Riboli-Sasco, Livio; Richard, Alice & Taddei, François

“Science Academie”: Raising Scientific Passions and Fostering a New Social Link

Abstract. Science education in French schools today is suffering from two major problems. Less and less students are enrolling on science courses while obstacles caused by unequal opportunity make it increasingly difficult for less privileged learners to obtain high standard university places and to embark on scientific careers. The way science is taught in schools in France (heavily weighed down by theory and desperately lacking in practical content) urgently needs changing if it is to be made more appealing. It is now time for researchers to collaborate with schools to show that science can be pleasantly challenging and fascinating. Above all, a fundamental reason why science education must be improved is because citizen respect and interaction are fostered through the study of science. Everyone today is directly concerned by scientific issues. In a society where science encompasses more and more ethical questions, a common basis of scientific knowledge must be shared amongst each and every one of us. We would like to prompt researchers into showing that science can be made enjoyable, thereby inspiring students who suffer from a social disadvantage and then to offer our support to the keenest students in order to help them become talented scientists. Helping them to belong to a broad network and training them in scientific vulgarization will help us inoculate a “Science virus” in schools and on a broader basis in society. By intervening locally, with a global approach, changes can be made on a broad scale, i.e. National or European, provoking a cascade of changes in the educational system leading to what could be called a new “equilibrium” of education.