TEACHING SCIENCE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL: SERBIAN EXPERIENCE WITH THE

PROJECT “RUKA U TESTU” (HANDS-ON, LA MAIN À LA PÂTE)

Stevan Jokić
Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences,

1. INTRODUCTION
The education system in Serbia needs thorough improvement at all levels due to the extensive
advances in didactic methods in the past decade in the world. Successful teaching of natural sciences
proved to be the most challenging task. Natural sciences are commonly considered as difficult to
understand and boring, which is in evident conflict with the increase of their role in our every-day life.
According to the results of active teaching approaches (like in the world-wide spreading
program „Hands on” (in USA), ” La main a la pate” (in France), „NTA” Sweden, Ruka u testu (in
Serbia) the best results are obtained when teaching is accompanied with experimental demonstrations
and exercises, and Internet. Implementation of such approach, commonly adopted in developed
countries, is at present impossible in Serbia due to the lack of necessary laboratory equipment and good
WEB-site pages on Serbian language. For that reason we have developed very intensive collaboration
with French Academy of Sciences and French team „La main à la pâte” with hope that in the near
future we will achieve specific objectives:
• To raise the quality and effectiveness of the teaching provision and learning process in
primary schools in Serbia.
• To create a solid base for the reform processes in Serbian schools and enable the
implementation of the envisioned changes.
• To enable teachers to apply modern didactic methods.
• To facilitate acquaintance of pupils with natural sciences and technologies.
• To get closer to European and world standards.
And anticipated impacts:
• Instant rise of quality of existing teaching practice in primary school.
• Instant rise of pupils’ and teachers’ motivation.
• Facilitated implementation of modern teaching methods adopted in developed countries.
• Rise of pupils’ individual interest, comprehension and skills in science and technology.

2. WHY TEACHING SCIENCE AND WHY A FOCUS ON PRE- AND PRIMARY

SCHOOL? (AGES 3-12)
By teaching science we develop a scientific literacy for all citizens, technologically competent
workforce, decrease dangers due to ignorance and overcome social barriers. In this manner we help the
future of our societies because many issues in the future will need science and mainly Europe needs
scientists as a society of knowledge. But, current state of science education is inadequate in most
countries of the world!
Primary school is an ideal place to implement an in-depth renovation of science education
because children ages from 3 to 12 years old: spontaneously question natural phenomena, have a great
ability to learn, can learn language and science together, in contact with the real world are less
influenced by media…
Since the 1990, a worldwide effort, led by scientists and Science Academies, in cooperation
with education authorities have organized numbers of international conferences and started with active
renovation projects in this field. From these activities a common approach is emerging, respecting
diversities.
All these activities incorporated a general philosophy of Hands-on, La main à la pâte, Ruka u
testu:
• Science as an investigation,
• Something pupils do, not something that is done for them,
• Teacher helps pupils to build their own knowledge,
• Action, experimentation, interrogation, collective reconstruction,
• Deeper understanding with an oral or written presentation: science notebook.
European innovations in this field [1,2,6] are developing rapidly and becoming a reference for
many countries all over the world.
 3. HANDS ON (RUKA U TESTU) IN SERBIA
We have started in 2001 by translation and first edition of the book „La main à la pâte“ [3] and
conferences for teachers relating to the 10 „La main à la pâte“ principles, the teaching process, the
partnership…
In 2003: visits of Mr. Pierre Lena, Mr. Yves Quire to Belgrade and Mr. David Wilgenbus
participation to the 5th General Conference of the Balkan Union of Physics-BPU5 in Serbia had great
influence on Serbian teachers and scientists in Balkan region.
Second edition of La main à la pâte book [3] with the preface by George Charpak,
Pierre Léna and Yves Quéré, translation and edition of the book „Graines de sciences 1“ [4] and
participation of Ms Vera Bojovic in the preparation of book Graines de sciences 6 are the mains points
of our activity in 2003.
During 2004: translation and edition of the books Graines de sciences 2, 3 and Teaching
sciences at school [4]; study visit to France of a Serbian delegation of 10 members (educational
researchers, College professors and school teachers) with objectives to study the French device and to
adapt it to the Serbian context.
One class from Belgrade’s primary school „Sveti Sava” had successfully participated in the
international competition „the Egg-naut” defined by European Space Agency (ESA). They landed an
egg with a very original parachute Fig. 1. and received for it the award for originality. In 2005:
translation of books Graines de sciences 4 and 5, L’Europe des decouverts [5]. Continuous training
organization to answer teacher’s requests. Development of scientific activities for the classroom with
help of the group from the University of Belgrade and Novi Sad

Figure 1. Group of children during the competition defined by ESA

in charge of didactic for sciences. They are contributing to the new breath that this didactic
initiative brings.
At 21 of June one class from Belgrade primary school „Uzicka Republika” (age 12) will
participate in video-conference among Alexandria – Assouan – Grenobl-Belgrade in the frame of the
project „Sur les pas d’Eratosten”, Fig. 2.
Finally we have organized South-East European Summer School for Hands on Primary
Science Education, Zlatibor, Serbia, June 11-16, 2005 [6] and South-East European Workshop for
Hands on Primary Science Education, Belgrade, Serbia, November 17-19, 2006. [7]
In 2006 we will continue with translation and edition of books Graines de sciences 6, 7 and
„Découvrir le monde à l'école maternelle“. We hope to make a semi-mirror of the French website
www.inrp.fr/lamap on Serbian language.
 MEASURING
• Longer of the gnomon
and the shadow;
• the angle
• the distance Belgrade-
Aswan from carts

