Expressing oneself in order to participate: tacit knowledge, learning and the Metaplan

Applying Metaplan methodology to schools implies changing traditional point of view: the main goal is no longer the action but the knowledge acquired during the process. The starting hypothesis is that, through participation techniques of which the Metaplan and the OST are examples, schools can experience the social and collective nature of knowledge building. Inside the participatory methodology, emphasis is devoted to individual reflection, which is particularly significant precisely in the first stage of the cognitive process. Moving from theoretical considerations and practical experiences, the article explores development and conversion processes from tacit to explicit knowledge and vice versa inside students' groups.