Participatory Science “Step 1”: Dimensioning a Participatory Scientific Research Project in a Project Based Learning Format, Dedicated to Education and Solving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sessions and subscription

So far, over 1,500 people have taken this training course. It’s now a reference permanently updated, and is designed for: Teachers, Regional or National Parcs Guides, Museum guides..., Engineers, Researchers Sciences Tutors and Counsellors who will be involved in citizen science and participatory research, Sociocultural tutors and educators, Future participants in our participatory research camps who wish to be more involved in the educational preparations of their camps, or parents of participant minors Candidates into OSI who have applied for a position within the NGO Objectif Sciences International. It is open to anyone who would like to be trained in science education, and it it is compulsory for anyone, regardless of their position, wishing to work with OSI.

This training, composed of 4 days of practical workshops, is given every year in Paris and in many other countries, at the level of each Local Group of the NGO Objectif Sciences International, with the same program, plus an additional optional conference day at UNESCO (Paris).
	EVERY YEAR: In February in Munich (Germany) Next dates: 2025 In March in Paris (France) Next dates: Mars 2024 In April in New-York (USA) Next dates: 2025 In November in Nairobi (Kenya) Next dates: 2025 EXCEPTIONALLY: In August in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) Dates: August 1st-4th, 2024
	To receive the link to register for this training directly in your country, please fill in the form in the “registration” section below.

Introduction

The Stage 1 training course in sciences education at Objectif Sciences International is designed for all professionals experienced in teaching and sciences education, as well as for novices.

The method developed and implemented by the NGO, Objectif Sciences International is unique and has benefited from the experience in this field that we have gained over the years, specifically: experience of implementing specific teaching and education methods during a real project, as part of our scientific participatory research.

This training course will allow you to optimize your methods in and knowledge about science education.

ATTENTION:

• For all those eager to join the NGO, Objectif Sciences International’s Local Group in their country: If you want to join the Objectif Sciences International Local Group in your country: you have to register for this training course by following the instructions given in the “Registration” section further down this page.

• For Teachers and Tutors: If you want to attend this training course and then use the knowledge acquired during this course in your work without working with the NGO, Objectif Sciences International: you have to register for this training course by following the instructions given in the “Registration” section further down this page.

• For Future Participants and Parents: If you want to attend this training course in order to then contribute to the educational preparation of your own participatory research camps: you have to register for this training course by following the instructions given in the “Registration” section further down this page.

• For those wishing to work within the NGO: not only do you have to submit your application before the Stage 1 training course (to do this, please follow the steps outlined in this section, but also you have to register for this training course by following the instructions given in the “Registration” section further down this page.

• If you have already submitted your application, but you are not yet registered for one of the sessions listed below, we encourage you to register as soon as possible, by following the instructions given in the “Registration” section further down this page.

To receive the link to register for this training directly in your country, please fill in the form in the “registration” section below.

Already qualified?

Some people who have already been supervising or teaching groups with the NGO for several years, have been wondering why it is necessary for them to redo this training course.
This course is not “just” a basic or general training; these are the two days during which the NGO, specifically recognized by UNESCO and the UN for its specialization in sciences education and in the environment, will present you the result of over 20 years of optimizations in the Sciences, Nature and Sustainable Development Education and Animation, within the framework of Scientific and Participatory Research projects.

This training course is open to any adult who may be interested in pursuing a career in the field of teaching, supervision or education. It not only brings up new and significant information, even for the professionals already active in their field, but it also makes us reconsider the fundamental questions of the subject. Moreover, the techniques used by NGO to improve public access (children, teenagers, students, adults) to the knowledge imparted to them during the holiday camps, expeditions, field trips, and science clubs will be a novelty even for tutors already experienced in this field. Since 2005, when the current format of the training course was created, each time a session has been conducted, new ideas have been passed to the trainees and new cases have been brought up for consideration. So, since the NGO has created the first participatory research camp over 10 years ago, we are always one step ahead by updating and consolidating the course content using the knowledge gained from our field experiments.