Figure 2. The group of children from primary school with gnomon

4. FUTURE ACTIVITIES
We can say that we have finished the first step of our Ruka u testu action:
-Certain numbers of our teachers in all regions in Serbia participate in contemporary
movement in new approach in science education in the frame
of Hands-on method-Some of our primary schools, with the help of Vinca Institute, have
participate in European competitions
-12 books about this method have translated. Our teachers and parents can buy now 7 books in
almost any bookshops in Serbia, the 5 others should be published in 2006/7.
The second important step for project Ruka u testu will be the translation and
accommodation of French La main à la pâte Website (this is the Website of the French Academy of
Sciences and the French La main à la pâte team. In 2001 it was the best website in education field in
Europe and to day has about 150 000 connections par week) permitted texts, make it available on the
site Ruka u testu, make the network of scientific consultant and teaching specialists, education for
teachers which will use this e-resources. With this step we will give to Serbian teachers and teachers in
region which speaks Serbian language:
• very important and more completely resources, for hands-on method, on the Site Ruka u
test and CD version of the Site;
• the possibility of the communication among them via Internet;
• the possibility of the communication, via two networks, with scientific community and
with teaching specialists;
• also for teachers from Serbia we will organize in e-centre VINČA, which has: Computer
Room, Library, Experiment Room, seminaries about IT and how to use the resource from
the site Ruka u testu for Hands-on method science education in primary school. The
contract for translation of La main à la pâte Website on Serbian language between French
Academy of Sciences, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts and Vinca Institute of Nuclear
Sciences will be signed in 2007
The third important steps, in 2008, will be supply a specific resources for the classroom,
including material kits and guidelines for teachers. We expect to create in 100 Primary schools all over
the Serbian territory The Experiment Room which will give to teachers a model of research and
inquiry-based process implementation in a convenient place with convenient tools. These kits special
constructed for Hands-on method will be buying from the known producer in France. They cover some
themes in the science and technology curricula. Each set theme contains the whole equipment for one
class, documents for the different teaching sequences. Kits will be also borrow by others schools form
the region. In the future we will try to developed collaboration with European producers in this field
with the aim that some of these kits would be made in Serbia.
The fourth steps, in 2009, creation of the Resources Centers in Vinca Institute which will
have The Media Library, The Experiment Room, The Experiment Library and The Computer Room.
With this Resources Centers we will try to approach Serbia to 12 Seed Cities for Science – A
community approach for sustainable growth of science education in Europe (Pollen project in the
frame of FP6). We are sure that this is real idea because Vinca Institute has now the very good Library
which would be easily complete with the books for Hands-on method, the Experiment Room with 10
boxes with mentioned kits and the Computer Room. The most important is the human resource that we
have in different sciences and technologies. Also, we are sure that this idea will be supported by many
companies in Serbia because with this project we will help the renovation of sciences and technologies
education in our schools and our children will be better prepared for the knowledge based society.

5. CONCLUSION
Serbian experience with Hands-on („Ruka u testu”) project shows that the training and class
protocols available on French language can be very easily translate. The inexpensive school equipment
can be used. A support of prestigious scientists and Academies are very important and possible. The
role of Internet and teachers-oriented ICT can be very useful in dispersing the idea of this method for
science education in primary schools.
If we use a high quality expertise in several EU countries than the Hands-on pilot projects may
easily be implemented in South-East Europe.

6. REFERENCES
1. Ellermeijer T, Kemmers P, editors, Science is Primary, Proceedings of the 2004 European
Conference on Primary Science and Technology Education, Amstel Institut, 2005.
2. www.inrp.fr/lamap; The best website for education in Europe in 2001.
3. Charpak G, La main à la pâte, Flammarion, Paris 1996 (two edition on Serbian language Ruka
u testu, translated by Stevan Jokić, Društvo fizičara Srbije, Beograd, 2001 i 2003).
4. Catala I, Léna P, Quéré Y, editors, Graines de science 1, Le Pommier, 1999 (on Serbian
language Zrnca nauka 1, Društvo fizičara Srbije, Beograd, 2003, translated by Stevan Jokić);
Catala-Blanc I, Jasmin D, Léna P, editors, Graines de science 2, Le Pommier, 2000 (on
Serbian language Zrnca nauka 2, Zavod za udžbenike i nastavna sredstva-Društvo fizičara
Srbije, Beograd, 2004, translated by Stevan Jokić); Jasmin D, Boucharad J-M, Léna P, editors,
Graines de science 3, Le Pommier, 2001 (on Serbian language Zrnca nauka 3, Zavod za
udžbenike i nastavna sredstva, Beograd, 2004, translated by Stevan Jokić); CNDP, Ensegnier
les sciences à l’ècole, Paris, 2002 (on Serbian language Predavanje nauka u školi, Zavod za
udžbenike i nastavna sredstva, Beograd, 2004, translated by Stevan Jokić).
5. The books: Graines de science 4-7, L’Europe des découverts, Découvrir le monde à l'école
maternelle (are translated on Serbian lenguage and to be published in 2006).
6. http://rukautestu.vin.bg.ac.yu/handson1; Website of this Summer school; Jokić S, and
Marjanović M, editors, First South-East European Summer School for Hands on Primary
Science Education, Zlatibor, Serbia, June 11-16, 2005, Proceedings, Vinča, 2006.
7. http://rukautestu.vin.bg.ac.yu/handson2; Website of this Summer school.