Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zur Arbeit der Stiftung „Haus der kleinen Forscher“ – serie

Scientific contributions authored by distinguished experts from the field of early education are published periodically within the framework of the series Scientific Studies on the Work of the “Haus der kleinen Forscher” Foundation. This publication series serves to foster informed dialogue between the Foundation, scientists, and practitioners with the aim of giving all early childhood education and care centres, after-school centres, and primary schools in Germany scientifically sound support in fulfilling their early education mandate. This fifth volume in the series focuses on goals of science education at the level of the children, the early childhood professionals, and the pedagogical staff at after-school centres and primary schools, and on process-related quality criteria for science teaching at pre-primary and primary level. In their expert reports, Yvonne Anders, Ilonca Hardy, Sabina Pauen, Beate Sodian, and Mirjam Steffensky specify pedagogical content dimensions of the goals of early science education at pre-primary and primary school age. In addition to theoretically underpinning these goals, the authors present instruments for their assessment. In his expert report, Jörg Ramseger formulates ten quality criteria for science teaching. Early childhood professionals and pedagogical staff at after-school centres and primary schools can draw on these process-related criteria when planning lessons and conducting self-evaluations of science learning opportunities at pre-primary and primary level. The concluding chapter of the volume describes the implementation of these expert recommendations in the substantive offerings of, and the accompanying research on, the “Haus der kleinen Forscher“ Foundation.

The book describes goals and success criteria of early computer science education at pre-primary and primary school age. Two expert reports specify pedagogical content dimensions of computer science education and give recommendations for the further development of the “Haus der kleinen Forscher” Foundation’s offerings. The implementation of these professional recommendations in the programmes of the “Haus der kleinen Forscher” Foundation is also described.In their expert report, Nadine Bergner, Hilde Köster, Johannes Magenheim, Kathrin Müller, Ralf Romeike, Ulrik Schroeder and Carsten Schulte specify the pedagogical and content-related target dimensions of computer science education at early childhood education and care centres, after-school centres, and primary schools. In addition to a theoretical basis for various target dimensions, the authors discuss the success criteria for effective and efficient early computer science education in practise. They also give recommendations for the further development of the „Haus der kleinen Forscher“ Foundation’s offerings and scientific monitoring of the work of the Foundation in the field of computer science. In their expert recommendation, Nadine Bergner and Kathrin Müller describe a selection of informatics systems for children at early childhood education and care centres and primary schools and give suggestions for particularly suitable systems and their use in pre-primary and primary education on the basis of expert criteria.The English version is a partially revised edition of "Stiftung Haus der kleinen Forscher (Hrsg.) (2018). Frühe informatische Bildung – Ziele und Gelingensbedingungen für den Elementar- und Primarbereich. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zur Arbeit der Stiftung „Haus der kleinen Forscher“ (Band 9). Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Verlag Barbara Budrich. The information has been updated to new developments and offerings of the “Haus der kleinen Forscher” Foundation.