Too little, too late: Addressing natureof science in early childhood education

Abstract

The nature of science is an important aspect of scientific literacy that helps prepare students to become informed citizens as well as critical practitioners and consumers of science. This chapter reviews the body of empirical research relevant for teaching and assessing the nature of science during early childhood. Nature of science research for early childhood is sparse, but what is available suggests that young children are capable of learning about the nature of science at very young ages. The research also indicates that children and teachers alike possess misconceptions about the nature of science. Explicit reflective instruction and the use of learning progressions that scaffold more challenging nature of science concepts, benefit students most, while targeted nature of science instruction for both pre-service and in-service teachers is also necessary. Nature of science instruction can be incorporated into science lessons in a variety of ways, and there are also a number of options for assessment. Empirical research, not mere opinion, must govern conclusions as to the most effective teaching and assessment methods.