A new research project is starting at IREDU: The ANR EAU-CC Project (Entrée A l’Université – Croyances et Contrats).

A new research project is starting at IREDU: The ANR EAU-CC Project (Entrée A l’Université – Croyances et Contrats).The ANR EAU-CC project (Entrée A l’Université – Croyances et Contrats), in which IREDU is a partner, will begin in January 2025, lasting for three years. It is led by a consortium of four laboratories: UR EST (Studies on Science and Technology, University of Paris-Saclay), CREAD (Centre for Research on Education, Learning, and Didactics, University of Brest), IREDU (Institute for Research on Education, University of Burgundy), and LISEC (Interuniversity Laboratory of Education Sciences and Communication, University of Lorraine).The aim of the project is to contribute to the understanding of the difficulties faced by students entering university in scientific courses (mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics). At the start of university, in the absence of clearly defined norms, misunderstandings may arise between first-year students and teachers regarding study and teaching practices, leading to difficulties. These misunderstandings concern both aspects unrelated to the knowledge being taught, such as student behavior during lectures, and aspects directly related to students’ study practices or personal work. Novice students enter university with beliefs and expectations shaped by their secondary education. These beliefs and expectations differ from those of university teachers. The students’ experiences during their first year at university lead to an evolution of their beliefs and expectations regarding study and teaching practices. The project aims to answer the following questions:What differences exist between the beliefs and expectations of students and teachers regarding study and teaching practices that are likely to enhance learning, at the beginning of the first year?At the end of the first year?Can specific populations be identified according to gender, field of study, or discipline, in relation to these differences?What factors explain the differences that persist at the end of the first year for certain populations?