This training course, led by the NGO’s executives who are familiar with putting in practice OSI’s educational methods, will introduce you to a world of new opportunities in terms of knowledge acquisition, in accordance with the principles of the project pedagogy. In fact, the educational techniques, that you will learn during this course, will always remain original and effective in helping you to achieve your educational goals. We put this to the test on daily basis thanks to our numerous trips.

Last but not least, it is this training course which will give you the tools to work effectively as part of the NGO through the respect for our methodologies that have been developed collectively in order to allow the team members to better collaborate with each other. This is why it is absolutely compulsory for anyone wishing to work within the NGO.

Credits

ACADEMIC or PROFESSIONAL EQUIVALENTS:

• This 25-hour training course grants you one credit (Credits, ECTS or UV according to your country, which corresponds to 1 ECTS, for example, in Switzerland) in the areas of Education, Sciences, Didactics, Epistemology and Project Organisation.

• Depending on your country of residence, this training course can be provided to you by your Employment Agency or a University Department (Postgraduate, Continuing Education...).

General Information

During this training course, you will have the opportunity not only to learn more about Objectif Sciences International (its history, projects and means), but also to get to know the other new arrivals to the educational team, as well as a few former members and current trainers.

This training course is a mandatory step for anyone who would like to start working in the network of activities conducted by the NGO Objectif Sciences International. You can do this training course either before, after or during your recruitment period in the teams. You can work in the OSI teams either as a seasonal employee or as a contractor billing the NGO (visit this site). In all cases, your participation in this course will allow you to receive the certificate of course attendance which is always requested in every science camp center around the world.

You benefit from a very attractive rate: For example, if the training was billed at cost price, you would have to spend between 500 and 1000 euros per participant on it depending on the number of people attending the same session. That’s how much the course preparation; its leading; the monitoring of your actions before, after, and during; the educational supplies, and the accommodation costs. However, luckily for you, the only payment required form you on top of your accommodation and travel expenses is a nominal payment for your participation in the course (see details below) . To reduce the travel costs, we will help you contact the people from the same town or region, so that you can carpool to get here. It is worth knowing that since this course is a mandatory step to work within the Objectif Sciences International teams, depending on your country of residence, it may be eligible for mobility funding from your employment agency or university (in this case you should ask us for a convocation).

Therefore, for a nominal fee, you will receive training in Science Education and in the organization of a Research Project conducted by the trained participants. This training and all the other information given during these 2 or 3 days will allow you to have a perfect understanding of the working environment which has existed with Objectif Sciences International for many years (25 years in 2017).

Following this, if you express a desire to join the Objectif Sciences International team in your country, obviously, you can do this, but you can also use the techniques learned during this training course in all other activities conducted elsewhere. In fact, the OSI’s educational progression is applicable in every domain.

Program and Content

To familiarise yourself with the locations and dates (registration), we encourage you to read the schedule of the next sessions below.

Arrival:

3 days internship training

• arrival on site the evening before
• progressive arrival of the carsharing
• Warm Up since 17h00, Hosting Center of Mandres-les-Roses [1]
• you can easily join the hosting center from Paris using the train “RER D” or “RER A” (all logistics details will be given you after subscription)

Participation in the Warm Up is more than recommended to make the most from the contents of the training, and is aimed at both professionals coming from outside and wishing to take the skill delivered during this training, as well as candidates wishing to work within the NGO.

First day: french and english - parallels sessions

• 8h30 : Launching of the Hackathon “Participatory Science Projects”
• 10h00 - 18h00 : alternating between Practical Workshops, Conferences and progression of your Participatory Sciences projects

Second day: french and english - parallels sessions

• 09h00 - 19h00 : Practices workshop, Formal presentations and progression of your Participatory Sciences projects

• 19h00 - 21h00 :
  • Evening “Specialities Dinner”
  • Under the sign of sharing and discovery, everyone brings with him a specialty of his region, family specialty, or a specialty discovered during a trip. The rule is simple; bring a dish for 5 to 10 people maximum, which will be cut into smaller tasting portions

• 21h00 - 23h00 : Projection of the Movie The Argonautes and the Snow Leopard, describing a Participatory Research project, followed by the debates to understand possibilities

Third days: french and english - parallels sessions

• 09h00 - 17h00 : Practices , Formal presentations and Restitution from the sub-Groupes, Evaluation
• At the end of the St1 training, your participatory science project is ready to be published online and to be known by the public; It’s the beginning of a great adventure for you!

