Promoting Mechanistic Reasoning in Early Childhood Science Education

• In Event: Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: Early Childhood and Elementary Science Education

Abstract

Following research’s attention to children’s use and understanding of causation, in this paper we contend that pre-school children are able to engage in an effort to develop understanding about the causal mechanism underlying or explaining physical phenomena. We draw on a videotaped lesson from early childhood science education to suggest that children are able to invoke and use (novice) abilities of mechanistic reasoning, despite of some suggestions from cognitive science that it might be too early to ask children to engage in such an endeavor. We discuss implications for the role of the teacher and activity design.

Authors

• Loucas T. Louca, European University Cyprus

• Chrystalla Papademetri-Kachrimani, European University-Cyprus