Designing teaching activities based on the precursor model for electricity in early childhood education

PANAGIOTIS PANTIDOS, GEORGE KALIAMPOS

Abstract

The aim of this study is to describe a context for developing teaching activities for electricity in early childhood education. It leverages the concept of the precursor model, which comprises mental representations exhibiting characteristics of naive knowledge while also incorporating elements compatible with scientific models. Data from three studies are utilized, demonstrating that the precursor model of preschool-aged children for electricity exhibits phenomenological features, where children: a) empirically approach electricity as an entity that causes specific effects, b) perceive it as something that can be transported, c) conceptualize the technical components of an electric circuit, and d) construct simple electric circuits. For this reason, a framework for developing instructional activities is proposed, emphasizing technology and children's actions on objects rather than the construction of pre-scientific mental models based on a microscopic level.

Keywords

Early Childhood Science Education, precursor model, teaching activities, electricity

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References

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.26220/mje.4502

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Mediterranean Journal of Education | ISSN: 2732-6489 |  Department of Educational Sciences and Early Childhood Education - University of Patras.

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