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The role of the scientific community in teachers training

Pierre Léna

Académie des sciences, France

International School of Science Teaching

European Summer School for Primary science trainers

Erice, Sicily : 9 – 14 July 2005

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The scientific (and technological) community  ?

1. Researchers (academic or not), engineers, with first-hand experience on active (creative) science (or technology) ;

2. Agreeing on the unsatisfactory status of elementary science education : content, methods, teacher training …

3. Convinced of their responsability to improve the schools (beyond museums or other informal education).

4. Ready to give collaboration & time to this action. 5. Organized at various levels : Academies of science, research

institutions (e.g. ESA, CERN..), Universities and engineering schools.

6. Role of science in society is questioned.

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1. To explain and illustrate What is science ;

2. To give legitimity to new training methods ;

3. To contribute to ressources for the class ;

4. To foster a better understanding of What is learning ;

The roles of the scientific community

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1. What is science ?

• We question nature & (sometimes) nature answers ;• Science deals (also) with everyday’s life phenomena !• The cycle Observation/Question/Hypothesis/Experiment/Model

is for everybody ;• What is a proof in natural sciences ?• Levels of understanding are multiple ;• Science has an history (Europe des découvertes) ;• Access to scientific knowledge (e.g. Graines de science in France) is

worth the effort : use of common language ;

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2. To design and give legitimity to new training methods

– Science in Vocational schools (pre-service) :• Implement investigation methods ;

• Develop transverse topics (language, history..) ;

– Science in In-service training ;

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3. To contribute to resources for the teacher

• Consulting services (via Internet) ;

• « Coaching » of teachers (cf. French charter)

• Develop material kits ;

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4. To foster a better understanding of What is learning ;

• Explain the basic structures in our brain (senses, memory, emotions, thought..) and their (epi-)genesis ;

• How children get to know/understand the world around them ;• What do we know of the learning process ? (cognitive sciences)• The construction of abstraction : litteracy, numeracy…• The diversity of intelligences among children.

11/07/2005 8Retour

Proof in science

• Earth is immobile• How do I know I move ?• Dropping a ball from the mast of the ship• The principle of inertia• The Foucault pendulum

• Earth is immobile• Planets trajectories are complicated around Earth• The Sun is at the center, orbits become simple• Mars follows an ellipse• Gravitation determines the motions• Aberrations of stars « prove » Earth’s motion• Masses curve space-time

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Nanjing (China) : the baby labRetour

11/07/2005 10The official French charter

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The knowledge pours into a child’s brain !

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retour

« … La méthode en sciences est devenue le point de départ de toutes les activités de ma classe ou presque (…) J’ai étendu la méthode expérimentale aux autres domaines d’activités tant elle semble porteuse de sens et avoir des incidences sur la construction de l’intelligence (…) Je donne une plus grande autonomie aux élèves … »

« … Le questionnement des élèves est maintenant le point de départ de recherches, expérimentations et observations (…) Je porte maintenant une plus grande attention aux apprenants pour avoir vécu la situation de l’intérieur… » « … De dépositaire du savoir, j’ai évolué vers la posture de guide, de personne ressources, qui oriente les élèves vers la construction de leurs propres savoirs… »