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* a concise
biography
* a c.v., followed by a list
of all events and consultancies A. G. took part in from
late 1996 to 2003
* an autobiography published
in 1995
* a publication list
* his most current activity
report (1996-2003)
Further, you will find:
- portraits published in the press, as well as his most recent interviews
& and a selection of popular science publications.
Academic
articles can be found under Research.
Research
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André
Giordan is known for his work on how
knowledge is elaborated, both in school and outside of school, as well
as during scientific research. He is especially recognized for his study
of conceptions, i.e. learners' ideas, ways of reasoning and questions,
and has promoted an original model, the allosteric learning model (nominated
by the Grameyer Award). The model reformulates the constructivist approach.
In practical terms, it provides tools and resources, specifically a didactic
environment for teaching, training and popularizing science.
His work has mainly focused on three areas:
- science and technology teaching,
- environmental and sustainable development education,
- health education and the teaching of patients.
His ideas have been integrated into many other areas and contributed to
the transformation of school environments. Further & they allow us
to rethink museums, science popularization and the training of teachers,
engineers, journalists, doctors and other health practitioners.
Also, he developed much research on the scientific method itself, and
on the history of scientific concepts, for example respiration, fertilization,
and sexuality, as well as regulation.
Such epistemological research completes his scientific work. In particular,
André Giordan helped model the goldfish's hydro-mineral equilibrium
and thus contributed to the understanding of regulatory mechanisms in
living organisms, including humans.
Overall, his historical and epistemological research led him to develop
the concept of physionique. Following up on bionics, it allows us to «
extract ideas » on complexity, uncertainty and organization from
our knowledge of living creatures. Concretely this idea is illustrated
by so-called « learning » companies.
Currently, on the one hand, he is working on paradigms, i.e. the foundations
of our thought, which are considered as the self-evident, «logical»
links underlying our conclusions and choices and which are never questioned.
On the other hand, with regard to social mutations, he is interested in
emerging knowledge.
To encourage these new fields of knowledge, he founded the International
Days on Scientific and Industrial Communication, Education and Culture
(Journées internationales sur la communication, l éducation
et la culture scientifiques et industrielles), which are now reaching
their 25th session as well as the CECSI (Communication, Education et Culture
Scientifiques et Industrielles) network.
His campaigns
Former primary and secondary school teacher, former youth club leader,
he remains a « knowledge campaigner ».
His suggestions for school improvement have been integrated into several
state systems (Japan, China, Venezuela, Brazil,..) and helped reformulate
their organizational structure and curricula.
Directly, he continues to intervene in classrooms or clubs, which collaborate
with his team. After working in the northern suburbs of Villeneuve la
Garenne at the beginning of his career, where he created and led an important
science club, he has continued to teach and collaborate with teachers
in Priority Teaching Zones (ZEP, Montreuil, France).
Upon request, he runs discussions on science and citizenship with young
people and adults. He also takes part in actions against illiteracy led
by regional associations in Marseille and Toulouse (France) as well in
Rio and Caracas.
Finally, he leads new action-research with reciprocal knowledge exchange
networks (MRERS Mouvement des Réseaux réciproques
d échanges de savoirs) in difficult areas.
Training
André Giordan taught in several professional training schemes.
In particular, he developed programs for teachers, trainers, engineers,
and medical doctors upon the request of numerous European, Chinese or
South-American institutions.
In addition to his courses at the university of Geneva, he participates
in several graduate-level training programs in didactics (STEF Cachan,
Bourgogne University), for patient education professionals (Faculty of
Medicine, University of Geneva), nurses (HEP Lausanne), or in continuing
education for sex educators, journalists and museologists.
His productions
Author or editor of more than 300 publications and 30 books (Centurion,
PUF, Delachaux, Z Editions, Privat, Armando Armando, Nuove Italia,
Siglo XXI, Labor, Diada, Payot, Belin, Lattès, Delagrave, etc.),
André Giordan has also collaborated with science popularization
works (Sciences et Nature, Sciences et vie, Sciences et Avenir, La Recherche,
Ca m intéresse, M , Vital, etc.).
As well as completing numerous consultancies and assessments, he took
part in the conception or production of exhibits at Beaubourg, at the
Cité des Sciences et de l Industrie of Paris (Janus, Experimentarium,
Cité des Enfants, Exploratorium, Classes Villette apprendre autrement,
Désir d apprendre), at the CERN (Microcosm), at the Paris
and Bruxelles Museums, at the Alimentarium of Vevey, at the national Museum
of Luxembourg, at the Musée des Cultures du monde of Lyon, miniU
et miniLab (Geneva), Centre européen de Paléontologie de
Gannat, of audiovisual materials (France Connaissance Média), multimedia
(CERN, UE-DG13) or websites (Le petit bouquet, le café pédagogique,
etc..).
Finally, he participates via publications or interviews in the following
written media: Libération, La Croix, Le Courrier, Transversales,
La Tribune de Genève, Nice-Matin, Patriote, etc.), television channels:
TF1, FR3, RAI, TVSR, Arte, La 5, Canal+, LCI, Tv Mexico) or radio stations:
France Inter, France Culture, Europe 1, Radio Suisse Romande, RSI, RMC
info, RFI, Sud radio and various local stations.
Public interventions
André Giordan intervenes publicly via the media (see above), and
via conferences, show-conferences or shows he conceives or produces.
His studies
After primary education at the non-confessional Saint François
de Paule school, secondary education at the Risso school, followed by
teacher training college in Nice, André Giordan completes a baccalaureate
in sciences, and training as a primary and secondary school teacher.
He joins the Nice University science faculty, where he completes a first
degree in geology (licence), and two further degrees (maîtrise)
in plant biology and biology teaching. He succeeds the CAPES exam and
the examination for teaching Natural Sciences (agrégation).
He then goes on for further doctoral training in animal physiology at
the
physiology laboratory of the Nice university led by Brahim Lahlou together
with the laboratory of the zoological station of Villefranche (CEA) led
by Jean Maetz.
Following his scientific education, he started a psychology degree (licence)
which he completed at the university of Paris V, two degrees in sciences
of education (licence, maitrîse, Universities of Paris V and Paris
VIII) as well as a joint PhD in Sciences of Education (under the direction
of Georges Snyders, University of Paris V) and Biology (under the direction
of René Heller, University of Paris VII) on the scientific method
in schools (Georges Canguilhem and Victor Host are the other members of
his thesis examination committee).
He also studied sociology, plastic art, communication, philosophy and
graduate-level courses in Science History under the direction of Jacques
Roger (Universities of Paris I et Paris VIII).
His academic career
Primary and secondary school teacher, research director at the INRP and
at the CNRS in France, reader (chargé de cours) at Paris VII, he
is chosen to be Professeur extraordinaire at Geneva University in 1980.
He created the Laboratoire de didactique et épistémologie
des sciences (LDES) which he has always directed. He is promoted to Professeur
ordinaire (tenured professor) in 1983, and President of the Sciences of
Education Section (1992-94).
Commitments
Consultant in science and technology culture and communication with various
national (Switzerland, France, Italy and Spain) and international (EU,
UNESCO, OCDE, PNUE, BIE, WHO) organizations, André Giordan is president
of the Commission of Biological Education (CBE-IUBS), Swiss representative
of the INISTE network, former vice-president of the Association européenne
de didactique de la biologie, member of the science writer association,
co-president of the CECSI network and president of the associations DIRE,
CISTE and the Bateleurs de la science.
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