Session Information
ERG SES C 09, Early Childhood in Education
Paper Session
Contribution
Science education is important for children because its aim is to help them understand the world. Thus, children try to find different answers about questions with the help of their cognitive and physical skills (Jones, Lake, & Lin, 2008). In addition, children are interested in science because they are curious about their environments and they try to explain the meaning of them (French, Conezio, & Boynton, 2000). Teachers play an essential role on children’s interests about science. The National Research Council (1996) mentioned that science was a process about inquiry and in this process, that teachers played an important role in organizing learning experiences in order to improve children’s ability to undertake scientific inquiry (Jones et al., 2008). While implementing science activities, one of the main responsibilities for the teachers is to observe and record the development of children’s thinking (Wortham, 2006). In addition, organization for science activities is important issue in early childhood settings because the nature of the activities is different to each other. For example, some of the science activities are required to make group work while some others are needed to work on it individually (Wortham, 2006). In addition, the place where science activities were organized is important for quality of the science activities. Öztürk (2010) mentioned that early childhood teachers generally preferred to organize science activities in the classroom setting or the school garden. More specifically, nature-related activities were implemented in the school garden because active involvement of children in the learning process is important for using science skills such as observing and investigating. Moreover, early childhood teachers can implement science activities in “science and nature interest center” in their classrooms or schools. An interest center can be defined as a space where materials are arranged that children can use without any adult assistance (Mayesky, 2002).
The purpose of this study was to investigate early childhood teachers’ views about science teaching methods in early childhood settings. The study focused on the issues of teachers who use teaching methods in early childhood education. The following research questions were explored:
- What are the views of early childhood teachers about “science and nature interest centers” in early childhood settings?
- What are the views of early childhood teachers about the place where they implement their science activities?
- What are the views of early childhood teachers about science teaching methods used in their classrooms?
- What are the views of early childhood teachers about the role of the parents and teachers in science teaching processes?
- What are the problems that early childhood teachers face with while implanting science activities?
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Corbin, J. M. & Strauss, A. L. (2007). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. French, L. A., Conezio, K., & Boynton, M. (2000). Using science as the hub of an integrated early childhood curriculum: The ScienceStart! Curriculum (Report No. ESI-9911630). Champaign, IL: ERIC clearinghouse on elementary and early childhood education (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED470901). Jones, I., Lake, V. E., & Lin, M. (2008). Early Childhood Science Process Skills: Social and Developmental Considerations. In O. N. Saracho, & B. Spodek (Eds.), Contemporary perspectives on Science and Technology in Early Childhood Education. (pp. 17-40). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing Inc. Mayesky, M. (2002). Creative activities for young children (7th ed.). Albany, NY: Delmar. Miles, M. B. & Huberman, M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Öztürk, E. (2010). Exploring the change in preschool teachers’ views about and practices of integration of visual art into science activities: A case study. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Middle East Technical University, Ankara. Wortham, S. C. (2006). Early childhood curriculum: Developmental bases for learning and teaching (4th ed.). Upper Saddle Creek, NJ: Pearson. Yin, R. K. (2009). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication.
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