Engagement in science, engineering and technology in the early years: A cultural-historical reading

dc.creator	SUE MARCH
dc.creator	MARILYN FLEER
dc.date	2009-01-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-08-12T11:33:14Z
dc.date.available	2015-08-12T11:33:14Z
dc.identifier	1791-261X
dc.identifier	1792-3999
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/80a55b3aa8a14076b2e9a03104fba797
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/31241
dc.description	This paper seeks answers to the question “what engages young children in science, engineering and technology (SET)?”. A review of the SET literature is undertaken to find out what are the dominant themes noted in the research literature for engaging young children in SET. Two kinds of analyses are presented in this paper. The first analysis draws upon developmental theory because it is still the dominant worldview within early childhood education, and is closely aligned with constructivism, the major theory within SET education research. This analysis gives some insights into the concept of engagement from a developmental perspective. However, many of the findings identified in the studies reviewed could not easily fit within a traditional developmental framework. A second analysis was undertaken, using cultural-historical theory. It was found that engagement could be explained more fully when it was theorised in relation to Vygotsky’s (1987) and Leont’ev’s (1978) concept of “motives” in the context of Kravtsova’s (2008) concept of the “zone of potential development”. This latter theorisation allowed for a richer discussion of SET engagement for early childhood education. The paper concludes with a model of SET engagement for early childhood education.
dc.language	English
dc.language	French
dc.publisher	Metaichmio Publications
dc.relation	http://www.ecedu.upatras.gr/review/papers/3_1/3_2.pdf
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1791-261X
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1792-3999
dc.source	Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education, Vol 3, Iss 1, Pp 23-47 (2009)
dc.subject	Early childhood
dc.subject	cultural-historical
dc.subject	sociocultural
dc.subject	early years
dc.subject	science education
dc.subject	technology education
dc.subject	engineering education
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.title	Engagement in science, engineering and technology in the early years: A cultural-historical reading
dc.type	article