Children’s Progression of Science Language in Informal Learning Environment

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

Learning progressions provide a framework for how knowledge and skills grow along a developmental continuum, increasing in complexity over time (Bailey & Heritage, 2014). Within science, learning progressions are empirical hypotheses that measure the student’s ability to use concepts and make scientific relations, which grows in mastery over time with instruction (NRC, 2007). Following this developmental framework, the current study extends its application to parent-child interactions in informal learning environments (ILE), because research has demonstrated that ILEs support children’s scientific knowledge development (Haden et al, 2010). Therefore, the current study explores children’s developmental progression of academic science language during interactions with parents in an aquarium by describing and characterizing children’s use of science-related language and scientific processes from early to middle childhood.
Thirty children (14 girls; Mage= 5.56 years) and parents (19 mothers; Mage=36.5 years) were observed and audio-recorded in an aquarium, as part of a larger study on science and digital literacies. We examined cross-sectionally (age cohorts: 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8 years old) verbatim transcriptions of parent-child conversations to identify and characterize changes in complexity for child science vocabulary and language related to science processes. Adapting the progression framework (Bailey & Heritage, 2014) and Smith et al.’s (2006) science in practice definitions, we utilized a learning progression framework to guide our analysis of children’s science vocabulary and science processes. To develop the science progression, the researcher reviewed the transcripts from children across each age cohort multiple times and identified science-related talk, using codes retained from prior work, in order to synthesize science language. The researcher then organized transcripts excerpts using NVivo, wrote descriptive memos, and analyzed patterns occurring across age cohorts. The researcher then consulted with a classroom instruction expert to cross-validate and the progression framework was further revised into three categories: pre-scientific, developing scientific, and academic/scientific. The researcher reviewed the transcripts and categorized the child science language in the remaining transcripts.
As Table 1 presents, preliminary analysis of the 20 parent and child conversations show that children across age cohorts tended to label, characterize, and ask questions that range between pre-scientific to academic level in the exhibit. The youngest-age cohort primarily used science-related talk to label animals using a combination of pre-scientific, developing-scientific and academic language. Importantly, the youngest children’s use of academic talk was often a result of imitating their parents’ talk. The middle-age cohort asked the greatest amount of conceptual questions about biological functions or scientific phenomena. The oldest-age group primarily used developing-scientific and academic science language when labeling and describing things and animals in the aquarium. However, these results must be considered tentative because the number of participants across age groups for preliminary analysis is uneven. Analysis with additional children in the older and youngest age cohorts will be reported in the full poster presentation. Nevertheless, findings suggest that within ILE, parents support their child’s scientific learning that aligns with the formal science practices.

Authors

• Grace Ocular, Loyola University Chicago
  Presenting Author

• Kimberly R. Kelly, California State University - Long Beach
  Non-Presenting Author