Forums for preservice teachers' development: lessons learned from five years of research

The CALICO research network, which includes four research laboratories and six teacher training institutes, is devoted to the study of forums in postgraduate education. Among the numerous studies the research network has been performed, the case of preservice school librarian teachers is notable. Since 2002, two training institutes (Caen and Rouen) have shared an e-learning platform which fosters hybrid formation situations based on exchange, mutualisation and collective work. For the past 5 years, significant research has been undertaken in order to better understand the organization of such forums, the activity of participants and groups, and the evolution of discourse and so on, involving very different tools and methods. This text provides a guided tour of these research efforts, explaining their importance and putting the main results obtained into perspective. It is a step towards a better characterisation of the role and nature of the various forums used during training sessions.