Fondation La main à la pâte

Fondation La main à la pâte
Name	Fondation La main à la pâte
Founded	1996
Founder	Georges Charpak
Headquarters	Paris, France
Mission	Promote inquiry-based science education for children

Fondation La main à la pâte is a French foundation established to reform science teaching through inquiry-based pedagogy, classroom practice, and teacher professional development. It promotes hands-on approaches originating from initiatives linked to the Nobel laureate Georges Charpak and extends networks across schools, universities, research institutes, and ministries. The foundation operates in France and internationally, engaging with primary, secondary, and teacher-training institutions.

History

The foundation grew from efforts by Georges Charpak and collaborators associated with Académie des sciences, École normale supérieure, and the Université Paris Diderot to implement laboratory-style science activities in École élémentaire classrooms. Early pilots involved partnerships with Ministère de l'Éducation nationale actors, municipal authorities in Paris, and curricula designers influenced by researchers at CNRS, INSERM, and Collège de France. International dissemination drew interest from organizations such as UNESCO, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the European Commission during initiatives connected to Programme for International Student Assessment reforms. Over time, the foundation formalized structures echoing collaborations with Fondation de France, Wellcome Trust, and university departments at University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Stanford University.

Mission and Educational Approach

The foundation advocates an inquiry-based model rooted in the legacy of Marie Curie-inspired laboratory pedagogy and contemporary science education research at institutions like Max Planck Society, Imperial College London, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Its approach emphasizes practical investigations crafted by teacher-researcher teams linked to CNRS Units, Université PSL, and École Polytechnique labs. The model aligns with recommendations from National Academy of Sciences (United States), Royal Society (United Kingdom), and reports from OECD on STEM competence. Pedagogical tools reference work by Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and John Dewey adapted through partnerships with teacher-training centers such as IUFM predecessors and École normale supérieure de Lyon.

Programs and Activities

Programs include classroom kits, teacher workshops, curricular resources, and research-practice networks co-developed with Collège, Lycée, and teacher education faculties. Pilot projects engage scientific institutions like Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CERN, and Observatoire de Paris to produce modules on topics from Charles Darwin-inspired evolution to Antoine Lavoisier-era chemistry. Continuing professional development sessions have been organized with universities such as Sorbonne University, Université de Strasbourg, and Université Grenoble Alpes, and with foundations like Carnegie Corporation and Rockefeller Foundation in collaborative exchanges. Assessment initiatives have paralleled work by TIMSS researchers and data collected for studies associated with PISA frameworks.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The foundation maintains networks with national ministries including Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche, international bodies like UNICEF, and philanthropic actors such as Fondation Bernard van Leer and Open Society Foundations. Academic collaborations involve Université de Genève, University College London, University of Cambridge, and research centers including INRIA and Institut Pasteur. Projects have connected museums and science centers such as Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, Eden Project, and Exploratorium as well as publishers like Éditions Belin and Oxford University Press for resource dissemination. Exchange programs have linked to initiatives led by FP7 and Horizon 2020 consortia.

Governance and Funding

Governance comprises a board with figures from scientific institutions like Académie des sciences, representatives from higher education institutions including Université PSL, and members associated with philanthropic networks such as Fondation de France. Funding sources have included grants from European programs managed by European Commission, philanthropic support from Wellcome Trust and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, contracts with municipal authorities including Ville de Paris, and partnerships with private sector actors such as Saint-Gobain and Schneider Electric for STEM outreach. Operational collaboration often involves research laboratories at CNRS and teacher education bodies formerly under IUFM structures.

Impact and Evaluation

Evaluations reference studies by researchers affiliated with Université Paris-Saclay, University of Oxford, and Stanford University comparing inquiry-based outcomes against conventional classroom approaches measured in projects associated with PISA and TIMSS. Reported impacts include teacher practice changes documented in case studies published with partners like Éditions Belin and academic journals tied to Science Education (journal) and International Journal of Science Education. International replications have been studied in contexts involving UNESCO country programs, national education reforms in Brazil, China, South Africa, and pilot collaborations with ministries in Morocco and Vietnam. Evaluations involve mixed methods drawing on expertise from INED, IFÉ (Institut français de l'éducation), and research units at Université Lyon 1.

Category:Foundations based in France