THROUGH THE OTHER DOOR: INQUIRY TO PROMOTE SCIENTIFIC REASONING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Identifier:  imarina:9286858

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9286858

Authors:  Manuel Perez-Martin, Jose; Salvado, Zoel; Sanchez-Ferrezuelo, Lorena; Gairal-Casado, Regina; Novo, Maite

Abstract:
Negative perceptions of science teaching aggravate other perceptions that increase the exclusionary dimension of science learning (gender, ethnic, socio-economic, cultural diversity, etc.). Therefore, we wanted to assess the perceptions about science and its teaching in teachers and students (5-6 years old) of Early Childhood Education, through interviews, after the implementation in the classroom of a sequence of activities based on enquiry. We observed that teachers change their perception of science when they see a didactic tool that presents science as something that is constructed in a participatory way and in which their students show great interest. The previous disaffection is due to their poor mastery of the content and the didactic knowledge of the content acquired during their training. At the end, they are interested in implementing similar activities with prepared materials. No barriers limiting the positive perception of science among students are detected. Therefore, it seems that inquiry-based science teaching is a didactic strategy that improves the perception of science in EI, eliminating barriers of exclusion, making teachers a key player in the transformative dimension of early science teaching.