Overview
- Provides the first consistent approach to early childhood science education and teacher training from a cultural-historical perspective Brings together child development and science education for early years Supports the development of curriculum and teacher education programs for the preschool years
Part of the book series: Cultural Studies of Science Education (CSSE, volume 6)
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Table of contents (10 chapters)
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Front Matter
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The Origins of Higher Psychological Functions
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Front Matter
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RETHINKING YOUNG CHILDREN’S ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENCE
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Front Matter
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TEACHER PREPARATION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
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Front Matter
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EPILOGUE
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
Children’s learning and understanding of science during their pre-school years has been a neglected topic in the education literature—something this volume aims to redress. Paradigmatic notions of science education, with their focus on biologically governed development and age-specific accession to scientific concepts, have perpetuated this state of affairs. This book offers a very different perspective, however. It has its roots in the work of cultural-historical activity theorists, who, since Vygotsky, have assumed that any higher cognitive function existed in and as a social relation first. Accepting this precept removes any lower limit we may deem appropriate on children’s cognitive engagement with science-related concepts.
The authors describe and analyze the ways in which children aged from one to five grapple with scientific concepts, and also suggest ways in which pre-service and in-service teachers can be prepared to teach in ways that support children’s development in cultural and historical contexts. In doing so, the book affirms the value of cultural-historical activity theory as an appropriate framework for analyzing preschool children’s participation in science learning experiences, and shows that that the theory provides an appropriate framework for understanding learning, as well as for planning and conducting training for pre-school teachers.
Reviews
From the reviews:
“As there is so little available on the topic of science during the preschool years, the authors have made a successful attempt to fill the gap with this title. This book, which combines practical work for students and teachers, will be useful for all those who work in the early childhood sector as teachers or teacher educators. … I would recommend this study to both teachers in practice and also student teachers. … A sure sign that there is plenty to gather from this text.” (Sujatha Gomathinayagam, hekupu.ac.nz, Vol. 3 (2), March, 2013)Authors and Affiliations
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Science Education during Early Childhood
Book Subtitle: A Cultural-Historical Perspective
Authors: Wolff-Michael Roth, Maria Inês Mafra Goulart, Katerina Plakitsi
Series Title: Cultural Studies of Science Education
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5186-6
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, Education (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Hardcover ISBN: 978-94-007-5185-9Published: 12 October 2012
Softcover ISBN: 978-94-017-8046-9Published: 09 November 2014
eBook ISBN: 978-94-007-5186-6Published: 12 October 2012
Series ISSN: 1879-7229
Series E-ISSN: 1879-7237
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XII, 224
Topics: Science Education, Early Childhood Education, Learning & Instruction