Inte som i skolan - pedagoger positionerar naturvetenskap i förskolan <br/>Preschool teachers talk about science – Positioning themselves and positioning science

Abstract

Karin Due är lektor i fysikdidaktik vid Institutionen för naturvetenskapernas och matematikens didaktik, Umeå universitet. Hennes forskningsintressen rör genus och lärande i naturvetenskap och hur kulturella faktorer i praktikgemenskaper formar de lärandemöjligheter som erbjuds de yngsta barnen.Britt Tellgren är lektor i pedagogik vid institutionen för Humaniora, Utbildningsvetenskap och Samhällskunskap vid Örebro universitet. Hennes forskningsintressen rör förskollärarutbildning i ett historiskt perspektiv, yngre barns kamratrelationer samt yngre barns mänskliga rättigheter i utbildning. Sofie Areljung är lektor vid Institutionen för tillämpad utbildningsvetenskap, Umeå universitet.. Hennes avhandling handlar om kunskapssyn, genus och fysisk miljö i förskolans naturvetenskapsundervisning. Ett ytterligare forskningsintresse rör undersökande arbete i NO-undervisningen i skolans år 4-6. Christina Ottander är fil.dr i växtfysiologi och docent i ämnesdidaktik med inriktning mot naturvetenskap vid Umeå universitet. Hennes forskningsintressen rör lärares professionella utveckling av undervisning i naturvetenskap i förskola och skola. Bodil Sundberg är lektor i biologi vid institutionen för Naturvetenskap och Teknik vid Örebro Universitet, Sverige. Hennes forskningsintressen berör hur lärare för yngre åldrar tänker om, och utformar aktiviteter för, lärande i naturvetenskap och hållbar utveckling samt hur kulturella och historiska aspekter påverkar detta. Hon är sedan 2013 koordinator för intressegruppen "Early Years Science" kopplad till ESERA . how preschool teachers, who include a scientific content in their practice, describe their practice and their view of science in preschool. The study is based on 20 interviews in 9 Swedish preschools. The theoretical and analytical framework combine "communities of practice"(Lave & Wenger) and "positioning theory" (Harré & Langehove) Abstract This article discusses . The stories reveal a strong position for the pre-school curriculum and traditions. A prominent storyline is that Science in preschool is something different from science in school. This includes an anti-authoritarian view with a focus on "the competent child". The preschool teachers affirm fantasy, creativity and intuition as a part of science and they position science as easy to access. They also position themselves as pedagogues competent to manage science in preschool. One of the dilemmas is about letting children's interests and initiatives drive the activities while educators curriculum-based goals have certain intentions to fulfill.Karin Due m.fl.

Like school and not like school: ambivalences in Swedish preschool teachers’ enacted policy

“…Similar to Granbom's study of preschool teachers (Granbom, 2011), the study identifies a relationship between freedom and government, and a visible tension between the autonomy of the children, on the one hand, and the implementation of subject goals, on the other (Ackesjö & Persson, 2016;Due et al, 2018). The results from Otterstad and Braathe (2016) study of how Norwegian preschool teachers resist a school-like discourse also find support in this study.…”

“…They further suggest that 'this dilemma partly arises from the somewhat conflicting messages in the revised curriculum' (ibid.). The collusion between the autonomy of the children, on the one hand, and implementing goals for science teaching on the other is also visible in interviews (Due et al, 2018). Similar tensions in teachers' depictions of preschool class activities have also been labelled as switching between educational positioning in different curricular expectations (Ackesjö & Persson, 2016).…”

“…A central component in the relationship between the school and preschool in Sweden is whether the child and child-initiated play should be the points of departure for the educational activities, rather than a predefined subject content. Earlier studies of science in the Swedish preschool have shown that there is a lack of clarity amongst preschool teachers about what their mission is (Sundberg et al 2016;Due et al, 2018).…”

Didactical dilemmas when planning teaching for sustainable development in preschool

“…The dilemma that emerges in the teacher student discussions is not new, however; the dilemma we identified is similar to those that are well-known among teachers who are active in both preschool and elementary school (see for example Due et al 2018;Jonsson, Williams, and Pramling Samuelsson 2017;Jonsson 2008). But while the didactic dilemma is not new, the meaning-making in the discussions among the teacher students resulted in a new way to manage content concerning sustainable development.…”

“…Research shows that some preschool teachers fear that the teaching in preschool will become too similar to the teaching in schools, in terms of knowledge transfer (cf. Due et al 2018).…”