Gender issues in early childhood science and technology education in Australia

Science and technology education within the early childhood field has received the minimum of attention by the general research community. As a result, early childhood educators have had to look to their better established colleagues in the primary and secondary fields, where some research information is currently available. Early childhood practitioners in Australia have little information available to guide them in the implementation of recently introduced technology curricula.

In this paper, the findings of a research study investigating conceptual change during the teaching‐learning process of young children is presented. The results indicate the need to show caution in the introduction of technology education within the early childhood area. Three issues are reported. Firstly, the need to define a more useful mediating role for the teacher in the process of teaching technology within a constructivistic model. Secondly, the need for technology to be introduced in a socially contextualized manner. Thirdly, the sex‐role stereotyping that becomes evident when the former two are not addressed.     

Toward a gender-sensitive model of science teacher education for women primary and early childhood teachers

Female teachers predominate in primary schools, and tend both to have more negative perceptions of their teaching skills in the physical sciences than males, and to expect girls to perform less well in these areas than boys, with likely serious consequences for girls. In this context the WASTE (Women and Science Teacher Education) Project sought to identify characteristics for teacher education programs which, in the opinion of their conveners, were productive in changing the attitude toward the teaching of science, or in changing the actual mode of teaching science, of women preservice and practising teachers. This paper reports the findings of the WASTE Project which surveyed the conveners of pre- and inservice programs and outlined the three models of exemplary practice used to classify responses:subject-centred, learner-centred andknowledge and person-centred. These models were based largely on differing explanations given for attitude change and on implicit concepts of knowledge, persons, and teaching and learning, and on the importance attributed to gender as a variable. Secondly, it shows how the Primary and Early Childhood Science and Technology Education Project, a gender-sensitive action-research project, was built on these findings. Finally, using these models, it offers a critique of the gender perspective of the Discipline Review of Teacher Education (DEET, 1989). Specializations: gender and science/science teacher education, feminist theory, curriculum theory.     

Towards multidimensional approaches to early childhood science education

In this forum paper, I respond to issues raised by Kristina Andersson and Annica Gullberg in their article titled What is science in preschool and what do teachers have to know to empower children? (2012). I seek to continue the discussion begun with Andersson and Gullberg’s paper, by further exploring the questions they introduce to guide their paper: “What is science in preschool?” and “What do teachers have to know to empower children?” In particular, I elaborate on the value of drawing on multiple perspectives and different epistemological frameworks, and I argue for the need for a reconceptualized notion of science as a school discipline; one that acknowledges the multifaceted ways in which young children engage in science.     

Socially constructed learning in early childhood science education

This paper outlines the findings of a study in which the concept of electricity was introduced to young children in a child care centre. Three areas were examined: first, the perceived difficulties associated with the teaching of science to very young children (3–5 year olds); second, a discussion of the approach used to teach electricity to young children, and finally, the study and its findings. When the teaching of electricity (through a unit on torches) followed a socially constructed approach to learning, all of the children were able to connect up a simple electric circuit and talk about the electricity flowing around the circuit. Specialization: early childhood science education.     

幼儿科学教育中融入化学小实验的策略探究

从推动幼儿科学教育发展的角度出发,研究在幼儿科学教育中融入化学小实验的意义,分析实践中利用化学小实验开展幼儿科学教育时存在的问题,进而探讨如何更好地将化学小实验融入幼儿科学教育,并提出一些具有实际操作指导意义的策略。     

Learning about democracy at school: an action research project in early childhood education

This article examines part of an action research project carried out in a Spanish public school. We explain the complex reality of an early childhood education classroom. Focusing on early childhood education, the project was developed in collaboration with a teacher from one of the classrooms of four year olds. Several of the children in the class have serious behaviour problems. The teacher (Lucía) is very concerned because they take their anger and frustration out on objects, classmates and adults by hitting them. She has a lot of difficulty working with these problem children. This research work deals with transforming the practices of the researcher, the pupils and the teacher. One of the first critical challenges was to turn classroom discussions into opportunities for addressing the injustices that the children experience daily. Teaching should serve to empower children. Programmed classroom discussions can be a place where pupils are given the chance to speak out about conflicts, and where important decisions are made to address them.     

New approaches to the inservice education in science and technology of primary and early childhood teachers (or mum is not dumb after all!)

Conclusion These preliminary findings have implications for the effective inservicing of early childhood and primary teachers in the science and technology areas. They are also likely to have implications for preservice courses. The research findings indicate that teachers can overcome their often negative views of science and of science teaching. Factors significant in this process appear to be: firstly, and most importantly, experience by the teachers of support and acceptance as they begin—often anxiously-their explorations of science, science teaching and learning. Secondly, teachers begin their investigations in a context with which they are familiar, from the point “where they are at” and hence from which they can develop their investigations in directions they perceive to be the most fruitful. Thirdly, the sharing of explorations, reflections and progress amongst group members encourages the teachers to clarify and justify their own directions and perspectives, to learn of others' journeys, and to receive affirmation of their own learning. it is clear that this complex process cannot be hurried: inservicing teachers in an area that has been so neglected in the school curriculum requires an approach that fully recognises this.     

