Teaching Natural Sciences to Kindergarten Students Using Tablets: Results From a Pilot Project

Introduction

In recent years, the importance of introducing concepts related to natural sciences in early childhood education has been acknowledged, as it contributes to the cognitive development of very young students (Eshach, 2006; Harlen, 2018; Trundle, 2010). Indeed, the exploration of the natural world is the source of children's primary experiences; their innate curiosity and effort to comprehend the world that surrounds them compels them to build their original understanding/perceptions for it. As a result, children establish a body of ideas, in the form of interpretative models, before they even enter formal education (Akerson, Flick, & Lederman, 2000; Driver, Squires, Rushworth, & Wood-Robinson, 2014). Then again, studies have confirmed that many concepts related to this field are difficult to understand; both preschool and primary school children face serious problems. The plethora of their misconceptions, as recorded in the relevant literature, serves as a proof of the above statement (e.g., Driver et al., 2014). An area in which students face significant difficulties is the classification of living organisms on the basis of scientific criteria (Allen, 2015; Braund, 1998; Chen & Ku, 1998; Cinici, 2013; Gelman & Meyer, 2011; Κattmann, 2001; Kubiatko & Prokop, 2007; Papadopoulou & Athanasiou, 2015). Usually, their classifications are arbitrary, random, uncorrelated, and lack hierarchical reasoning (Driver, 1985). It has to be noted that most of the above studies involved primary or high-school students; kindergarten students were not that well studied.

Contemporary views for learning and teaching, such as mobile learning, highlight the role of digital technologies and introduce new instruments into instruction. Tools such as smartphones and tablets combine game and learning while offering students a better visualization of phenomena related to natural sciences. This, in turn, allows them to have a better understanding of these concepts. Children come into contact and are attracted to these devices from a very young age (Shuler, 2009). Since very young children view the school environment as a natural extension of their family environment, the use of mobile devices at school is self-evident, at least in their own eyes. Additionally, their interest, as well as their enthusiasm and enjoyment for lessons are amplified (Blackwell, 2013; Fokides, 2018; Fokides & Mastrokoukou, 2018). The learning outcomes of preschool children who participated in tablet-assisted projects were encouraging, to say the least (Al-Zu'bi, Omar-Fauzee, & Kaur, 2017; Bebell & Pedulla, 2015; McManis & McManis, 2016; Papadakis, Kalogiannakis & Zaranis, 2016; Zaranis, Kalogiannakis, & Papadakis, 2013; Zomer & Kay, 2016). At the same time, other advantages that emerged from tablets' use included opportunities for the development of fine motor skills and practical training of functional capacities (Bebell & Pedulla, 2015; Blackwell, 2013), fostering of students' creativity and imagination, and development of problem-solving skills (Blackwell, 2013). Kindergarten teachers can benefit from the use of mobile devices as well. They can record the teaching process for evaluating it at a later time, develop students' digital portfolios indicative of their progress, and save important incidents/observations that could help them to plan and organize their teaching (Parnell & Bartlett, 2012).