Curious children and knowledgeable adults – early childhood student-teachers’ species identification skills and their views on the importance of species knowledge

Skarstein, Tuula H.; Skarstein, Frode

doi:10.1080/09500693.2019.1710782

Cited by 44 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 28 publications

(34 reference statements)

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“…As children's questions may be expressions of an interest of a certain subject, one could assume that experiencing nature elements would elicit questions from the children. This assumption is in line with schoolteachers' (Mygind et al, 2019) and early childhood student-teachers' (Skarstein & Skarstein, 2020) experiences in outdoor settings. However, Fischer and Madsen (2002) observed that preschool children exploring material in or from a natural outdoor environment (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Young children’s questions about science topics when situated in a natural outdoor environment: a qualitative study from kindergarten and primary school

Skalstad

Munkebye

2021

International Journal of Science Education

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Asking questions is an important way of acquiring information and knowledge and plays a significant role in a child's learning processes. In this study, we examine what characterises the questions asked by children to their teachers in two kindergartens (4-6-year-olds) and six primary school classes (2nd-4th grade) when situated in a natural outdoor environment. Recordings are undertaken by means of action cameras and audio recorders. We also examine the contexts in which the questions are asked. We found that whereas the preschool children's science topic questions mostly concerned subject matter (74-95%), the schoolchildren more often asked practical questions. Our findings indicate that providing the children with activities that open for the children's own explorations of a variety of nature elements seems to elicit subject matter questions in the children. We also found that children ask subject matter questions to gain factual information, as well as first-hand experiences about the object being studied, and that they ask few questions of higher cognitive levels. By providing answers to the children's basic information questions, this seems to elicit questions of higher cognitive levels. In all the question-asking settings, it is important that the teacher follows up on the children's explorations.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Young children’s questions about science topics when situated in a natural outdoor environment: a qualitative study from kindergarten and primary school

Skalstad

Munkebye

2021

International Journal of Science Education

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“…In the preface of the book Ecological literacy: Educating our children for a sustainable world [86], Fritjof Capra writes: "Education for sustainable living fosters both an intellectual understanding of ecology and emotional bonds with nature that make it more likely that our children will grow into responsible citizens who truly care about sustaining life." [86] (xv) Play and exploration in natural environments (including wild spaces, urban green spaces and gardens) are considered by many researchers to be an important means for fostering both early understanding of ecology and emotional bonds to nature [87][88][89][90][91]. This view is based on studies that illustrate how children's play in nature provides them with opportunities to become familiar with the natural world through direct experiences and thus enables them to build personal and meaningful relationships with nature [87][88][89].…”

Section: Outdoor Play and Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Chawla and Rivkin [89] argue that exploring nature together, sharing emotions and paying attention to living organisms and their way of life, develops the perspective-taking which is important for developing sympathy for other living things. Skarstein and Skarstein [91] also point out the role of adults in providing children with opportunities to learn about local nature by sharing their knowledge of common plants and animals encountered while jointly exploring nature. In their study, they discuss how knowledge of local nature is an important factor in developing a desire for environmental protection.…”

Section: Outdoor Play and Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Mission of Early Childhood Education in the Anthropocene

Wolff

Skarstein

2020

Education Sciences

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During the last century, the human way of life has begun to transgress many of the Earth’s biophysical boundaries in an alarming way. The consequences of this are more dramatic and long lasting than ever before. Many researchers even argue that humanity has created a new geological epoch, which they call Anthropocene. Education, even in early childhood (EC), is often presented as a remedy for these complex problems. Yet, how can anyone prepare young children to deal with such tremendous changes? The primary aim of our study is to define and outline what the mission of early childhood education (ECE) might be in the epoch of the Anthropocene. Through a comprehensive review of the literature, we have tried to find answers about how the Anthropocene could be addressed in ECE. We have searched for answers in the natural science literature, policy documents, educational research articles and philosophy, and discuss the various standpoints we have identified. We argue that the Anthropocene demands a new, more authentic education; a change towards a more holistic, transformative, sustainability-oriented approach. At the same time, children, as always, have a right to a safe, positive and encouraging childhood.

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“…Giving children the possibility to experience nature may also encourage their appreciation of nature (Chawla 2007;Chawla and Rivkin 2014). Several researchers consider children's play in natural environments as an essential element in early childhood (EC) sustainability education, since it provides children with opportunities to build personal and meaningful relationships with nature and to strengthen their environmental consciousness (Barratt, Barratt-Hacking, and Black 2014;Chawla and Rivkin 2014;Skarstein and Skarstein 2020). Beery and Jørgensen (2018) also argue for the importance of childhood nature experiences as a point of departure for the development of ecological ideas and embodied environmental understanding.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Outdoors as an arena for science learning and physical education in kindergarten

Skarstein

Ugelstad

2020

European Early Childhood Education Research Journal

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The aim of this study is to provide more knowledge on how outdoor time in Norwegian kindergartens is used as a resource for educational activities regarding science education and physical education. Through a questionnaire and a focus group interview, the study investigated early childhood teachers' perceptions of their work with these subjects and included twelve teachers representing nine kindergartens. According to the teachers, they work more often with these subjects by following up spontaneous situations than through planned activities. They emphasize different science themes and movement experiences depending on the environment they are in and highlight nature as an environment with many opportunities for spontaneous activities. A matter of concern is that one-fourth of the teachers reported that they work only occasionally with these subjects. In addition, the teachers seem to regard themselves less knowledgeable and less prepared to work with science education than physical education.

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Curious children and knowledgeable adults – early childhood student-teachers’ species identification skills and their views on the importance of species knowledge

Abstract: To cite this article: Tuula H. Skarstein & Frode Skarstein (2020) Curious children and knowledgeable adults-early childhood student-teachers' species identification skills and their views on the importance of species knowledge,

Cited by 44 publications

References 28 publications

Young children’s questions about science topics when situated in a natural outdoor environment: a qualitative study from kindergarten and primary school

Young children’s questions about science topics when situated in a natural outdoor environment: a qualitative study from kindergarten and primary school

The Mission of Early Childhood Education in the Anthropocene

Outdoors as an arena for science learning and physical education in kindergarten

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