Developing the <scp>ECSOP</scp> : Observing Evidence of Science Learning in Early Childhood

ABSTRACT Early childhood provides a rich opportunity for authentic engagement with science learning. State standards, curricula, and national attention emphasize the importance of quality science learning experiences in the early years of a child's education. However, careful attention to the evidence of science learning of young learners is required. While many instruments exist to document teaching practices at this age, few explicitly focus on the learners themselves. This project describes the development of and investigates the reliability and validity of the Early Childhood Science Observation Protocol (ECSOP). The ECSOP is an observation protocol that aims to describe evidence of science learning in early childhood with a focus on the learner. During a five‐minute observation of the learner, the observer indicates the amount of time (duration) spent engaging in each of the five defined practice domains. After establishing an appropriate IRR, observation data were collected in three‐ and four‐year‐old classrooms at a Reggio Emelia inspired lab school in the central United States. Initial findings indicate that the ECSOP identified play and observing as the most common ways in which students engaged in science. Physical science was the most dominant content area identified during student observations.