Abstract
Early years practitioners acknowledge that much learning takes place in a family context. Science educators, in particular, recognise the importance of children's prior knowledge, both as a foundation on which to build and as a possible source of misconceptions. However, little work has been done to discover what young children learn outside school. This study utilised parent diaries and questionnaires to elucidate the experiences of children aged four to seven which might contribute to their knowledge about the origin of food and its destiny after being eaten. The findings indicate that children learn more scientifically correct information with friends and family than teachers might realise. Awareness of children's informal knowledge can assist teachers when planning activities. As well as this, children's prior knowledge can be utilised in classroom discourse to promote understanding.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bradley, R. H., Caldwell, B. M., Barnard, K. E., Gray, C., Hammond, M. A., Mitchell, S., et al. (1989). Home environment and cognitive development in the first three years of life: A collaborative study involving six sites and three ethnic groups in North America. Developmental Psychology, 25(2), 217–235.
Brooke, H., & Solomon, J. (1996). Hands on, brains on: Playing and learning in an interactive science centre. Primary Science Review, 44, 14–16.
Brooke, H., & Solomon, J. (1998). From playing to investigating: Research in an interactive science centre for primary pupils. International Journal of Science Education, 20(98), 959–971.
Brooker, L. (2002). Starting school: Young children learning cultures. Buckingham, UK: Open University.
Cumming, J. (2000, September). From mice to milk: Developmental psychology explains the unexpected statements of young children about a scientific Concept. Paper presented at the conference of the European Early Childhood Research Association, London, UK.
Cumming, J. (2002). The organic origin of food: The development of a scientific concept in children aged four to eight. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Durham, Durham, UK.
Dierking, L. D., & Falk, J. H. (1994). Family behaviour and learning in informal science settings: A review of the research. Science Education, 78(1), 57–72.
Driver, R. (1983). The pupil as scientist? Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
Driver, R., Asoko, H., Leach, J., & Scott, P. (1995, April). Constructing scientific knowledge in the classroom: A theoretical perspective on pedagogy. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association, San Francisco, USA.
Gottfried, A. E., Fleming, J. S., & Gottfried, A. W. (1998). Role of cognitively stimulating home environment in children's academic intrinsic motivation: A longitudinal study. Child Development, 69(5), 1448–1460.
Gray, J. (1998). An episode in the development of educational research. In J. Rudduck & D. McIntyre (Eds.), Challenges for educational research. London: Thousand Oaks, CA: Paul Chapman.
Lucas, A. M. (1993). Constructing knowledge from fragments of learning?. In P. Black & A. Lucas (Eds.), Children's informal ideas in science. London and New York: Routledge.
Mayall, B. (1994). Negotiating health: Primary school children at home and school. London and New York: Cassell.
Newton, D. P., & Newton, L. D. (2000). Do teachers support causal understanding through their discourse when teaching primary science? British Educational Research Journal, 26(5), 599–613.
Norman, K. (2000). Fruit tastes nice but vegetables taste 'Yuk'! Primary Science Review, 62, 6–9.
Pollard, A., & Filer, A. (1996). The social world of children's learning: Case studies of pupils from four to seven. London and New York: Cassell.
Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (1991). Literate expertise. In K. A. Ericsson & J. Smith (Eds.), Toward a general theory of expertise. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Solomon, J. (1994). Towards a notion of home culture: Science education in the home. British Educational Research Journal, 20(5), 565–578.
Stevenson, R. J., & Palmer, J. A. (1994). Learning: Principles, processes and practices. London and New York: Cassell.
Tizard, B., & Hughes, M. (1984). Young children learning: Talking and thinking at home and at school. London: Fontana Press.
Tunnicliffe, S. D., Lucas, A. M., & Osborne, J. (1997). School visits to zoos and museums: A missed opportunity? International Journal of Science Education, 19(9), 1039–1056.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cumming, J. Do Runner Beans Really Make You Run Fast? Young Children Learning About Science-Related Food Concepts in Informal Settings. Research in Science Education 33, 483–501 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:RISE.0000005254.53876.6e
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:RISE.0000005254.53876.6e