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The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a socio-cognitive teaching strategy on young children. It tests their understanding of the factors that friction depends on when an object is projected across a horizontal surface. The study was conducted in three phases: pre-test, teaching intervention, and post-test. The sample consisted of 68 preschool children who were assigned to two groups according to age and cognitive ability, based on their responses to a pre-test. The children in the experimental group participated in activities that were approached from a socio-cognitive perspective while the children in the control group participated in the same activities but from a Piagetian perspective. A statistically significant difference was found (Mann-Whitney U-test), between the pre-test and the post-test, providing evidence for the effect of the socio-cognitive strategy on children's understanding of a 'precursor model' for the concept of friction.

The aim of this study was to explore the extent to which the characteristics of two teaching interventions can bring about cognitive progress in preschoolers with regard to the factors rolling friction depends on, when it is applied to an object that is freely rolling on a horizontal surface. The study was conducted in three phases: pre-test, teaching intervention, and post-test. Two teaching strategies were compared: one inspired by Piaget's theory (Piagetian approach) and one inspired by post-Piagetian and Vygotkian assumptions (socio-cognitive approach). A statistically significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-test, providing evidence that the socio-cognitive approach allows for the creation of a more appropriate teaching framework compared to the Piagetian one.

Re´sume´-Cet article pre´sente un cadre the´orique sociocognitif consacre´a`l'e´tude de la construction des connaissances des phe´nome`nes physiques chez les enfants d'aˆge pre´scolaire ainsi qu'au de´veloppement des activite´s scientifiques a`l'e´cole maternelle. Ce cadre se compose d'une articulation des e´le´ments the´oriques produits par les the´o-ries de l'interactionnisme social, de la psychologie sociale du de´veloppement et du fonctionnement cognitif, et par les re´sultats de la recherche en didactique des sciences physiques qui, en ge´ne´ral, reconnaissent l'importance et le roˆle fondamental de l'interaction sociale dans le de´veloppement d'ope´rations cognitives et d'apprentissages. Cet article pre´sente e´galement quelques-uns des re´sultats les plus significatifs des recherches effectue´es sur diffe´rents aspects de l'approche choisie. La discussion de ces re´sul-tats peut conduire a`rendre claire l'hypothe`se selon laquelle tant la construction des connaissances des phe´nome`nes physiques que la cre´ation d'activite´s scolaires sont ne´cessaires et efficaces a`l'aˆge pre´scolaire.Abstract -NATURAL SCIENCES IN KINDERGARTEN: A SOCIO-COGNI-TIVE FRAMEWORK FOR LEARNING AND TEACHING -The present study presents a socio-cognitive framework for the construction of the scientific knowledge of natural phenomena among pre-school children and for the development of science activities at kindergarten. It involves elements from theories of social interaction; social psychology of development and cognitive functioning; and research in naturalscience teaching methods which acknowledge the importance and fundamental role of social interaction in the development of cognitive operations and learning. The study also presents some of the more significant results of the research carried out on different aspects of this topic. The discussion unfolded here supports the hypothesis that the construction of natural-scientific knowledge at the pre-school age and corresponding scholastic activities are necessary and effective. Zusammenfassung -NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN IM KINDERGARTEN: EIN SOZIO-KOGNITIVER RAHMEN FÜ R LERNEN UND LEHREN -Die vorliegende Studie legt einen sozio-kognitiven Rahmen fu¨r die Herausbildung naturwissenschaftlichen Wissens von Vorschulkindern und fu¨r die Entwicklung wissenschaftlicher Aktivita¨ten im Kindergarten vor. Sie bezieht Elemente aus Theorien der gesellschaftlichen Interaktion ein, der Sozialpsychologie von Entwicklung und kognitiver Funktion sowie der Erforschung der Lehrmethoden in der Naturwissenschaft, welche die Bedeutung und grundlegende Rolle der gesellschaftlichen Interaktion in der Entwicklung kognitiver Operationen und des Lernens feststellen. Die Studie International Review of Education (2005) 51:201-218 Ó Springer 2005

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In this paper, we present the findings of research on mental representations of thermal conduction on the metal of children aged 5-6 years. The research was carried out using interviews of 87 urban area kindergarten students in Greece. The children were asked for predictions and macroscopic descriptions of phenomena illustrated in 3 different tasks during which simple thermal conduction experiments were performed with both daily and non-daily materials. The research results clearly show the vast majority of children express mental representations which are far from the scientific models used in education. Moreover, many children can make predictions on heat conduction without being able to analyze their way of thinking. Finally, differences were found in heat conduction on familiar and non-familiar materials used by children. Findings of the current research study are likely to equip teachers with the appropriate basic tools for designing their teaching interventions in the lessons of heat and thermal conduction for children aged 5-6 years.