South African Journal of Childhood Education 1(2):a90 How Grade R pupils make sense of the ‘scientist’ and ‘science’
Type
E-Journal
ISSN
2223-7682
Category
ECCE, Foundation
[ Browse Items ]
Publication Year
2011
Publisher
Aosis OpenJournals, Durbanville, Cape Town, South Africa
URL
[ private ]
Pages
15 p.
Subject
Early childhood education, Primary education, Foundation Phase, Learners, Semiotic mediation, Sense making, Draw-a-scientist test, Conception of, South Africa
Tags
Abstract
In this article, we report on the ‘sense-making’ by children of a ‘scientist’ and ‘science’. We investigated these conceptions through drawings by using the Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST) developed by Chambers. We conducted the research in two urban schools; a public school located in a low-income previously designated black (African) suburb, and a private school in an affluent suburb. In theorising on the sense-making of a ‘scientist’ and ‘science’ by children from these diverse learning contexts, we examined the notion of ‘semiotic mediation’, which is a central idea in Vygotsky’s work. The results of the study show that children in the previously designated black school have little or no conception of science or a scientist. The significance of these findings needs to be considered against the inequities in education, and in particular in science education in this country due to the apartheid system. Despite Grade R being the first year in the twelve-school career of children we believe that the findings of this study do signal that concerted steps need to be taken so that children develop stronger conceptions of science and a scientist.
Description
Article
Number of Copies
1
Library | Accession No | Call No | Copy No | Edition | Location | Availability |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Main | 694 | 1 | Yes |