Constructing qualitative energy concepts in a formal educational context with 6-7 year old students

DIMITRIS KOLIOPOULOS, MYRTO ARGYROPOULOU

Abstract

The research presented in this paper is a preliminary empirical study of primary school children’s ability to construct a qualitative explanatory model for the ‘energy’ concept. The research results are particularly encouraging since it seems that 6-7 year old children are able, following a relevant teaching intervention, to utilize a linear causal reasoning and construct a preliminary energy model. Through the use of this model, the children are able to describe natural phenomena, such as the lighting of a lamp or the movement of a small motor using a battery or a photovoltaic cell.

Keywords

Energy; linear causal reasoning; precursor model; primary school

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.26220/rev.89

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Re S M ICT E | ISSN: 1792-3999 (electronic), 1791-261X (print) | Laboratory of Didactics of Sciences, Mathematics and ICT, Department of Educational Sciences and Early Childhood Education - University of Patras.

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