Aubry Alexandre

Responsibilities in Pedagogy

Pedagogical Team Coordination at INSPÉ de Lorraine

Co-direction of the pedagogical team in humanities and social sciences (including philosophy, psychology, sociology, and educational sciences). My responsibilities include organizing pedagogical harmonization meetings, as well as developing and revising course module descriptions and assessment methods for the MEEF Master’s program.

Course Module Management within the MEEF Master’s Program

At INSPÉ de Lorraine, I am responsible for several modules in the MEEF Master’s program for both primary and secondary education tracks, as well as the Educational Engineering track:

• Understanding Learning Processes and Student Diversity (MEEF Master’s – Primary Education Track):Pedagogical and administrative organization of the module for approximately 388 students each year across five training sites.
• Practicing Assessment and Differentiation (MEEF Master’s – Primary Education Track): Coordination of pedagogical content and assessments to train future teachers in managing different forms of evaluation and differentiation in the classroom.
• Addressing Special Educational Needs (MEEF Master’s – Primary Education Track): Organization of a module dedicated to adapting teaching practices to support the inclusion of students with special educational needs.
• Adolescent Psychology and Learning (MEEF Master’s – Secondary Education Track): Management of courses focusing on adolescents’ socio-cognitive abilities and their influence on learning.
• Considering Learner Diversity (MEEF Master’s – Educational Engineering Track): Responsibility for modules aimed at training teachers to understand and support diverse student populations, with a particular focus on special educational needs.

Responsibilities in Research

• Co-leader of the MEMO Project: A study on the influence of working memory and gender on learning through retrieval, in collaboration with colleagues from INSPÉ d’Alsace and the University of Strasbourg.
• Head of the Communication Committee within the 2LPN Research Laboratory (UR 7489): In this role, I led the creation of the laboratory’s website, in collaboration with my colleagues and the web service of the University of Lorraine, to promote our research activities.

National Collaborations

• In collaboration with Prof. Corentin Gonthier (University of Nantes) and Dr. Jacques-Henri Guignard (University of Nantes), my research focuses on emotional skills and working memory in intellectually gifted students. These studies aim to better understand the cognitive and emotional specificities of these students by developing experimental tools for a refined assessment of their abilities.

• In collaboration with Prof. Béatrice Bourdin (University of Picardie Jules Verne) and Dr. Yannick Gounden (University of Picardie Jules Verne), I study teachers’ and school administrators’ knowledge and perceptions of intellectual giftedness. This research includes supervising the PhD thesis of Ms. Christelle Georgel, which explores the impact of this knowledge on the well-being and learning outcomes of gifted students.

• With Dr. Nathalie Gavens (University of Haute-Alsace) and Prof. Nadège Doignon-Camus (University of Strasbourg), I lead a project examining the relationship between working memory and learning strategies, particularly retrieval-based training. The goal is to better understand how working memory capacities influence effective pedagogical strategies.

• In collaboration with École de la Deuxième Chance, I have developed an innovative pedagogical strategy based on theatrical improvisation. This project aims to enhance interview skills among young adults in vocational training by promoting inclusive and adaptive practices to help marginalized job seekers build self-confidence.

International Collaborations

• • In collaboration with Prof. Valérie Camos (University of Fribourg, Switzerland), my research focuses on the working memory functioning of intellectually gifted students. This project seeks to shed light on the cognitive processes underlying their performance in complex tasks.

  • As part of the MTSS-K project, funded by Horizon Europe, I collaborate with researchers from six European countries (Germany, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland). The objective is to develop pedagogical strategies and resources tailored to preschool-aged children, supporting diverse educational needs.
    Project website: https://www.mtss-k.eu/

• MEEF – 1er degré – Psychologie du développement de l’enfant et des apprentissages scolaires
• MEEF – 1er degré – Différenciation pédagogique

My research falls within the field of developmental and educational psychology, with a focus on high-level cognitive abilities and the diversity of educational needs. It is structured around three main themes:

Cognitive and socio-emotional characteristics of intellectually gifted students

This theme aims to explore the cognitive and socio-emotional specificities of intellectually gifted students in order to better understand their educational needs. In particular, my work focuses on high-level cognitive abilities such as working memory, intelligence, and attentional capacities. These abilities are examined in relation to academic skills, allowing for a better understanding of how these characteristics influence school performance. I am also interested in socio-emotional aspects such as self-esteem and emotional regulation, which are often crucial determinants of students’ well-being and success. My research adopts a varied methodological approach, including experimental tools and quasi-experimental approaches, in collaboration with national and international researchers. These studies help identify the specific challenges faced by intellectually gifted students and contribute to adapting teaching strategies accordingly.

Knowledge and perceptions of education professionals regarding intellectual giftedness

This theme focuses on the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of teachers and other educational professionals regarding intellectually gifted students. Indeed, the way education professionals perceive these students significantly influences their teaching practices and the opportunities for their inclusion. My research seeks to understand to what extent educators are aware of the specific characteristics of gifted students and how this knowledge shapes their pedagogical actions. I conduct studies exploring teachers’ conceptions of intellectual giftedness, often in collaboration with foreign researchers, to compare cultural differences in the perception of these students. The objective of this work is to inform both initial and continuing teacher training by providing evidence-based data that can help educators better support gifted students.

Addressing student diversity in teaching

This third research focus examines pedagogical differentiation and how teachers can adapt their practices to meet the diverse needs of students. I am particularly interested in strategies that promote inclusion and skill development based on students’ abilities and specific needs. This includes pedagogical strategies tailored to gifted students as well as other groups with special educational needs. I conduct collaborative research projects, such as studies on the use of theatrical improvisation to enhance self-confidence and interview skills among young adults in training. Additionally, I participate in international projects (such as the MTSS-K project) that aim to develop pedagogical tools and resources accessible to teachers. The ultimate goal is to provide evidence-based educational practices that consider student diversity and foster an inclusive learning environment.

Titre : Le fonctionnement cognitif des enfants et adolescents à haut potentiel intellectuel : Investigation de la mémoire de travail et des réseaux attentionnels

Directrice. Pr Béatrice Bourdin

Soutenue le 30 novembre 2018

Jury d’examen :
• Pr Béatrice Bourdin, Université de Picardie Jules Verne (Directrice)
• Pr Élisabeth Demont, Université de Strasbourg (Rapporteur)
• Pr Jacques Grégoire, Université Catholique de Louvain (Rapporteur)
• Pr Sylvie Tordjman, Université de Rennes 1 (Examinateur)
• Pr Luc Vandromme, Université de Picardie Jules Verne (Examinateur)

Lien pour la télécharger : https://www.hal.inserm.fr/UNIV-PICARDIE/tel-03692035v1

Thèse en cours

1. Natalia Obrochta (2021 – Actuellement)
   Titre : L’impact de l’exposition aux écrans tactiles sur le développement et les apprentissage à l’école maternelle : interaction entre environnement familial et environnement scolaire
   Co-direction : Pr Youssef Tazouti
   Lien : https://www.theses.fr/s344044
2. Christelle Georgel (2021 – Actuellement)
   Titre : Impact de la connaissance des caractéristiques des élèves à haut potentiel par de acteurs éducatifs sur les apprentissages et le bien être de ces élèves
   Co-direction : Pr Youssef Tazouti
   Lien : https://www.theses.fr/s365346

I have conducted expert reviews for various international scientific journals, such as Frontiers in Psychology, European Review of Applied Psychology, and Gifted Child Quarterly. I have also evaluated research projects submitted to the French National Research Agency (ANR).