Abstract
Abstract: The aim of the current paper is to investigate the traces of socio-cognitive influences in kindergarten teachers’ representations about the practices they tend to follow when they develop Natural Sciences activities in kindergarten. A quantitative approach was used, with the research tool being an electronic questionnaire that was completed online by 94 kindergarten teachers served in public Kindergartens. The questionnaire was firstly used in a pilot survey where receiving feedback it was further developed for the main research. Research analysis showed that kindergarten teachers’ representations concerning their teaching choices and actions of their students are characterized by practices that are influenced by the socio-cognitive teaching strategy. These practices are followed from both teachers and their students from moderate to large extent.
Highlights
In the last decades, there seems to be an increased interest in the field of education, in exploring the representations of teachers and their connection with teaching practices and strategies
The aim of the current article, which is part of a larger study, was firstly to explore the traces of sociocognitive influences in kindergarten teachers’ representations about the practices they tend to follow when they develop Natural Sciences activities in kindergarten and secondly the traces of sociocognitive influences in the representations of kindergarten teachers for the practices followed by their own students
The results of the data analysis showed that there is a tendency in the representations of kindergarten teachers, from moderate to large extent, to implement practices that take into account students' initial representations of concepts, phenomena and materials of the physical world
Summary
There seems to be an increased interest in the field of education, in exploring the representations of teachers and their connection with teaching practices and strategies. A close connection exists between the enhanced practices and the representations that teachers have on various educational issues and the way they interpret and understand the world (Fang, 1996). There seems to be limited data on kindergarten teachers’ representations for the practices they tend to follow while developing Natural Sciences activities. Exploring teachers' representations of their practices in the development of Natural Sciences activities in kindergarten can help us gain a deeper understanding on both the way the teachers themselves perceive their work and the variety of influences their teaching strategies get that shape the practices they tend to follow. It aspires to explore the representations of kindergarten teachers for their practices in relation to a particular approach which emphasizes the social and cognitive nature of teaching processes
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