Abstract
ABSTRACTScience education become one prioritie of modern societies, with the purpose of forming scientifically literate youth and adults. They play an active role in solving the problems existing in society, making critical and informed decisions. In this paper we discuss the need for scientifically literate citizens and the relevance of practical work as a key strategy for science learning in the early years. We’ll describe the investigative process which supported in real-life educational contexts of a set of Didactic Strategies. We’ll focus on the results of the ‘Materials Lotto’ detailing the results in science teaching and learning in kindergarten. The results show that children mobilize a wide array of skills and attitudes/beliefs, showing scientific knowledge at different degrees of complexity. We concluded that practical work in science education in the early years is an effective strategy for science teaching and learning, as groundwork for future science literacy of kindergarten children.
Highlights
Science education become one prioritie of modern societies, with the purpose of forming scientifically literate youth and adults
Aware of the evolution of science and technology in the last few years, and the effects this has on society, it is necessary to understand the extent to which children and youth education provide a sound basis for their scientific literacy – so as to allow them to be an integrative part of a global society
Other kindergarten teachers may be hampered by insufficient scientific knowledge and with professional instability
Summary
Science education become one prioritie of modern societies, with the purpose of forming scientifically literate youth and adults. Work undertaken by Tenreiro-Vieira and Vieira (2004) in a context of teacher training programmes allowed them to define a set of features CTS resources and DS should respect: (i) consider students’ previous ideas; (ii) contextualize science teaching by exploring problem-situations that allow students to learn science concepts and processes while trying to find answers; (iii) focusing on STS when they help students to grasp the complexity and globalism of the world; (iv) appeal to the development of critical thinking skills, allowing for rational and responsible answers; (v) appeal to a methodological pluralism, allowing for a variety of investigative ways to approach a problem and to mobilize and develop thinking skills and to build knowledge.
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