Young Children's Ideas about the Earth in Space

Children's ideas about the Earth in space, at least in terms of its shape and gravitational attraction, have been of interest to science education researchers and cognitive psychologists for some time. Focusing on shape and gravity alone, however, may have resulted in an underestimation of children's other abilities and learning potential in this field. Details from a recent survey of children's ideas arc presented which suggest that this might be the case. The findings highlight a need for care at a time when classroom expectations are increasingly driven and constrained by ‘educational guidelines’ and ‘science curricula’ which remain to be fully informed.