Surgie en 1996, "La main à la pâte" suggérait que l’école ne pouvait se suffire du lire écrire et compter sans un « raisonner » qui en constituerait son épine dorsale à travers l'enseignement des sciences. Ce projet innovant souhaitait concilier une formation intellectuelle par la construction de connaissances et de compétences, une formation morale par les valeurs construites et transmises, une formation sociale ou politique par l’éducation du sens critique.La recherche présentée se demande si cette opération peut et à quelles conditions être transférée au système scolaire ? Question complexe affaire de finalités, de contenu, d’organisation, de gouvernance. Question complexe car La main à la pâte n’est pas à l’heure actuelle à distance du système éducatif : un tiers des écoles primaires a pu être concerné par l’enseignement des sciences fondé sur l’investigation qu’elle encourage et accompagne.Dans un premier temps, est analysée La main à la pâte. On en retient l'importance de l’investigation raisonnée et des conditions socio-historiques de l'émergence des savoirs.Dans un second temps sont clarifiées les stratégies d’acteurs qui s’y déploient, illustrant une constante articulation entre des dimensions de co-formation et une visée éthique empreinte d’humanisme revendiquée par ses fondateurs.Ensuite est abordée La main à la pâte d’un point de vue politique en montrant comment plus globalement a été traité le lien science et société. Enfin, est questionné le possible transfert de ce modèle dans le système de l’ Education Nationale, tant du point de vue des enjeux de l’enseignement scientifique et de l’éducation citoyenne que La main à la pâte promeut, que sur le plan de la conception de l’organisation qu’elle incarne. / Born in 1996, La main à la pâte (Lamap) suggested that teaching could not limit itself to reading, writing and counting without some “coherent reasoning” which would constitute its backbone through the teaching of sciences. This innovating project hoped to reconcile an intellectual education: the construction of knowledge and competences, a moral education: the construction and transmission of values and a social/political education by enhancing critical thinking.This research thesis questions whether this operation can be transferred to the school system, and in which conditions. It is indeed a complex question, in terms of finalities, contents, organization and governance. It is a complex question because Lamap is not remote from the education system: one third of the elementary schools has already been concerned with inquiry based science education, which Lamap encourages and accompanies.First, we start with the analysis of Lamap, underlying the importance of the thought process and of the social/historical conditions for the emergence of knowledge.Secondly, the actors’ developing strategies are clarified, illustrating a constant articulation between dimensions of mutual training and the strong humanistic ethical philosophy asserted by its founders.Then Lamap is studied through the link between science and society, in a general political perspective. Lastly, we question the possible transfer of this model to the Education Nationale system, both in terms of the stakes of science education and citizenship education which Lamap promotes, and as far as the respective organization of these two systems.

This study investigated the implementability of the French La main à la pâte (LAMAP) inquiry-based science education (IBSE) programme in the South African context. An interpretative, qualitative multiple-case study design was utilised to elicit the voices of both young children-as-scientists engaged in scientific inquiry and student teachers who facilitated science education following the LAMAP approach. The conceptual framework integrated contemporary perspectives on childhood, theory theory and constructivist theory concepts and IBSE. Three conveniently sampled schools in an urban setting were purposively selected as cases, with 70 Grade 1 to Grade 3 children and three student teachers as participants. The findings of the study indicate that the children engaged in IBSE as natural scientists, displaying the cognitive capacity to think, act and learn like real scientists in the context of their classrooms. Engaging in science within a community of scientists, and being physically and mentally active in the knowledge construction process furthermore shaped children’s sense of agency and identity as scientists. The findings furthermore indicate that implementing IBSE contributed to shaping student teachers’ professional identity as science teachers for young children. As young scientists-in-waiting children are, however, dependent on researchers, higher education institutions concerned with teacher training, decision-makers and the broader education community to mobilise and sustain their potential for being and becoming scientists. The findings of the study resulted in a framework proposing guidelines on multi-levels for IBSE implementation in the South African Foundation Phase classroom context. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / The National Research Foundation Sabbatical Grant for Doctoral Studies / The University of Pretoria Vice-Chancellor's Academic Grant Programme / Educational Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted