Searching for scientific Mozarts: get em' while they're young

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Donovan, Jennifer, Haeusler, Carole and Stewart, Ian. 2013. "Searching for scientific Mozarts: get em' while they're young." The Conversation.
Article Title

Searching for scientific Mozarts: get em' while they're young

Article CategoryBlog
AuthorsDonovan, Jennifer (Author), Haeusler, Carole (Author) and Stewart, Ian (Author)
Publication TitleThe Conversation
Year2013
Place of PublicationAustralia
Web Address (URL)https://theconversation.com/searching-for-scientific-mozarts-get-em-while-theyre-young-15006
Abstract

To make a better society and economy, Australia needs a scientifically literate populace capable of making informed decisions. But traditionally, teaching the 'big ideas' in science only appears in the later years of high school. In the new Australian Curriculum: Science, the first mention of 'atoms' is in Year 9, when most students are already 14 years old. Is it possible that primary children, thought to be only concrete thinkers, can engage with abstract concepts such as atomic-molecular theory?

Keywordsatomic-molecular theory; primary children; big ideas of science; scientific literacy
Contains Sensitive ContentDoes not contain sensitive content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020390113. Science, technology and engineering curriculum and pedagogy
390304. Primary education
520401. Cognition
Byline AffiliationsSchool of Teacher Education and Early Childhood
Faculty of Education
No affiliation
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
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