Enseignement scientifique et technologique dans l'enseignement obligatoire: finalités, contenus et formation des maîtres

International audienc

Precursor models and early years science learning: a case study related to the water state changes

Children’s everyday activities enable them to learn some science even before entering preschool education and children bring these ideas with them when entering education settings. Some of these ideas, or else mental representations, may not be compatible with what is generally accepted by the scientific community. This paper presents the results of an empirical study, focusing on the construction of a precursor model that can support children’s scientific learning, in relation to the phenomenon of change of the state of water. The research included 91 children aged 5-6 which participated in a specifically designed teaching intervention. The intervention lasted approximately 55 minutes and was conducted at eight stages, during which children’s predictions and explanations for simple cases of change of the state of water were recorded. The analysis of children’s responses suggests that the specific teaching intervention can have a positive effect on children’s thinking in relation to the change of the state of water. A considerable number of pre-schoolers were able to take advantage of their involvement in the teaching intervention and construct a stable precursor model to support the development of their understanding, in relation to the water change of state phenomenon. It appears that precursor models can function in the minds of young children as intermediaries between mental representations of reality and scientific knowledge and prepare children’s thinking, by forming the basis for a cognitive path towards cognitive processing and the formation of more complex models. The proposed intervention is compatible with the model used in science education and it is proposed to be used in moderation and should not replace children’s learning through play

Les facteurs clés de la formation des enseignants : ce qui marche

International audienc

Les démarches d’investigation : un renouvellement des méthodes d’enseignement des sciences ?

International audienc

La preuve : sciences de la nature, sciences de la culture: Introduction et conclusion de la journée.

National audienc

Conclusion

International audienc

Diffusion des résultats de recherche en didactique des sciences physiques en formation continue d’enseignants du second degré

International audienc