Abstract
This paper reports on a project aiming to extend the current understanding of how emerging technologies, i.e. tablets, can be used in preschools to support collaborative learning of real-life science phenomena. The potential of tablets to support collaborative inquiry-based science learning and reflective thinking in preschool is investigated through the analysis of teacher-led activities on science, including children making timelapse photography and Slowmation movies. A qualitative analysis of verbal communication during different learning contexts gives rise to a number of categories that distinguish and identify different themes of the discussion. In this study, groups of children work with phase changes of water. We report enhanced and focused reasoning about this science phenomenon in situations where timelapse movies are used to stimulate recall. Furthermore, we show that children communicate in a more advanced manner about the phenomenon, and they focus more readily on problem solving when active in experimentation or Slowmation producing contexts.
Highlights
Introduction and Theoretical BackgroundThis paper reports on a project aiming to extend the current understanding of how emerging technologies, i.e. tablet computers or tablets, can be used in preschools to support collaborative learning of real-life science phenomena
The working process designed and performed in this study aimed at starting in the world of the children and synthesising the specific and general domain-knowledge described by Eshach (2006)
We conclude that the working process, i.e. group discussions followed by experimentation, stimulated recalls and production of Slowmations, is a fruitful setup when working with preschool children and natural phenomena
Summary
This paper reports on a project aiming to extend the current understanding of how emerging technologies, i.e. tablet computers or tablets, can be used in preschools to support collaborative learning of real-life science phenomena. The importance of this stems from a western problem, which many scholars describe as the failure of current educational systems to respond to the needs of modern western societies. Res Sci Educ (2018) 48:1007–1026 knowledge and skills and creates unwanted obstacles for re-instituting learning as a powerful motivator of innovation and problem solving capacity The promotion of the latter is at the core of what is called a framework for twenty-first Century Skills, which despite the criticism, is an attempt to conceptualise how learning should be operationalized in current societies (Dede 2010). At the core of this work is the synthesis of specific and general domain-knowledge discussed by Eshach (2006) for children’s science learning: content (concepts, explanatory models) and investigations (hypotheses, problematizing, questions, experiments)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