幼儿教育小学化的现象及对策

高水准的幼儿教育为小学教育打下了坚实的基础,对孩子小学生活与学习起了很大帮助,并且对他们学习智力的培养也是不容忽视的。但是这样的智力培养指的并不是教学任务的加重,而是指在多方面进行教育和引导,然而现今的一些幼儿园却存在着幼儿教育小学化的现象,笔者针对这样的现象进行研究,找到产生该种现象的主要原因,并且相应的提出了一定的解决对策,以期对幼儿教育小学化的问题解决起到一定的参考帮助作用。     

浅谈幼儿教育小学化倾向的有效治理

随着社会教育的深化发展,幼儿教育已成为社会各界着重关注的对象,但由于社会的过分强化与家长的错误认识,使得幼儿教育开始向小学化教育倾向,失去幼儿教育的原有精神内涵。本文立足当前幼儿教育小学化倾向的表现,找到其内在原因,通过科学有效的对策及方法有效规避此种错误倾向,从而使幼儿能够健康成长。     

农村中小学科技教育现状调查与思考

“科学技术是第一生产力” ,是现代经济发展的最主要驱动力。科学技术教育 ,是我国 2 1世纪社会发展的基础性工程 ,是培养 2 1世纪创新人才的重要途径 ,也是教育工作者不可推卸的重要责任。自市教委 1992年初建立“成都市中小学科技创新发明总校”以来 ,我市科技教育工作在城镇中小学中取得了令人欣慰的成绩。然而 ,广大农村中小学科技教育活动总体上却不容乐观。下面 ,笔者将调查访谈中发现的情况作一简述。一、基本情况(一 )主流及倾向随着素质教育的不断深入发展 ,农村中小学科技教育状况出现了一些良好倾向 ,主要表现在 :1 各校领导科技…     

安徽科技学院生命科学学院

生命科学学院成立于1986年，现设生物科学（师范类）、生物工程、中药学、生物技术、园艺教育、园艺、园林7个本科专业生物科学（师范类）专升本专业，生物教育、城镇规划、园林工程技术3个专科专业。教师中有正副教授18人，博士8人，硕士21人，在校学生1800多人。     

The acceptance of computer technology by teachers in early childhood education

This study investigated kindergarten teachers’ decision-making process regarding the acceptance of computer technology. We incorporated the Technology Acceptance Model framework, in addition to computer self-efficacy, subjective norm, and personal innovativeness in education technology as external variables. The data were obtained from 160 kindergarten teachers, from public kindergartens in Daejeon, South Korea. According to the results, subjective norm had the strongest effect on computer acceptance. In addition, perceived usefulness and computer self-efficacy had a direct effect on computer technology acceptance. On the other hand, perceived ease of use and personal innovativeness in education technology had an indirect effect on computer technology acceptance. The measures accounted for approximately 32% of the variance of intentions to use computers in kindergartens.     

浅议大学素质教育中科学教育和人文教育的整合作用

本文分析了科学与人文作为整体存在的客观性,概述了造成科学教育与人文教育相对立的社会历史根源,以大学素质教育的本质要求为出发点和目标,针对大学素质教育,阐述并论证实现科学教育与人文教育整合的途径和方式。     

3Hs Education: Examining hands-on,heads-on and hearts-on early childhood science education

Active engagement has become the focus of many early childhood science education curricula and standards. However, active engagement usually emphasizes getting children engaged with science solely through hands-on activities. Active engagement by way of hands, heads, and hearts are kept separate and rarely discussed in terms of getting all to work together, although inquiry-based education and student interest have been accepted as important in science education. The current study is an inquiry-based research. It aims to describe and examine projects and activity stations for preschoolers in a Turkish preschool classroom bringing together the pieces of the puzzle of science education, called here ‘Hands–Heads–Hearts-on Science Education'. The study, conducted from a qualitative-interpretivist paradigm, reveals that activity stations and projects create a context for hands-on (active engagement), heads-on (inquiry based or mental-engagement), and hearts-on (interest based) science education. It is found that activity stations and projects, when maintained by appropriate teacher-support, create a playful context in which children can be actively and happily engaged in science-related inquiry.     

浅谈幼儿家庭劳动教育

家庭劳动教育是幼儿教育不可或缺而又极易被忽视的重要组成部分,本文根据现实生活、工作及学习中了解到的情况,结合部分学者的研究,提出广大幼儿家长和幼教从事者在幼儿家庭劳动教育中应注意的问题,对正确劳动教育观念养成、使用正确的劳动教育方法等方面进行简单思考并提出若干建议。     

浅议大学生科学素质教育

科学素质教育是素质教育的重要内容。大学生科学素质教育的主要内容包含科学知识教育、科学思想教育、科学方法教育和科学精神教育 ,这四个方面构成一个有机整体。