Renovation in science education: an inquiry-based approach

Peer Learning Cluster or other group

Background

Description

The PLA was organised around presentations of experts, inspectors and other specialists, visits to schools to attend classroom practice and concluded by discussions.

Three main objectives:

1. to study how France had been addressing over the past ten years the challenges in the area of the promotion of teaching and learning of sciences (especially at pre-primary, primary and lower secondary levels)  by developing an inquiry-based approach in science teaching on one the hand and by setting up initiatives of integrated sciences teaching on the other hand.
2. to present the broad pedagogical reform launched in France and its deep interaction with various stakeholders through partnerships at local, regional and national level from its conception, through its implementation and its evaluation.
3. to show the clear link between the promotion of science and technology and active citizenship education in the French society. 

The first part of the programme included presentations on the work done to analyse the situation of science education through the activities of the La Main à la Pâte team, of the Ministry in general and in particular of the general inspectorate, the inspectorate of the academies and of the inspectorate of the primary schools.

Several sites visits were included in the programme: the first one were two schools – a pre-primary and primary school- in Montreuil where the La Main à la Pâte Resource centre (Ecole des Sciences) was also visited.

Aside from the La Main à la Pâte inquiry-based pedagogical innovation in science teaching and learning (including both its mainstreaming through the PRESTE institutional reform and its impact on the renewal of the science programme), the PLA focused on the following key elements:

• The piloting of EIST (Enseignement Intégré des Sciences et de la Technologie) in the first two years of lower secondary education (collège);
• The monitoring and evaluation of both the initiatives ( i.e. The Main à la Pâte and EIST) and the role of the inspectorate;
• The partnerships involving the different stakeholders in education such as the French Inspectorate, higher education institutions, municipalities, scientific research centres and various schools to raise the interest for sciences and enhance active citizenship and focusing social inclusion issues;
• The POLLEN project (FP 6 project) which gives an international dimension to the Main à la Pâte project;
• The role and support given by science museums such as the Cité de la Science et de l’Industrie, la Villette to support innovation in science education.

Success factors: 

• A clear analysis of the situation;
• A detailed description of the innovative methodology;
• The monitoring and strong support given to teachers and schools;
• A strong cooperation between all the stakeholders based on partnerships
• The awareness that science education based on an inquiry-based approach also enables to acquire various competences and skills, key elements as to lifelong learning;
• The development and use of evaluation tools that notably contribute to constantly improving and/or adapting what is being developed and implemented in the innovative approaches.

Conclusions

The PLA has:

• enabled to clarify the key elements of a focused strategy plan concerning those two innovative approaches;
• been an inspiring learning experience during which concrete arrangements have already been made between individual participants to further their cooperation and exchange in the field of improving inquiry-based science education towards the immediate future.

Over the three PLAs the group of experts has grown into a strong network of colleagues which results into the development of evident-based policies in science teaching and learning in Europe with many professional and personal links and contacts.