A Small Scale Investigation Into the Factors Influencing the Conceptual Change in Children’s Scientific Thinking
A small scale investigation into the factors influencing the conceptual change in children’s scientific thinking
Abstract
The present study aims to compare how Piaget and Vygotsky theories promote conceptual change in children’s scientific thinking. The investigation is an adaptation of a procedure used in 1930 by Piaget and compares two children’s predictions and explanations of why some objects float or sink. Children’s thinking is then challenged using discovery learning and scaffolding with the aim to investigate how each approach promotes a shift in their scientific thinking. Their explanations are coded, quantified and compared. The findings support Piaget stage theory and although scaffolding approach proved more effective, both approaches can be considered complementary.
Word count: 96
Introduction
Scientific knowledge is not only the accumulation of facts and procedures, it is more a way of thinking, is generative, allowing people to explain things that they have never been taught (Nunes and Bryant, 2004, p.267-8). However, to understand scientific concepts, Inhelder and Piaget (1958, cited in Nunes and Bryant, p.288) suggested that children need to attain a certain cognitive development, considering that this occurs at the formal operational stage (of development).
Common-sense understanding of concepts differs from scientific understanding. Contrary to ordinary people, scientists strive for consistency and aspire to use as few postulates as possible to explain as many phenomena as possible (parsimony principle). In the specific case of floating and sinking the naïve and especially young children conception, stressed by Selley (1993) too, is that objects sink because they are heavy, or because of the material they are made of (hypothesis 1=H1). When they realise that this hypothesis is not sufficient to explain floating or sinking, they extend the explanation to the objects’ air content. Progressing in thinking makes children think about
Abstract
The present study aims to compare how Piaget and Vygotsky theories promote conceptual change in children’s scientific thinking. The investigation is an adaptation of a procedure used in 1930 by Piaget and compares two children’s predictions and explanations of why some objects float or sink. Children’s thinking is then challenged using discovery learning and scaffolding with the aim to investigate how each approach promotes a shift in their scientific thinking. Their explanations are coded, quantified and compared. The findings support Piaget stage theory and although scaffolding approach proved more effective, both approaches can be considered complementary.
Word count: 96
Introduction
Scientific knowledge is not only the accumulation of facts and procedures, it is more a way of thinking, is generative, allowing people to explain things that they have never been taught (Nunes and Bryant, 2004, p.267-8). However, to understand scientific concepts, Inhelder and Piaget (1958, cited in Nunes and Bryant, p.288) suggested that children need to attain a certain cognitive development, considering that this occurs at the formal operational stage (of development).
Common-sense understanding of concepts differs from scientific understanding. Contrary to ordinary people, scientists strive for consistency and aspire to use as few postulates as possible to explain as many phenomena as possible (parsimony principle). In the specific case of floating and sinking the naïve and especially young children conception, stressed by Selley (1993) too, is that objects sink because they are heavy, or because of the material they are made of (hypothesis 1=H1). When they realise that this hypothesis is not sufficient to explain floating or sinking, they extend the explanation to the objects’ air content. Progressing in thinking makes children think about
References: Howe, C., Tolmie, A. and Anderson, A. (1991), cited in Nunes and Bryant, 2004, p. 293 Howe, C., Tolmie, A Inhelder, B. and Piaget, J (1958), cited in Nunes and Bryant, 2004, p. 288 Nunes, T Piaget, J. (1930) cited in the Practical Assignment Booklet (2012), p. 2. Selley, N. (1973), ‘Why do things float?’ in the Practical Assignment Booklet (2012), p. 13-8. The Open University (2006). ED209 Child development, [DVD-ROM Media Kit: Part 3: Video Band 9: Floating and Sinking: Demonstration A (Daniel). Milton Keynes: The Open University. DVD00171 The Open University (2006) The Open University (2012) Practical Assignment Booklet, ED209 Child development: United Kingdom, p. 1-18.