ABSTRACT

This study aims to contribute knowledge about obstacles and opportunities for pedagogical continuity in science across early childhood education. We use activity theory to analyse individual interviews and group meetings with teachers from preschool (age 1–5), preschool class (age 6) and grade 1–3 (age 7–9) in three Swedish school units. The teachers’ descriptions of their science teaching indicate both obstacles and opportunities for pedagogical continuity. For example, all teachers want to establish an interest in, and foster a caring attitude to nature, a similarity that facilitates continuity. However, some crucial differences indicate obstacles. There is a shift concerning ownership; from following children’s initiatives in preschool in bodily and play based experiences towards an emphasis on pre-planned content, verbal knowledge and written documentation in grade 1–3. Our findings also suggest that teachers lack knowledge about each other's teaching and curricula. Hence, the conditions for pedagogical continuity largely rest upon what children share in the science class. We argue that there is need for an in-depth exchange of experiences, regarding content, teaching methods and frame factors, between teachers from different school forms.

摘要

这项研究旨在贡献关于幼儿教育科学教学连续性的障碍和机会的知识。我们使用活动理论来分析瑞典三个学校单位的学前班（1-5 岁）、学前班（6 岁）和 1-3 年级（7-9 岁）教师的个人访谈和小组会议。教师们对科学教学的描述表明了教学连续性的障碍和机遇。例如，所有教师都希望培养对自然的兴趣，并培养对自然的关怀态度，这种相似性有助于促进连续性。然而，一些关键的差异表明存在障碍。所有权发生了转变；从遵循学前儿童在身体和游戏体验方面的主动性，转向强调预先计划的内容，1-3 年级的口头知识和书面文件。我们的研究结果还表明，教师缺乏对彼此教学和课程的了解。因此，教学连续性的条件很大程度上取决于孩子们在科学课上所分享的内容。我们认为，不同学校形式的教师之间有必要在内容、教学方法和框架因素等方面进行深入的经验交流。