Early Childhood Science Education Research Articles

‘Don’t Pick, Don’t Lick’: Connecting Young Children’s Risky Play in Nature to Science Education in Australian Bush Kinders

AbstractThe forest school approach to nature learning has gathered momentum in the UK and across parts of Europe including Scandinavia for well over 50 years. In other contexts that include Canada, China, New Zealand and Australia, nature-based early childhood education and care settings, influenced by European forest school approaches, are in a rapid expansion phase as educators and policy makers acknowledge the benefits for children from time spent in nature. It is known that science education opportunities exist in these nature-based settings, yet this area has only garnered limited research attention to date. An example of a nature-based approach to early childhood education which emerged in the 2010s is the Australian ‘bush kinder’. Four- to five-year-old preschool children experience and learn from nature through play in bush kinders. This paper highlights the intersections that occur between risky play and science teaching and learning in the context of bush kinders. Through analysing research in early years science education, guiding curriculum frameworks and early childhood learning, I propose the importance of children’s risky play to early childhood science education. Drawing on vignettes from ethnographic fieldwork data, the merits of risky play in bush kinders to embed science knowledge is illustrated here. Participant observation was used to build a profile of each site and to gather data relating to how educators draw on children’s risky play to seek out opportunities to teach children about physical, chemical and biological science.

예비유아교사가 지각하는 유아과학교육 필요성과 인공지능 지식, 과학교수태도 및 과학교수효능감 간의 구조적 관계

The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural relationship between pre-service early childhood teachers' perceived need for early childhood science education and their knowledge of artificial intelligence, attitudes toward science instruction, and self-efficacy in science teaching. The subjects of this study were 224 pre-service early childhood teachers in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Gyeongsang provinces, and their data were analyzed for the research. The relationships among research variables were analyzed using Pearson's correlation analysis, and the structural relationships were explored through structural equation modeling (SEM) using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 23.0. These results were as followed. First, when examining the tendencies of research variables, all scored above 3.0 points, indicating a high level, and normality was considered satisfactory in the analysis. Second, statistically significant positive correlations were observed among all variables, with a particular focus on endogenous variables such as science teaching self-efficacy and its sub-factors, as well as attitudes toward science instruction and its sub-factors. Third, the measurement model was found to be appropriate. Examining the path coefficients of the structural model revealed that the perceived need for early childhood science education had statistically significant effects on artificial intelligence knowledge, attitudes toward science instruction, and science teaching self-efficacy. Statistically significant effects of artificial intelligence knowledge were found on attitudes toward science instruction and science teaching self-efficacy. Mediation analysis revealed that knowledge of artificial intelligence partially mediated the influence of perceived need for early childhood science education on attitudes toward science instruction and science teaching self-efficacy. These research findings suggest the need to consider incorporating educational approaches related to artificial intelligence to enhance the foundation of early childhood science education.

The Effect of Early Childhood Science Education Class Based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory on The Pre-service Early Childhood Teacher’s Science Knowledge, Science Attitude, and Science Teaching Efficacy

The Effect of Early Childhood Science Education Class Based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory on The Pre-service Early Childhood Teacher’s Science Knowledge, Science Attitude, and Science Teaching Efficacy

Heeding the Voices of Pre-Service Early Childhood Education Teachers: Their Beliefs about Early Childhood Science Education and Self-Efficacy for Teaching Science

This cross-sectional survey study aimed to explore pre-service early childhood education teachers’ (PTs) beliefs about (a) the aims and scope of early childhood science education and (b) their self-efficacy beliefs in teaching science to preschool children. A survey consisting of open-ended questions was applied to PTs (N = 130). According to the results, PTs were aware of the importance of science education in early childhood. They mainly focused on the roles of early childhood science education in satisfying curiosity, developing questioning skills, and facilitating understanding of the environment and life. However, most PTs associated science education in early childhood with only natural sciences-related activities and concepts. Moreover, PTs reported low self-efficacy beliefs in teaching science to preschool children due to their lack of experience and theoretical knowledge. This study has some implications for PTs to view science education in early childhood from a comprehensive perspective and improve their self-efficacy.

