11/07/20051 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

11/07/20052 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.

11/07/ 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

11/07/ What is science ? We question nature & (sometimes) nature answers ;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 ?proof 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 ;Graines de science

11/07/ 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 ;

11/07/ To contribute to resources for the teacher Consulting services (via Internet) ;services « Coaching » of teachers (cf. French charter)French charter Develop material kits ;

11/07/ To foster a better understanding of What is learning ; Explain the basic structures in our brain (senses, memory, emotions, thought..) and their (epi-)genesis ;memory emotions How children get to know/understand the world around them ; What do we know of the learning process ? (cognitive sciences)learning process The construction of abstraction : litteracy, numeracy… The diversity of intelligences among children.

11/07/20058 Retour 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

11/07/20059 Nanjing (China) : the baby lab Retour

11/07/ The official French charterFrench charter

11/07/ The knowledge pours into a child’s brain !brain

11/07/ retour