ERIC Number: EJ1261171
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Aug
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0157-244X
EISSN: N/A
Performative Intra-Action of a Paper Plane and a Child: Exploring Scientific Concepts as Agentic Playmates
Haus, Jana Maria
Research in Science Education, v50 n4 p1305-1320 Aug 2020
This work uses new materialist perspectives (Barad 2007; Lenz Taguchi 2014; Rautio in "Children's Geographies," 11(4), 394-408, 2013) to examine an exploration of concepts as agents and the question how intra-action of human and non-human bodies lead to the investigation of scientific concepts, relying on an article by de Freitas and Palmer ("Cultural Studies of Science Education," 11(4), 1201-1222, 2016). Through an analysis of video stills of a case study, a focus on classroom assemblages shows how the intra-actions of human and non-human bodies (one 5-year-old boy, a piece of paper that becomes a paper plane and the concepts of force and flight) lead to an intertwining and intersecting of play, learning, and becoming. Video recordings were used to qualitatively analyze three questions, which emerged through and resulted from the intra-action of researcher and data. This paper aims at addressing a prevalent gap in the research literature on science learning from a materialist view. Findings of the analysis show that human and non-human bodies together become through and for another to jointly and agentically intra-act in exploring and learning about science. Implications for learning and teaching science are that teachers could attempt to focus on setting up the learning environment differently, so that children have time and access to materials that matter to them and that, as "Hultman (2011) claims […] 'whisper, answer, demand and offer'" (Areljung forthcoming, p. 77) themselves to children in the learning and teaching environment.
Descriptors: Scientific Concepts, Human Body, Play, Learning Processes, Science Education, Preschool Education, Elementary School Science
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A