Does Air Exist in Vases? Mental Representations of Children 4-6 Years Old

Introduction. One of the prominent domains of research in the context of Early Childhood Science Education is the study of mental representations of 3-8 years old children about phenomena and concepts of science, as they are formed in school knowledge. Along this line, research has been conducted on various fields. Among them a small number of studies has turned to the concept of air. Basic mental representations of air indicate that young children do not recognize it as a material entity and are strongly influenced in their predictions by factors related to elements of experimental situations.
 Goal. The current research aims to explore the mental representations of 4-6 year old children about the existence of air in vases.
 Methods of the Research. The study was qualitative in nature and the sample was 41 children aged 4-6 years (26 children 4-5 years and 15 children 5-6 years). The research was conducted using semi-directed individual interviews. Children were asked, through 6 diverse tasks, to express their view regarding the existence of air in closed and open vases that were located in ‘closed’ or ‘open rooms’ as well as in the outdoor environment. Discussions were based on 6 digital pictures depicted in the tasks.
 The Results. Our findings showed that rather few responses were consistent with school knowledge. Among them, the fewest sufficient answers were in the tasks that dealt with closed vases. While the differences in responses between closed and open vases were not statistically significant, they were nevertheless systematically recorded. In addition, quite interestingly a substantial number of children regarded open window as an important factor in the existence of air in the vases. In general, children's answers were dominated by pre-logical explanations, instability in responses among different tasks as well as centrations regarding different parts of the pictures.
 Conclusions. In the current study became evident that the identification of children's difficulties regarding the existence of air in closed vases allows a series of rational choices at multiple levels: in the design of teaching activities, in the formulation of curricula, in the development of educational material and in teacher training. The need to extend the research to other areas related to the conceptualization of air was also highlighted.

Teacher self-correction of conceptual error: Fictionalisation and shifting epistemological stance in early childhood education teaching

Teachers making errors in explanation that require subsequent self-correction is presumably common in education. However, it may be difficult to capture in research. In this study, teacher self-correction in the context of early childhood science education within a fictive frame was captured on video when documenting science activities over a prolonged time. How the teachers address the error they discover in their teaching and work in correcting it in subsequent activities are analyzed. The error identified and addressed concerns the distinction between a tornado and a dust devil (dust vortex). The empirical data consist of video recordings of teachers-children interaction in Swedish preschool. The participating children are 4 to 5 years old. The findings clarify how the teachers in addressing and correcting the conceptual error uses different semiotic means, with a particular emphasis on the coordination of gesturing and verbal explication when contrasting and explaining the different phenomena. The analysis also clarifies how the fictive character employed leads to a shift in epistemic status of the teachers to becoming co-learners with the children. How addressing and amending errors in explanation may function in deepening meaning making rather than working detrimental to it is discussed.

Magnifying the Scope of Nature of Science (NOS) Toward the Whole: An Investigation of NOS Representation in Early Childhood Science Education Standards

Magnifying the Scope of Nature of Science (NOS) Toward the Whole: An Investigation of NOS Representation in Early Childhood Science Education Standards

ERKEN ÇOCUKLUK DÖNEMİ FEN EĞİTİMİ VE ÇOCUKLARIN BİLİŞSEL GELİŞİMİ

Bu araştırmanın amacı, erken çocukluk döneminde fen eğitiminin çocukların bilişsel gelişimi üzerine olan etkilerini araştırmak için yapılmış olan çalışmaların incelenmesidir. Bu amaç doğrultusunda, ulusal ve uluslararası veri tabanlarından öncelikle son beş yıl içerisinde erken çocuklukta fen eğitimi üzerine yapılmış çalışmalara yer verilmiş, ayrıca alana katkısı olduğu düşünülen geçmiş yıllara ait çalışmalara da yer verilecek şekilde, araştırma alanı genişletilmiştir. Çalışma; derleme çalışmasıdır. Gözden geçirilen çalışmalarda öncelikli olarak erken çocukluk döneminde fen eğitimine yönelik araştırmalar incelenmiş, sonrasında da erken çocukluk dönemi fen eğitiminin çocukların bilişsel gelişimine olan katkısına yer veren araştırmalar çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgulara göre, erken çocuklukta fen eğitiminin çocukların bilişsel gelişimine katkısı için; eğitim programı, öğretmen, eğitim ortamı ve eğitim yöntem tekniklerinin etkin kullanılması gerekmektedir. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, çocuklara verilecek eğitim içeriklerinin çocukların düzeyine ve eğitim konusuna uygun seçilmesi, eğitim programının öğretmene rehberlik edebilecek şekilde örnek uygulamalar içermesi, öğretmenlerin çocukların rahat hareket edebilecekleri ve eğitim materyallerine rahat ulaşabilecekleri bir eğitim ortamı hazırlamaları gerekmektedir.

Developing a research instrument to record pre-school teachers’ beliefs about teaching practices in natural sciences

In the last 30 years, 4 distinct theoretical approaches have been described for early childhood science education. The approaches are, empiricist, Piagetian, socio-cognitive and socio-cultural. Drawing on the differences among these approaches regarding the theoretical framework adopted in teaching, the role that is assigned to the teacher during the activity and the actions that are expected from the children, we aimed to serve 2 purposes with this research. Firstly, to elicit the in-service pre-school teachers’ beliefs about teaching practices for natural sciences and to record the approaches that these beliefs match. To fulfil this purpose, a new instrument was developed. Secondly, to examine the instrument’s validity and reliability. The participants in the study were 94 pre-school teachers who served in public schools in 2 prefectures in Greece. Research findings suggest that pre-school teachers tend to state that they mainly adopt practices that fit the empiricist approach while practices that fit the socio-cognitive approach are not used so often. Finally, they seem to rarely follow practices that fit the socio-cultural and Piagetian approaches.

Evaluation of Parents’ Views on An Early Childhood Science Program Including Activities in Out-of-School Learning Environments

Young children’s instinctive curiosity is essential in early childhood science education. Efficacious science education is associated with the characteristics of a qualified science program and an effective learning environment. The out-of-school learning environments make it easier to achieve the aims of science education in early childhood with their opportunities and advantages. This single case study aimed to reveal the views of the parents of children aged 60-72 months who participated in an early childhood science program that included science activities in out-of-school learning environments, in the classroom, and at home. The Program, which included parent involvement activities in the classroom, out-of-school learning environments and at home, was implemented for seven weeks. After completing all activities of the Program, the data obtained from the interviews with the parents were analyzed. The findings showed that parents were interested in science and supported their children regarding science subjects, spent time at home on science activities, and visited out-of-school learning environments with their children. It was determined that the out-of-school learning activities of the Program contributed a lot to the child, and the studies of parent involvement at home contributed variously for both the child and the parents. The Program was effective as a whole and parents requested its implementation throughout the school year. Based on these findings, in this research, we discussed the importance of frequently including science activities in out-of-school learning environments and classroom activities in early childhood and the parents’ involvement in the science education process as valuable stakeholders.

An investigation on alternative ideas on thermal phenomena of pupils with and without learning difficulties.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43545-022-00603-5.

문제중심학습(PBL)기반 유아과학교육이 예비유아교사의 자기 주도적 학습능력, 학업적 자기효능감 및 학습동기에 미치는 영향

This purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of problem-based learning (PBL) classes on self-directed learning ability, academic self-efficacy, and learning motivation in prospective early childhood teachers. To this end, the effectiveness of PBL classes was analyzed by conducting pre- and post-experimental surveys on self-directed learning ability, academic self-efficacy, and learning motivation, involving 38 preliminary early childhood teachers who took a PBL-based early childhood science education course in the department of early childhood education at C University in the K region. To understand the effects of PBL classes on their self-directed learning ability, academic self-efficacy, and learning motivation according to the research questions, a paired t-test on the collected data were performed using the SPSS/PC (Windows 17.0) program. As a result of the study, the positive effectiveness of PBL classes was confirmed with statistically significant increases in all variables of self-directed learning ability, academic self-efficacy, and learning motivation in prospective early childhood teachers. These results can be used as basic data to find a way to be used in the field of teacher training as a teaching-learning method for strengthening the competence of pre-service early childhood teachers.

