Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Small Science: Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Science in Everyday Family Life

  • Published:
Research in Science Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 25 August 2016

Abstract

Vygotsky (1987) stated that the restructured form of everyday concepts learned at home and in the community interact with scientific concepts introduced in formal school settings, leading to a higher level of scientific thinking for school-aged children. But, what does this mean for the scientific learning of infants and toddlers? What kinds of science learning are afforded at home during this early period of life? The study reported in this paper sought to investigate the scientific development of infants–toddlers (10 to 36 months) growing up in Bangladeshi families living in Australia and Singapore. Four families were studied over 2 years. Digital video observations were made of everyday family life and analysed using Vygotsky’s theoretical framework of everyday concepts and scientific concepts (51 h of digital observations). While there are many possibilities for developing scientific concepts in infants–toddlers’ everyday life, our study found four categories of what we have called small science: multiple possibilities for science; discrete science; embedded science and counter intuitive science. The findings of this study contribute to the almost non-existent literature into infants and toddlers’ scientific development and advance new understandings of early childhood science education.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andrée, M., & Lager-Nyqvist, L. (2013). Spontaneous play and imagination in everyday science classroom practice. Research in Science Education, 43, 1735–1750.

  • Archer, L., Dewitt, J., Osborne, J., Dillon, J., Willis, B., & Wong, B. (2012). Science aspirations, capital, and family habitus: how families shape children’s engagement and identification with science. American Education Research Journal, 49(5), 881–908.

  • Baldwin, J. L., Adams, S. M., & Kelly, M. K. (2009). Science at the center: an emergent, standards-based, child-centered framework for early learners. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37, 71–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bayraktar, S. (2011). Turkish preservice primary school teachers' science teaching efficacy beliefs and attitudes toward science: the effect of a primary teacher education program. School Science and Mathematics, 111(3), 83–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bers, M. U. (2010). The tangiblek robotics program: applied computational thinking for young children. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 12(2). http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v12n2/bers.html

  • Brenneman, K. (2011). Assessment for preschool science learning and learning environments. Early Childhood Research and Practice, 13(1). http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v13n1/brenneman.html

  • Brenneman, K., & Louro, I. F. (2008). Science journals in the preschool classroom. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 113–119.

  • Chang, N. (2012). The role of drawing in young children’s construction of science concepts. Early Childhood Education Journal, 40, 187–193.

  • Elkonin, D. B. (2005). The psychology of play. Journal of Russian & East European Psychology, 43(1), 11–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evangelou, D., Dobbs-Oates, J., Bagiati, A., Liang, S., Choi, J. Y. (2010). Talking about artifacts: preschool children’s explorations with sketches, stories, and tangible objects. Early Childhood Research and Practice, 12(2). http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v12n2/evangelou.html

  • Fleer, M. (1991). Socially constructed learning in early childhood science education. Research in Science Education, 21, 96–103.

  • Fleer, M. (1997). A cross-cultural study of rural Australian aboriginal children's understandings of night and day. Research in Science Education, 27(1), 101–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleer, M. (1999). Children's alternative views: alternative to what? International Journal of Science Education, 21(2), 119–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleer, M. (2008). The relations between cultural-historical theory, methodology and digital video methods. In M. Hedegaard & M. Fleer (Eds.), Studying children: A cultural-historical approach (pp. 104–117). London: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleer, M. (2009). Understanding the dialectical relations between everyday concepts and scientific concepts within play based programs. Research in Science Education, 39(2), 281–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleer, M., & Pramling, N. (2013). A cultural-historical study of children learning science: foregrounding affective imagination in play-based settings. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleer, M., & Robbins, J. (2003). "Hit and Run Research" with "Hit and Miss" results in early childhood science education. Research in Science Education, 33, 405–431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flick, U. (2006). An introduction to qualitative research. London: Sage publications Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forman, G. E. (2010). When 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds think like scientists. Early Childhood Research and Practice, 12(2). http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v12n2/forman.html

  • Goncu, A., Mistry, J., & Moiser, C. (2000). Cultural variations in the play of toddlers. International Journal of Behavioural Development, 24(3).

  • Gopnik, A. (2012). Scientific thinking in young children: theoretical advances, empirical research, and policy implications. Science, 337, 1623–1627.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goulart, M. I., Mafra, & Roth, W. (2010). Engaging young children in collective curriculum design. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 5(3), 533–562.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, R. L., & Schaverien, L. (2001). Families’ engagement with young children's science and technology learning at home. Science Education, 85(4), 454–481.

  • Hedegaard, M., & Fleer, M. (2008). Studying children: a cultural-historical approach. London: Open University.

  • Johansson, E. (2011). Introduction: giving words to children’s voices in research. In E. Johansson & E. J. White (Eds.), Educational research with our youngest (pp. 1–14). New York: Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg.

  • Kearney, J. (2009). Eurekas, beakers and seekers: the excitement of science in the early years. Educating Young Children—Learning and teaching in the early childhood years, 15, 40–42.

