HOW CHILDREN LEARN SCIENCE

There are two traditional and very broad ways of thinking about how children learn - behavioral theory and cognitive theory.

Behavioral Theory - suggests that what a child does, and consequently what a child learns, depends on what happens as a result of the child's behavior. If children enjoy the learning experiences, and receive praise from peers and the teacher, and are successful, they will be learning and developing a positive attitude.

Tangible reinforcers: good grades, certificates, prizes, etc.
Intangible reinforcers: recognition, praise

Constructivism - in this approach, learners are active meaning makers. As they encounter new ideas and information, the learner selects and connects the information with past experience and previous ideas. The learner constructs new knowledge and understanding as they engage in dialogue with other individuals and form and test new hypotheses. Constructivism finds its roots in the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner and Dewey.

Cognitive Theory

Piaget's Theories - a Swiss psychologist who theorized that children progress through four levels of cognitive development.

Birth - age 2 = Sensorimotor knowledge
Intelligence develops through trial and error through sensory experiences

Ages 2 - 7 = Preoperational Knowledge
Intelligence becomes adept at representing events and objects through symbols (words and pictures)

Ages 7 - 11 = Concrete operations
Children begin thinking in a logical way, but still are unable to think abstractly.

By Age 11 = Formal operations
They begin to think abstractly and are capable of higher-order reasoning.

Bruner's Theories - An American professor that believed that learning is an active and social process in which students construct new ideas of concepts based on current knowledge.

Vygotsky's Theories - A Russian psychologist who believed that the origin of all human thought was in socially meaningful activities - learning occurs first through interaction with others.

Dewey's Theories - An American philosopher and educator who believed that students learned only when engaged in relevant and meaningful activities. The best learning occurs through hands-on activities.

In a Constructivist Classroom, a teacher:
Acts as a facilitator, not a director of learning;
Encourages student initiative and self-directions;
Asks open-ended questions;
Promotes higher-order thinking
Engages in dialogue with students and encourages dialogue between students;
Provides experiences that challenge hypotheses and encourage discussion

The Theory of Multiple Intelligences developed in 1983 by Howard Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human learning potential in children and adults.

Linguistic- Word smart
Logical-Mathematical - Math Smart
Spatial - Art Smart
Musical - Music smart
Bodily-Kinesthetic - Body Smart
Interpersonal - People smart
Intrapersonal - Self smart
Naturalist - Nature smart
Existential - Wondering smart