Tar vi barnens intresse för natur och teknik på allvar?
En kvalitativ studie om hur några förskollärare resonerar runt möjligheterna att ta tillvara barnens intresse för naturvetenskap och teknik i förskolan
Natural sciencesTechnologyLearningKnowledge and motivationNaturvetenskapTeknikLärandeKunskap och intresse
The purpose of this study was to examine and compare what six preschool teachers thought about their opportunities to take advantage of children's interest in natural sciences and technology, across four kindergartens. The following questions were explored in order to achieve the aim of the study: How do the preschool teachers interviewed describe their work with science and technology in the preschool and what these preschool teachers think about the meaning of motivation in the children?s learning of natural sciences and technology in preschool. The study used a qualitative approach in the form of semi-structured interviews and interviewed a total of six trained pre-school teachers from four kindergartens with different profiles. The first kindergarten focuses on mathematics, science and technology. The second one has a profile based on children's play and language whilst collaborating in a STA (Science and Technology for All) project. The third and fourth preschools have a nature and environment profile. All the preschool teachers interviewed believe that the function of natural sciences in kindergarten is to give children the opportunity to discover, explore and understand nature; however, they have different viewpoints about nature and use it in different ways. The result of the study shows that the profile of the school affects the educational activities and the views of preschool teachers on children's learning as well as the building of knowledge in relation to natural sciences and technology. Likewise, the results show that there is great variation in how the six preschool teachers interviewed see opportunities to exploit children's motivation in nature and technology. Notwithstanding, all preschool teachers interviewed highlight that motivation is a driving force and the foundation for children's learning in natural sciences and technology.