Article - Evaluation as a Research Process. Reflections From Research on Science Education in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

Some documents (Proposal for Key principles of a Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care, 2014, Italian National Guidelines for the Curriculum, 2012) establish the importance of formative evaluation as a research and innovation process. Through the observation and analysis of educational documents, the educational evaluation allows teachers to evaluate their academic proposal and improve it to promote learning. To develop this topic, we will refer to research on science education in Early Childhood Education. This research uses the theoretical contribution of Dewey (1933;1938), Vygotsky (1930; 1934), Wood, Bruner, and Ross (1976), and the psychoanalysis regarding the psychic processes as the basis for curiosity and experience of Susan Isaacs (1930; 1933) at the Malting House. The main objective of the research is to highlight the conditions (space, material, adult approach) which best promote children's scientific investigation. The 'promoting from within' (Bondioli, 2008; Bondioli, Savio, 2009; Bondioli, 2015)approach is a valuable reference for designing and setting up adult interventions to promote the development of a scientific attitude. We collected the data through videotapes and observation protocols, creating two analysis grids: one related to the epistemic conduct of the children and the other concerning the strategies and functions of the adult. The first analysis highlighted some interesting suggestions regarding the educational context conditions (adult intervention strategy, material, space). Some situations would best promote the development of a scientific attitude and critical thinking, considered an active investigative attitude to build knowledge and scientific understanding, both independent and shared (Andersson, Gullberg, 2014; Onida, Salvadori, 2020). Data gathering and categorization allowed us to create two evaluation charts: one to analyze the children's scientific behaviors, and the other to explain the adult's functions and strategies. In conclusion, the investigative approach of the research allowed us to formulate two hypotheses (Lumbelli, 1980) that should be further analyzed. 1) Children and their creativity are not too influenced if the adult intervenes through an internal approach. Furthermore, scientific attitudes are developed if the teacher suggests a discussion and confrontation within the group. 2). If the adult does not interfere or they do it imposing a specific direction, the investigative attitude is not encouraged.