Constructing concepts about electricity in early childhood education through inquiry-based activities

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Nuria Calo Mosquera
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
Isabel García-Rodeja Gayoso
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
Vanessa Sesto Varela
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9818-261X
We present a study that aims to describe the implementation of a proposal where preschool children construct concepts and generalizations through empirical experience and dialogue with others by engaging in inquiry activities on electrical circuits. The participants are children (aged 4 to 5) from a preschool classroom. The sessions were recorded and analysed. The results show that children understand electricity as an entity that allows things to work. In general, they have no difficulty identifying electrical and electronic devices. As the activity develops, children reach an inductive generalization according to which metal objects conduct electricity. It is observed that children show more difficulties in applying these ideas when they make predictions than when they justify their observations.
Keywords
Electrical circuits, Inquiry-based activities, Early childhood education, Case study

Article Details

How to Cite
Calo Mosquera, Nuria et al. “Constructing concepts about electricity in early childhood education through inquiry-based activities”. Enseñanza de las Ciencias: revista de investigación y experiencias didácticas, 2021, vol.VOL 39, no. 2, pp. 223-40, doi:10.5565/rev/ensciencias.3238.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

(c) Nuria Calo Mosquera, Isabel García-Rodeja Gayoso, Vanessa Sesto Varela, 2021

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