Epistemological and Didactic Reflections on Teacher Training in France: Promoting Nature of Science with Children's Literature

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Y

24

Epistemology; Teacher Education Programs; Elementary School Teachers; Scientific Principles; Teaching Methods; Childrens Literature; English; French; Science Education; Models; Interdisciplinary Approach; Reflective Teaching; Teacher Attitudes; Fiction

10.1007/s11191-023-00420-z

0926-7220
1573-1901

The professionalization of teachers is a fundamental and decisive issue for all education systems. This text presents a qualitative research on an original experiment in training future primary school teachers in the nature of science (NOS) and its transposition into teaching practice. It is a script for reading the children's book, "7 souris dans le noir" (Young, 1995), (This is the French translation of the original title "Seven Blind Mice" (Young, 1995). Even though I presented the English version to the students, the training focused on the French version. It is the French title that will be cited in the text) (Reader probably needs to have this storybook (visible on the web in both French and English versions) to better situate himself in the different events of the story, and consequently better share with me the richness of this experience of its exploitation for training in NOS) described as realistic fiction. Thus, the story is transformed from an object of entertainment into a serious problematic situation that presents an enigmatic reality with an important educational advantage. The students, playing the role of blind mice, must plan and carry out an authentic scientific approach similar to that of scientists when faced with matter or living things, in order to solve the conundrum. Different epistemological concepts are brought into play, such as hypothesis, experimental protocol and result, and analyzing and interpreting data, in order to construct explanations and design an acceptable representation (as a model) of the stranger thing. Cross-curricular learning is also targeted, such as collaboration, debates and refutations, consensus, and the nature of the resulting knowledge. While experimenting with this approach, students are invited to navigate explicitly between the position of researcher and that of teacher to glimpse the potential for transposing this type of approach with children's books in pupils' scientific education and developing an attitude of a reflective practitioner.

As Provided

2024

EJ1440149