Reflexivity for experiential learning and a tool to transform digital practices: Two examples of didactic devices
Authors: Caroline Dubois , Béatrice Foucault 
Published: August 2024

In the context of digital usages, acting on practices, avoiding risky behaviors or moving towards more responsible mobile consumption are questions that have become central to our hyperconnected lives. Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility (CSR) strategies are underway, but companies are struggling to translate into action in some technocentric areas, such as in the Telco world. This paper proposes to examine the interest of the reflexive approach, as described by Vacher (2011), for the user-centered design of innovative and participatory services. Two educational devices were tested with French customers. Within Orange Innovation Research, these two devices have been designed to support customers in their digital uses. The first one focuses on cybersecurity risk management and the second one deals with the appropriation of responsible behavior regarding the purchase and usage of smartphone. We fall within the scope of persuasive technologies, as defined by Foulonneau (2017), within an influence that can be described as responsible and respectful of the recipient “without the use of coercion or deception”.The reflexive process, at the heart of our approach, encourages individuals to analyze and to question their actions and their consequences, thus facilitating the development and transformation of ethical and sustainable behaviors. Reflexivity can be described as experiential learning (Dewey, J. 1938 ), and mobilizes a metacognitive ability on how to learn. The first device deals with a priority topic for Orange: the digital protection of its customers. Through a chatbot, customers are encouraged to verbalize the risks they encounter, analyze their experience and take a step back to consider changing their behavior. The results of experiments with a group of young people show that reflective practice allows participants to become aware of their protective behaviors and to put in place effective and informed strategies aimed at countering daily risks. The second device is a service model designed to assist users in selecting a new smartphone via a questionnaire. The model provides information on the ecological and social impacts of smartphone manufacturing and suggests ways to reduce it. The qualitative test carried out in the laboratory shows that the use of the device allows the generation of "socio-eco-reflections" as well as a meta-reflection, both steps validating the start of a reflexive process. This questioning is accompanied by projections on practices built from the reflexive experience. We postulate that this reflexive approach, in an industrial environment, allows individuals to build and transform their own behaviors through a guided experiential journey. It also promotes the emergence of changes that are significant, adapted, and sustainable. This hypothesis highlights the importance of ethics and behaviors persistence within the framework of CSR, offering promising perspectives for the provision of enabling tools for our clients. Vacher, Y. (2011). La pratique réflexive. Un concept et des mises en œuvre à définir. In Recherche et formation, Vol 66, p. 65-78. Foulonneau A. (2017). Les technologies persuasives adaptatives. Intelligence artificielle [cs.AI]. Thèse, Université Grenoble Alpes. Dewey, J. 1938 Experience and Education (Internet Archive). Experience and Education. Macmillan Publishers. P. 9-10.