Learning Science From Experience In Early Childhood: How To Design And Implement Spaces For Science Education Addressed To Early Childhood

Teaching and learning science involves much more than just providing theoretical knowledge and hands-on activities. Knowing the learners' characteristics and interests, considering the spatial and material conditions where the scientific activities take place, and understanding Science from a plural and complex perspective become also central to offer a rich Science learning experience. When dealing with scientific education it is thus central to take into account not only the adult's role and scientific knowledge but also the adult's conception about the children's own potential and competence to carry on intentional actions and discoveries by themselves as intelligent individuals. It requires as well an awareness of the children's use of space and of their tendency towards social interactions, so to better introduce and manage space and materials before, during and after the activity. An example of this approach is a recently created space named Lab 0_6: Centre for Discovery, Research and Documentation Centre for the Scientific Education in Early Childhood. The Lab 0_6 was created as a learning environment where procedures relevant to scientific practices, like experimentation proposals, are introduced to children so to allow them a process of enquiry by means of play and free-choice situations. The space has been designed taking into account the age specificities of children and their cognitive, emotional and motor processes. Yet, this learning environment is currently undergoing continual changes. This is because teaching science implies also constantly investigating and discussing how science occurs (or ought to occur) and how scientific procedures, contents and attitudes ought to be presented to children at a specific age.