En studie om att undersöka förskolebarns meningsskapande kring statisk elektricitet

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study is to investigate how preschool children, aged 3-5 years, create meaning of static electricity in an activity led by a pedagogue, how this is expressed and what part the pedagogue takes in children’s meaning making. The method used was participant observation and video camera was used to document a designed activity. The observations took place at four occasions with four different groups and the observations was conducted in different rooms of various sizes, which were provided by the preschool. Equipment used in this study are: Balloons, pvc-pipes, salt, different kinds of papers, aluminum cans and thin plastic bags. Results in this study show that the children create meaning of the activity first and foremost by exploring interplay and conversations. They solve the task at hand working together and with support of the pedagogue. The role of pedagogue in the children’s meaning making is to present tasks which have moderate levels of difficulties, and to direct the children’s focus by using questions concerning the current phenomenon. In so doing, they support the children to succeed. Factors of importance for the children’s meaning making is to be given the opportunity to explore, their curiosity, joy and being heard.