This study sought to investigate young children's understandings of the
science concept forces. A government preschool in the A.C.T. was the
setting for the study.
The research methodology consisted of pre and post interviews
conducted before and after a teaching sequence using an interactive
approach to teaching science (Biddulph and Osbome 1984). Interviews
were audio taped, work samples were kept and lessons and discussions
were audio taped during the teaching sequence.
This study examined three factors associated with young children's
understandings of the science concept forces. First, it documented
young children's understandings prior to any formal teaching in this
area. It was found that most children did hold views about the areas of
forces such as pushes and pulls, inertia, friction and gravity. Some of
these views are generally recognised by the scientific community as
being scientifically correct answers.
Second, this study sought to reveal if these prior views were changed
or reached a higher conceptual level after the experience of a three
week interactive teaching sequence on forces. It was found that in all
cases changes in language indicating higher level understandings, the
use of scientific terms and more detailed responses indicated that it
was possible and relevant at the early childhood level to teach the
concepts of forces.
A third aspect of this study sought to identify teaching strategies which
would effectively teach forces to very young children.
It became clear in this study that as young children already have views
about the concepts of forces it is possible to build on these views with
correct scientific knowledge and thus empower the young child in an
area of science which research has indicated may cause problems for
older learners.
It is therefore proposed that early childhood is a crucial time for
teaching correct science concepts in the area of forces.
This thesis has shown that young children, particularly those 4-5 years old, have
already formed views of forces, some scientifically correct and it is proposed that
building on this existing knowledge will empower the child in later learning in the
areas of physics and mechanics.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/219038 |
| Date | January 2000 |
| Creators | Humffray, Jennifer Jane, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Teacher Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Jennifer Jane Humffray |
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