Changing Preschool Children’s Representations of Light: A Scratch Based Teaching Approach

The research presented here studied preschool children’s representations of light. A teaching intervention was also carried out, with an aim to construct in children’s thinking a precursor model according to which light is recognized as an autonomous entity, which is independent of the light sources and the results it causes. The teaching intervention was conducted through the use of special software created in a scratch environment. The study, consisting of three phases (pre-test, teaching intervention and post-test), included 30 children aged 4-6 years. The results of the research showed that in the children’s initial mental representations light is identified mainly with light sources. After the teaching intervention, a large percentage of the children had constructed a precursor model which was compatible with the scientific one, based upon which children recognize light as an autonomous entity.