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Butterfly Learning: An Approach for Appropriating Complexity in Science Education for Young Children

Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: This paper focuses on one element of the results of a study which has explored the socially constructed and family centred science education program -Young Starwatcher.This program is characterised with its informal and collaborative structure that involves a variety of families and their preschool and early primary school children who experienced a series of activities for developing the understanding in certain astronomical concepts in an easy and digestible way.The challenge has been to understand the appropriation of learning dealing with the complexity of astronomical concepts within a group of "just plain folks" who lack astronomy knowledge.This study sets to explore the actual processes that make learning informally but collaboratively a powerful tool for children and parents.While visual imagery, storytelling and other educational activities were used in the program to facilitate the participants' understanding in the abstract astronomy concepts, "Butterfly learning" was initiated from the interviews with the parents and the observations on the learning activities as a method for promoting participants' motivation and understanding."Butterfly learning" is a metaphor that represents learners gaining knowledge and understanding in a pattern of "a small step in each time of learning" informally, just like a butterfly sourcing nutrition in natural environment bit by bit randomly.This approach allows the participants to acquire information repeatedly at their own pace, which preceded their development of understanding in complexity as a joyful journey.Butterfly learning appears to play a pivotal role in both children's behaviour and learning method.
DOI: 10.20533/licej.2040.2589.2020.0442
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W3022404651
FWCI:
Cites: 16
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Related to: 10