Science education in preschool : Preschool teachers and head principals’ thoughts about science education

This study is about science education in preschool. The purpose is to provide knowledge of preschool teachers and head principals views of science education. This is a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews as a method to interview preschool teachers and head principals. The social cultural theory is being used to interpret the research results. And the concepts of meditation, artifact, scaffolding, and the zone of proximal development have been used in the interpretive process. The results show most of the informants being interviewed have a positive attitude to science education. They all mentioned basing the education on the children’s interests and the curriculum. Most of the education happens spontaneously in the preschool. Having the same views on education is important to promote the children’s learning. The informants bring up the different ways of teaching the use, but they all agree on letting the children explore and experience science. The study shows the informants have good knowledge in biology, the conclusion that biology is more prioritized than chemistry and physics because there are less examples of these subject. Unplanned problems in the preschool affects the planned education and how often it is implemented. The teachers need to share the views regarding the participation and the education in order to encourage the children’s learning. This study shows that the informants place great emphasis on experiencing with the body, considering it central to children’s learning.