Optional Day at UNESCO

• Objectif Sciences International is co-organizer with UNESCO of the annual Conference on Participatory Science for Sustainable Development Goals.
• Your presence at this conference allows you :
  • to revisit your initial learnings by interacting with the speakers,
  • to present the development of your project that you launched at St1.
  • to receive a personalised progress follow-up for the continuation of your project.
• Every year the OSI conference at UNESCO takes place in September. You are informed in advance of the exact date, and you can come to the year of your choice, regardless of the year in which you attended the St1.

Content Details

During these 3 days, depending on your session, you receive 1 credit.

At each session, the topics listed below are discussed. The topics will be approached either in a detailed or a general way, according to the expectations, desires and ambitions of the trainees. All interesting questions asked by the participants are taken under the consideration because we are aware of their importance in improving quality of the course and its content. In this way, we can adjust our content to your needs, professional situations or concerns.

So, we give you an orientation map that allows you to look further into the topics that interest you.

Here is a list of topics guaranteed to be discussed during training.

Contents directly provided by the training:

• Overview of the training steps
• Evaluation criteria of the St1 Training
• My Self introduction to Others
• The NGO Objectif Sciences International
• Components of Participatory Research
• Levels of Involvement in Citizen Science
• Project Centered Pedagogy Components
• Levels of Involvement in Project Centered Pedagogy
• Teaching styles
• Overview of learning interfaces
• Sustainable Development Goals
• Typology of an Operation
• Make your Project a reality
• Hacking Education and Science
• Educational stages
• The role of education to science
• Educational Charter & Pedagogical Project
• Cooperation
• Services rendered to Society
• Project-Based Learning
• Models of problem-based learning stages
• Methodological document structure
• Organization (Preparation and Completion)
• Experience
• Implement Reality
• Assessment
• Play is the most sophisticated form of research
• Talking Stick

Content about the NGO you will also be able to take if you want, on place :

• Aims of the association
• Network names of Objectif Sciences International
• Organization charts of Objectif Sciences International
• Working groups operating within the NGO
• Associative status
• NGO’s status
• Consultative status to the UN (ECOSOC)
• How to intervene in the evolution of the world
• How to benefit from being a member of the association
• How to join the association
• Historical background of the association
• Strategic positioning of an educational project and participatory research
• Comparison of the features of various associations
• Activities at the science camp center
• Professions of Science Educators and Program Managers
• Your understanding of logistics and material resources
• Your understanding of administrative and financial aspects
• Your understanding of educational aspects
• Childhood and trips, Rhythms of Life, neural structures, learning styles
• Educational and didactic foundations
• Science and Pedagogy in the service of sciences education
• OSI’s educational process and its key stages
• From the immersion in the subject to the validation of results, approach and nuances
• Project’s progression
• Average week, reference framework for the professional education
• To plan, to organize and to succeed in the educational activities - methodology of cooperation
• Significant tools and documents of Science Education
• Educational positioning
• Scientific education’s components
• From science tutor to sciences educator
• Nonviolent educational methods
• Collaborative learning methods
• Project approach learning method
• Research by practical research learning method
• Productions and services that you can offer within the training
• Working methods for educational, technical and logistical preparation

ATTENTION:

This event is not an information session, but a TRAINING COURSE which introduce their participants to OSI’s activities.

The distinction between an information session and a training course makes sense and is very important to us. We believe that in a certain designated time of a training course, you can do more than during an information session lasting the same amount of time.

While overcoming challenges, and participating in training workshops in groups, you will get lost many times but only to find yourself being able to better this situation later.

The purpose of this training course is to make you competent and independent in the field of science education through participatory research projects focussed on sustainable development.

Sessions and Registration