Developing Scientific Thinking in Early Childhood Education through the Study of Wasps and Bees
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22420780 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Mar Montalvo-García (0009-0009-2738-5098, Universidad de Valladolid), Vanessa Ortega-Quevedo (0000-0002-5742-4678, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, corresponding author), María Antonia López Luengo (0000-0001-7334-5278, Universidad de Valladolid), Cristina Gil Puente (0000-0001-5794-5564, Universidad de Valladolid) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-18 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Early Childhood Education Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1082-3301 • E-ISSN: 1573-1707 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10643-026-02203-x |
| OpenAlex | W7154825121 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 29 |
The development of scientific thinking in early childhood education students is essential in the construction of scientific knowledge and the skills involved in the scientific process. This research analyzes the teaching practice of an early childhood education teacher to understand how a culture of thinking is promoted in her classroom and establishes the foundations of scientific thinking in students through learning about wasps and bees in a classroom project. This study follows a qualitative approach through a case study with 20 students and their teacher-tutor. The results show that the teacher’s practice, through cultural forces, drives the development of thinking moves related to fundamental scientific skills. Students acquire more precise scientific language, improve their ability to observe and distinguish between scientific and non-scientific aspects, and use drawing as a means of scientific representation. They also build scientific knowledge about wasps and bees, identifying differences and similarities in their anatomy. In conclusion, promoting a culture of thinking in early childhood education encourages the development of scientific skills and contextualized understanding of scientific content from an early age.
Early childhood · Early childhood education · Science education · Scientific reasoning · Scientific thinking · Sociology of Education · Animal and Plant Science Education · Science Education and Pedagogy · Science Education and Perceptions
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |