Scientific literacy in the early years – practical work as a teaching and learning strategy

ABSTRACT

Science 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.

KEYWORDS:

• Science education
• practical work
• science-technology-society education
• kindergarten
• scientific competence
• science literacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Sara Pereira is a kindergarten teacher with over 25 years experience working with 3–5 year olds in kindergarten schools integrated in the Ministry of Science and Education network. Her areas of interest are science education in the early years and teacher training.

Maria José Rodrigues is professor at the School of Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança. Her research interests include science education from an early age in the perspective of Science-Technology-Society, and has published several papers in this area. She has over 20 years of teaching experience and has collaborated in several research project proposals.

Rui Marques Vieira is professor in University of Aveiro and teaches courses in teacher education. He has been involved in several national and international projects. He has tutored more than 50 MsC students and 10 PhD students. He has published books and several papers and developed several educational resources.

ORCID

Maria José Rodrigues Escola http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1029-149X

Rui Marques Vieira http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0610-6896