Several styles of Science Camps and Smart Holidays are out there, ranging from the overly academic to the simplistic. Between these extremes, Objectif Sciences International has developed an original and ambitious model since 1992.

Since science is a serious thing, the learning style and the form of scientific vacations is of great importance. Consequently we apply the same educational methods for teaching science as are used in other domains of education.

Since the beginning of modern scientific holidays 50 years ago in France, several educational models have been proposed.

Associations concerned with socio-cultural education more generally have focused on more theoretical subjects such as math or pure physical science. However, subjects such as the environment, astronomy or small-scale construction allow a more practical approach.

The implementation of scientific education per se has been somewhat of an anecdotal in character however some of these general associations are for a big part the source of educational approaches used in most specialized associations like ours.

These associations specializing in scientific recreation and education of sciences have already developed more concrete models from the more general educational base referred to earlier. Here are some of these models.

 The workshop model

One of the models which we clearly avoid proposes theoretical workshops in the morning and sports activities in the afternoon. These scientific workshops are organized in the class format, televised programs via cassettes or DVDs, museum visits, small do-it-yourself type projects eventually, with explanations from an animator who is considered more of a teacher... In France, only for-profit businesses run scientific vacations with this sort of a structure.

 The child’s project model

Another style, which we are educationally much closer to and which is promoted by a body of associations with more than 40 years experience, relies on using a research project as the basis of the entire scientific vacation. Throughout the 4 daily activity periods (including the evening), two are reserved for scientific activities and two for sport and cultural activities, including singing, hiking, arts and crafts and small construction, etc. During their vacation, the children, pre-teens or teens produce a long-term project that they become very invested in... They will look for new knowledge at each step of the project as required. We consider this the best way to bring knowledge to these youth.

Also, instead of a single scientific activity session in the morning, the participants have two scientific sessions a day, which is possible largely due to the fact the project is spread over a period of 7 or 28 days and the brain is used more regularly and not exclusively in the morning.

In this model, the adult really has a role of scientific educator.

 The Research Project Model

Today we go even further.

When they arrive at Objectif Sciences’ International camps, participants find themselves with others who chose the same domain. Like in the previous example, they have the entire stay to take their project to completion. The difference is, and this is how Objectif Sciences differentiates itself from other models, is that their project consists of undertaking real scientific research, with a procedure, a solid experimental protocol and results that at their heart, pertain to real unknowns in science where no one knows the answer in advance. Our staff is therefore more than animators, they are scientific educators.

This research can be proposed on a fundamental, applied or technical project. The level of research is adjusted to the age of the participants and we propose activities that all the youth can participate in regardless of their initial level of knowledge of the subject matter (confirmed and beginners). The results are obtained by the end of the camp Summer camps
camp Les colonies de vacances ne sont plus ce qu’elles étaient, c’est à dire énormes, anonymes et sans activités précises. Heureusement les choses ont changé et les enfants qui ont vécus il y a 20 ans les premiers camps de vacances, qui à l’inverse des colonies de vacances proposaient des stages de qualité au grand air et bourrés d’activités intelligentes, ont grandis et sont devenus eux-mêmes
organisateurs de séjours de vacances intelligentes et hors du commun. Ces
séjours, vous les trouvez sur ce site... and the participants are happy to have contributed to the final project of their research topic (solar airplane, forest management, saving animals…).

The research project is also concerned with the general quality of the camp Summer camps
camp Les colonies de vacances ne sont plus ce qu’elles étaient, c’est à dire énormes, anonymes et sans activités précises. Heureusement les choses ont changé et les enfants qui ont vécus il y a 20 ans les premiers camps de vacances, qui à l’inverse des colonies de vacances proposaient des stages de qualité au grand air et bourrés d’activités intelligentes, ont grandis et sont devenus eux-mêmes
organisateurs de séjours de vacances intelligentes et hors du commun. Ces
séjours, vous les trouvez sur ce site... and draws heavily throughout the day from domains including sports, arts and craft activities, singing etc.

Out of the 4 daily activity periods (one in the morning, two in the afternoon divided by a snack-pause and one in the evening) at least two are reserved for science activities. However, the Research Project itself can provide opportunities for sport or cultural activities, such as collecting specimens by taking water samples on a lake or climbing a tree, or even a 2 day hike in the mountains. Making a terrarium or a water treatment system is a perfect opportunity to practice construction skills. Presenting these results can take the form of a play. In this type of vacation, the research subject is the uniting theme that the participants chose between those offered by our families of camps.

This way, the participants aren’t always under pressure from the project even if it is ambitious. We give them the opportunity to think about their project throughout the day, which is the peculiarity of smart holiday ! So even if a group takes a half day to hike to a site to observe the stars, the trip is not wasted as the participants can enjoy the hike as well as brainstorming ideas for their project on the way.

We find there models of teaching that were proposed long ago by philosophers such as Socrates or Rabelais !

It consists of having a project that is at the same time ambitious but also very flexible for the participants. We believe, after several years of implementation of this pedagogical model, that it is a very workable model for them, because there are always times to have fun. Rock climbing, wide games and evening activities… all serve to make the scientific project into a real vacation. [1].

Sometimes, the project becomes an adventure when for example they find archeological artifacts while scuba diving or when following the Snow Leopard in its natural habitat.

 What work for our educators ?

It is very clear that offering such a model of Research Project requires more work of our educators.

But in reality, they are often the most enthusiastic. New additions to the team each year find this one of the most attractive aspects of working for Objectif Sciences International.

And above all we give them the means to attain this efficiency :

 Frequent educational meetings throughout the year,

 multiple technical and educational trainings, particularly focusing on the management of Research Projects for children,

 professional scientific research is a way to bring science to children and youth. Objective Sciences International has become the only scientific education to finance several projects to evaluate the relevance of our educational models to our aim of the acquisition of science knowledge and methods to our Science Camps and Classes for schools.

It is not only the amount of knowledge our educators have that counts, but equally their technical skills and educational experience. You will more details about our educators through this link.

If you wish to support our Association, you can give our flyers to friends or colleagues !

See our science camp catalogue

[1] Even if this cam seem paradoxical, there are still too few associations that consider “offering fun vacations for youth” in their official objectives. This is part of the aim of all our projects and is a further guarantee that the research project performed at Objective Sciences International will be an enjoyable experience.

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date de publication : 13 mars 2009,
date de dernière mise à jour : 30 mai 2009