The 'La main à la pâte' Foundation
| Coordinating Organisation | The "La main à la pâte" Foundation, France |
|---|---|
| Organisers/Type of Organisation | Foundation for scientific cooperation |
| Initiative Type | Professional development of teachers in science education |
| Field of Science Involved | Scientific Education |
| Target Audience(s) | Primary and secondary school teachers |
| Reach | France and other European Union countries (36 partners), Asia (Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, Pakistan, Vietnam), Middle East (Iran), Africa (Cameroon, Egypt, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Togo, Tunisia ) Latin America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela) |
Main Objectives
To improve the quality of science and technology teaching in primary and secondary education.
Description of work
La main à la pâte is a foundation for scientific cooperation founded in 2011 by the Académie des Sciences, the École Normale Supérieure (Paris) and the École Normale Supérieure of Lyon. The Foundation’s activities are carried out within France and internationally, providing assistance and professional development for teachers.
Programmes are designed to help teachers implement inquiry-based learning which stimulates a scientific spirit in pupils, understanding of the world and capacities for expression.
The five key priorities are:
- produce and distribute scientific and teaching resources so that teachers in France and other countries can use them and adapt them to their context ;
- provide professional development for teachers;
- develop international cooperation on science teaching;
- encourage equal opportunities through science education: support is provided for scientific education programs in difficult or rural school environments. Pilot centres assist primary school teachers and Pilot middle schools benefit from partnerships with laboratories and researchers. The foundation also actively contributes to a science and disability program for special needs pupils;
- bring together science and industry in the development of science teaching. The Foundation coordinates in particular the ASTEP program (Accompaniment in Science and Technology in Primary School) which aims to reinforce the commitment of scientific professionals to primary school teachers and their pupils.
Results (2011 - 2015)
- 10,000 teachers and trainers trained in one of the 9 Houses for Science and national centres
- 4,000 teaching guides disseminated for free to primary and secondary classes
- 400 trainers trained in 10 countries
- 21 pilot centres covering 9,000 classes, half of which are based in priority education areas
- 3,300 primary school classes benefitting from the ASTEP programme (Assistance in Science and Technology at Primary School) whereby scientists work alongside teachers to encourage inquiry-based learning among pupils
More details of their successful experience abroad can be found from: www.fondation-lamap.org
Resources used or generated
The La main à la pâte Foundation produces many teaching tools and different resources.
You can search the resources on their website:
in French: http://www.fondation-lamap.org/outils-pedagogiques
Resources in other languages
(including Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, English, German, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish and Vietnamese.)
A wide range of subject topics are included, a sample includes:
- Climate change
- When the Earth Rumbles
- The Ocean, My Planet and Me
- Scientific Discoveries in Islamic Countries
| Contact Details | |
|---|---|
| Principal Contact | Laurence Constantini |
| Address | 43 rue de Rennes - 75006 Paris, France |
| Contact Form | |
| Website | www.fondation-lamap.org |
| Social Media | Facebook Twitter - @Fondation_Lamap YouTube |
| Other partner details | The French Academy of Sciences, the École normale supérieure in Paris and the École normale supérieure in Lyon |