Educational Program “Thunderbolt Hunt»: An Analysis with the “Experimental-Genetic Method”

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Abstract

This paper attempts to transfer L.S. Vygotsky’s experimental-genetic method in Science Education and, furthermore, into non-formal settings. The nature of Science Education in early school grades as well as the flexibility and the need to some extent of incorporating arts in Science Education indicate that experimental-genetic method may be applied as a useful tool of analysis which will provide in-depth insights about the learning process. The method was applied to the data, collected from the implementation of the educational program «Thunderbolt hunt» at the Archaeological Museum of Ioannina, Greece. Unlike many other courses, this educational program is based on the museums’ exhibits and introduces concepts of science as well as cultivates scientific method. In this paper a meta-analysis of the implementation of the program to a first grade of a public primary school is presented. The data analysis shows explicitly the relation between the formation of the concept of air and the social relations and interactions between the students. The combination of transcending the misconceptions about air, conducting experiments and trying to adapt a new way of working result in a lot of contradictions while at the same time give space for reflection which altogether create «the dramatic character of the organized interaction».

General Information

Keywords: experimental-genetic method, non-formal setting, science education, pereghivanie

Journal rubric: Problems of Cultural-Historical and Activity Psychology

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/chp.2020160305

Funding. This research is co-financed by Greece and the European Union (European Social Fund- ESF) through the Operational Programme «Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong Learning» in the context of the project “Reinforcement of Postdoctoral Researchers — 2nd Cycle” (MIS-5033021), implemented by the State Scholarships Foundation (ΙΚΥ).

For citation: Kornelaki A.C., Plakitsi K. Educational Program “Thunderbolt Hunt»: An Analysis with the “Experimental-Genetic Method”. Kul'turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya = Cultural-Historical Psychology, 2020. Vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 38–46. DOI: 10.17759/chp.2020160305.

A Part of Article

This paper attempts to transfer experimental-genetic method and more specifically the approach of O. Rubtsova and H. Daniels (2016) in the field of science education considering the incorporation of drama and arts in science education. In the paper «The Concept of Drama in Vygotsky’s Theory: Application in Research», the authors interpret Vygotsky’s general genetic law of development considering the cultural-historical context in which the theory was developed, in light of the strong influence of Vygotsky’s theatrical background on his ideas and the terminology he used.

References

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Information About the Authors

Athina C. Kornelaki, Post-doctoral researcher & scholar of the Greek State Scholarship Foundation (IKY), PhD in Science Education in Early Grades, Professor (under contract), Department of Early Childhood Education, School of Education, University of Ioannina, Greece, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2782-083X, e-mail: akornelaki@uoi.gr

Katerina Plakitsi, Professor in President of the International Society for Cultural-Historical and Activity Research, ISCAR, Professor Head of the Department of Early Childhood at the University of Ioannina, Greece, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8340-1322, e-mail: kplakits@gmail.com

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