Example of thematic learning in early childhood science education: seed

The aims of the study are to prepare an instructional design that supports the development of children's basic scientific process skills for the seed theme and to examine the effectiveness of this design and to improve the awareness of preschool children about the concept of seed. In line with the purpose of the research, the changes in children’s prior knowledge about seeds after implementing the activities that address the different skills in the acquisitions and indicators in the preschool curriculum were examined. The research was conducted with 198 preschool children attending a public preschool in the province of Izmir in the 2021-2022 academic year. The children’s ages range from four to six years. During the research process, teachers were firstly given training about seed plants, flowering plants, fruit, seeds, and seed germination by academicians who are experts in the field of biology. The teachers who received this training also carried out eight activities with children about the topics of what the seed is, the importance of the seed, and the benefits of seed preservation. With the aim of determining the children's prior knowledge about seeds, open-ended structured questions developed by the researchers were asked to the children before the activities, and their answers were recorded. The same questions were asked after the activities were completed and the answers were recorded again. This study is a case study, one of the qualitative research methods. One-third of the children’ answers were coded by two independent experts, and then preliminary codes were created. Afterward, all responses were evaluated with these codes. The results of the analysis determined that while the knowledge and awareness of the children about seeds were low at the beginning, this level increased after the study. The study is thought to contribute to teachers and researchers who develop activities on seed awareness and can be an example of how to develop thematic instructional designs science education in the preschool period.

Can Preschool Teachers’ Accurate Analysis of the Development Trajectories of Children’s Preconceptions Ensure Their Effective Response? Evidence from Situational Judgement Tests

In early childhood science education, analyzing and responding to children’s preconceptions are essential professional skills possessed by preschool teachers. This study aims to evaluate the level of preschool teachers’ skills of analyzing and responding to the development trajectories of children’s preconceptions (DTCP) and explores the relationship between them in different science disciplines as well as between teachers with different teaching experiences from a Chinese teachers perspective. A newly developed and validated instrument, the Situational Judgement Tests of Preschool Teachers’ Skills to Analyze and Respond (SJTs-PTSAR), is adopted. Altogether, 1084 Chinese teachers from three cities in China were surveyed, and analysis of the psychometric properties indicated that SJTs-PTSAR was a reliable and valid scale. The means and standard deviations of preschool teachers’ analysis skills were 1.04 and 0.31, and those for responding were 1.02 and 0.26. There was no significant difference between the scores of the two skills (t=−1.842,p>0.01, Cohen’s d = 0.068). Correlation analysis showed that the preschool teachers’ analysis skills were positively related to their responding (r=0.353,p<0.001), and there was a significant correlation between the skills of teachers of different teaching ages. These results showed that preschool teachers’ skills to analyze and respond to the DTCP were at a medium level, and an accurate analysis could not guarantee a high-level response based on the DTCP. The correlation coefficient between these two skills with teachers of different teaching experience was nonlinear. A number of suggestions for teacher training and professional development are provided to promote the sustainable development of teachers’ analysis and response skills.

유아과학교육 수업에 적용된 팅커링과 메이킹 중심 메이커 활동이 예비유아교사의 창의적 성향과 문제해결력에 미치는 효과

Objectives This study was carried out to investigate the effect of tinkering and making-oriented maker activities applied to early childhood science education classes on the creative disposition and problem-solving ability of early childhood pre-service teachers.
 Methods Forty-seven third students from the early childhood education department at a college located in U city were set as the experimental group and the comparison group, and an independent sample t-test and normality test were performed to verify the homogeneity between the two groups. To verify the effects on the creative tendencies and problem-solving skills of early childhood pre-service teachers according to the early childhood science education class through the making and tinkering approach maker activities, t-test and covariate analysis (ANCOVA) were performed using the SPSS WIN 23.0 program.
 Results The experimental group, which conducted early childhood science play classes through tinkering and making-oriented maker activities showed higher scores on creative disposition and problem-solving ability than the comparative group, and there was a significant difference between the groups.
 Conclusions The implementation of early childhood science play classes through tinkering and making-oriented maker activities positively affects the creative disposition and problem-solving ability of early childhood pre-service teachers. The study suggests that maker activities can be an educational method to develop teacher competency for nurturing future talents.

Research Trends on the Use of Technology in Early Childhood Science Education: Bibliometric Mapping and Content Analysis

The purpose of this study is to identify research trends from 2011 to 2020 through bibliometric mapping and content analysis of articles on the use of technology in early childhood science education. Articles published between 2011 and 2020, identified through the Web of Science database, constituted the data for the research. For bibliometric mapping and content analysis, this study accessed a total of 47 articles that met the inclusion criteria for science education, early childhood, and technology. The results revealed that the number of articles has increased over the years; that academic achievement,identifying the teaching environment features, and determining teacher experiences were the most examined variables; and that STEM hands-on activities, robotics-programming, and ICT tools such as tablets and computers have been the most- popular technology types. The studies on the use of technology in ECSE are at a developmental stage. Future studies may focus on different variables such as cognitive issues, collaborative activities, and interactions, and on various new technologies such as coding, augmented reality, digital apps, web 2.0, and e-portfolio. They may also focus on increasing the competence of pre-service teachers in the use of new technologies for pedagogical purposes.