  • Keengwe, J., & Onchwari, G. (2009). Technology and early childhood education: a technology integration professional development model for practicing teachers. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37, 209–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, E., & Lim, J. (2007). Eco-early childhood education: a new paradigm of early childhood education in South Korea. YC Young Children, 62(6), 42–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kravtsova, E. E., & Kravtsov, G. G. (2011). The connections between the motives and will in the development of personality. In M. Hedegaard, A. Edwards, & M. Fleer (Eds.), Motives in children’s development cultural-historical approaches. New York: Cambridge University.

  • Mantzicopoulos, P., & Patrick, H. (2011). Reading picture books and learning science: engaging young children with informational text. Theory Into Practice, 50(4), 269–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, D. J., Jean-Sigur, R., & Schmidt, E. (2005). Process-oriented inquiry—a constructivist approach to early childhood science education: teaching teachers to do science. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 17(2), 13–26.

  • Metz, K. E. (2011). Young children can be sophisticated scientists. The Phi Delta Kappan, 92(8), 68–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nadelson, L., Culp, R., Bunn, S., Burkhart, R., Shetlar, R., Nixon, K., & Waldron, J. (2009). Teaching evolution concepts to early elementary school students. Evolution Education Outreach, 2, 458–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newing, H. (2010). Conducting research in conservation: social science methods and practice. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pringle, R. M., & Lamme, L. L. (2005). Using picture storybooks to support young children’s science learning. Reading Horizons, 46(1), 1–15.

  • Quinones, G., & Fleer, M. (2011). ‘Visual vivencias’: a cultural-historical tool for understanding the lived experiences of young children’s everyday lives. In E. Johansson & E. J. White (Eds.), Educational research with our youngest (pp. 107–129). New York: Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg.

  • Ravanis, K., & Bagakis, G. (1998). Science education in kindergarten: socio cognitive perspective. International Journal of Early Years education, 6(3), 315–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robbins, J. (2005). ‘Brown Paper Packages’? A sociocultural perspective on young children’s ideas in science. Research in Science Education, 35, 151–172.

  • Robbins, J., & Jane, B. (2006). Intergenerational learning: grandparents supporting young children's learning science. Paper presented at the Australasian Science Education Research Association, Canberra.

  • Rogoff, B. (2003). The cultural nature of human development. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rule, A. C. (2007). A “Tad” of science appreciation. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34(5), 297–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sackes, M., Trundle, K. C., & Flevares, L. M. (2009). Using children’s literature to teach standard-based science concepts in early years. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 415–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sackes, M., Trundle, K. C., Bell, R. L., & O’Connell, A. A. (2011). The influence of early science experience in kindergarten on children’s immediate and later science achievement: evidence from the early childhood longitudinal study. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 48(2), 217–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaji, M. G., & Indoshi, F. C. (2008). Conditions for implementation of the science curriculum in early childhood development and education centres in Kenya. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 9(4), 389–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, J., Blake, S., & Cliatt, M. (1992). Science activities for young children. Day care and Early Education, 20(1), 15–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siry, C., & Kremer, I. (2011). Children explain the rainbow: using young children’s ideas to guide science curricula. Journal of Science Education Technology, 20, 643–655.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siry, C., Ziegler, G., & Max, C. (2012). “Doing Science” through discourse-in-interaction: Young children’s science investigations at the early childhood level. Science Education, 96(2), 311–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smolleck, L., & Hersberger, V. (2011). Playing with science: an investigation of young children's science conceptions and misconceptions. Current Issues in Education, 14(1). http://cie.asu.edu/ojs/index.php/cieatasu/article/view/

  • Traianou, A. (2006). Teachers’ adequacy of subject knowledge in primary science: assessing constructivist approaches from a sociocultural perspective. International Journal of Science Education, 28(8), 827–842.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tu, T. (2006). Preschool science environment: what is available in a preschool classroom? Early Childhood Education Journal, 33(4), 245–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tytler, R. (1998). The nature of students’ informal science conceptions. International Journal of Science Education, 20(8), 901–927.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tytler, R., & Peterson, S. (2000). Deconstructing learning in science—young children's responses to a classroom sequence on evaporation. Research in Science Education, 30(4), 339–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vygotsky, L. S. (1966). Play and its role in the mental development of the child. Soviet Psychology, 3, 6–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vygotsky, L. S. (1987). The development of scientific concepts in childhood (N. Minick, Trans.). In R. W. Rieber & A. S. Carton (Eds.), The collected works of L.S. Vygotsky (Vol. 1, pp. 167-241). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoon, J., & Onchwari, J. A. (2006). Teaching young children science: three key points. Early Childhood Education Journal, 33(6), 419–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zembylas, M. (2004). Emotional issues in teaching science: a case study of a teacher’s views. Research in Science Education, 34, 343–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Early Childhood Education, Monash University, Building A, McMahons Road, PO Box 527, Frankston, VIC, 3199, Australia

    Shukla Sikder & Marilyn Fleer

Authors
  1. Shukla Sikder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marilyn Fleer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shukla Sikder.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sikder, S., Fleer, M. Small Science: Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Science in Everyday Family Life. Res Sci Educ 45, 445–464 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-014-9431-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-014-9431-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation