage cross-fertilization, mutual enrichment, and controversies between the different perspectives and programs of research in education; to support transductions to the practices (teaching practices, educational practices, training practices); but also to discuss the different possible and desirable futures for the further works conducted within the enactive approach in the field of education, teaching, and training.

A variety of studies inspired by the enactive approach have been conducted in the field of education for many years (e.g., Begg, 2013 ; Bopry, 2001, 2007a, 2007b ; Brown & Coles, 2011 ; Coles, 2005 ; Holton, 2010 ; Li, 2008, 2010, 2013 ; Lozano, 2015 ; Maheux & Proulx, 2015 ; Masciotra, Roth & Morel, 2008 ; Proulx, Simmt, & Towers, 2009 ; Reid et Mgombelo, 2015 ; Rossi, 2011, Rossi, Prenna, Giannandrea, & Magnoler, 2013 ; Zorn & Parke, 2011).
While referring to the hypothesis of autopoiesis and/or enaction, these studies have often privileged certain notions or interpretations, while articulating them with different theoretical frameworks. For example, the enactive approach has often been associated with situated learning, constructivism (Piagetian), complexity theory and dynamical systems approach, ecological psychology, or pragmatism (e.g., Davis & Sumara, 2006 ; Khan, Francis & Davis, 2015 ; Masciotra, 2010 ; Zorn, 2011). A quick review of this literature (although a systematic literature review would be useful) indicates many different modalities and degrees in the way to refer to enactive approach in education. Without disputing the propositions formulated in these studies, it should be noticed that they do not always broadly explore the relationships between the enactive ontological foundations and the related epistemological and methodological consequences (whether in terms of empirical research, design, or intervention).The aim of this issue is not to address this topic in the first place through theoretical discussions on the ontological foundations of the enactive approach (discussions that sometimes saturate the publications dedicated to enaction), and the stream of epistemological, methodological, or ethical consequences for research (including educational sciences and research on learning).

The purpose of this special issue is more specifically to question the conceptual, empirical, and practical advances, opening on a) a renewed perspective on learning and development phenomena, and b) on new modalities of intervention and design practices in education, teaching, and training. If ontological, epistemological, methodological, or ethical dimensions can be discussed, this will only be as a detour, like Perseus facing Gorgon, to deal with learning or education issues in the broad sense.

The aim of this special issue is therefore to bring together authors:
- working to stem from the enactive approach some theoretical advances in learning and development theories (with the proposal of new definitions);
- testing the empirical and practical fruitfulness in the field of education/training of some core enactive concepts such as sense-making, participatory sense-making, languaging, perturbation, first person and third person approaches… ;
- trying to define new methods of intervention, new educational practices, and new design principles for supporting learning, teaching, and training
- conducting enactive design experiments or enactive design-based research in education and training;
- formulating an alternative educational ideal and project as a political and ethical extension of enaction.

Through this issue, we will try to cover the whole spectrum of research conducted in the enactive approach: autopoietic enactivism, enaction, phenomenologically inspired enactivist approach, radical enactivism, sensori-motor enactivism, enactivism more pragmatic, neurophenomenology, science and contemplative wisdom.