Promoting questioning in early childhood science education

ABSTRACT Early science learning and, specifically, the development of scientific process skills are essential for children to understand the natural world around them. Question asking is a valuable tool to help children get information to organise and make sense of their environment. This research aims to find out whether pre-elementary children employ categorical questions on an information-seeking task and at what age they do so. It also intends to examine how this skill evolves just after an educational intervention, and two months later. The participants were 72 children from three early childhood education levels (ECE1: 3–4 years old; ECE2: 4–5 years old; and ECE3: 5–6 years old). Before the intervention, most of the children did not spontaneously ask categorical questions in the proposed task. Teaching this ability to them made them improve it, mainly in the ECE2 and ECE3 groups, and the acquired learning was maintained over time. However, the youngest children have considerable difficulties in using categorical questions. Thus, activities to model children’s scientific skills, particularly those involving the formulation of categorical questions, could be included as part of the science teaching-learning process from 4 to 5 years of age.

Research Trends and Development Perspectives in Early Childhood Science Education: An Overview

This article serves as a critical approach to both the emergence and the identity formation of Early Childhood Science Education (ECSE) as a new scientific field, consolidated within the association of certain research divisions of Early Childhood Education, various branches of Psychology dealing with learning, and of Science Education. Consequently, we present research trends, orientations, and currents in ECSE, such as the study of children’s mental representations, the development of teaching activities, teachers’ perspectives, the preparation of teaching materials, scientific skills, diversity and inclusive education, the influence of the family, etc. Finally, we formulate some concluding remarks on research perspectives and the epistemological formation of ECSE.

Science Concept Formation During Infancy, Toddlerhood, and Early Childhood: Developing a Scientific Motive Over Time

A substantial number of empirical studies in the field of Early Childhood Science Education have explored science concept formation in early childhood educational settings. Most of these studies focus on the process of science concept formation during a teaching intervention or a school year period. However, less is known about how children form science concepts over the first years of their lives. This longitudinal study aimed at studying the process of science concept formation during the first five years of children’s life within educational settings. Following a cultural–historical approach, the study explored how children develop a science motive from infancy, toddlerhood, and into early childhood and how teachers create the conditions for the development of a motive orientation towards science over time. A cohort of 50 children in Australia participated in the study. Indicative case examples are presented. The research design drew on the Conceptual PlayWorld model, a collective form of practice for learning and development through imagination and play. Digital visual methods were used for data collection and analysis. The findings illustrated that a science motive is developed when the motive of play and the motive of learning in science are dialectically interrelated over time. It was also shown that teachers create a motive orientation towards science by introducing, maintaining, and transforming an ideal form of science in the children’s environment and by stimulating children to interact with mature forms of science. The study concludes with insights into early childhood science education research methodology, and implications that inform practice are discussed.

THE PREFERRED MENTORING ATTRIBUTES AND PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE SCIENCE TEACHING

Pre-service teachers encounter many different mentor teachers during the teaching practicum process. While some teachers give sufficient coverage to early childhood science education, some do not. This research aimed to explain effective mentoring attributes and practices of the mentors which preferred by pre-service pre-school teachers during science teaching activities throughout the teaching practice lessons. The study was designed in line with the Q-methodology. The participants of the study were 39 pre-service teachers. Quantitative data were collected with the Q measurement tool developed by the researchers to describe the mentoring attributes and practices in science teaching. In addition, qualitative data were collected and analyzed through an open-ended questionnaire. The results obtained in the study revealed that pre-service pre-school teachers preferred the mentoring attributes and practices, in which they could get support at the point of personal development in science teaching. In addition, it was found that the same pre-service teachers were less likely to prefer the mentor who gave feedback and tried to be a role model while science teaching. Keywords: effective mentoring, mentor teachers, pre-school education, science teaching