Parent–Child Conversations About Animals in Informal Learning Environments

Geerdts, Megan S.; Walle, Gretchen A. Van de; LoBue, Vanessa

doi:10.1080/10645578.2015.1016366

Cited by 29 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…Earlier studies have explored topics such as how families use epistemic resources to make sense of science content Zimmerman et al, 2010;, types of learning talk (Allen, 2002), how parents support children's inquiry and scientific reasoning skills (Ash, 2003;Crowley et al, 2001;Kisiel, Rowe, Vartabedian, & Kopczak, 2012), how parents and children interact at live animal exhibits (Geerdts, Van de Walle, & LoBue, 2015; Kopczak, Kisiel, & Rowe, 2015; Patrick & Tunnicliffe, 2013; , and the role of cultural tools and technology in supporting family learning Martell, 2008;Zimmerman, Land, McClain, Mohney, Choi, & Salman, 2015;Zimmerman, McClain, & Crowl, 2013).…”

Section: Learning Conversationsmentioning

confidence: 98%

An investigation of the role of learning conversations in youth’s authoring of science identities during an informal science camp

Riedinger¹,

McGinnis

2016

International Journal of Science Education, Part B

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In this investigation, we examined how youth during learning conversations at an informal science education camp negotiated and authored identities as learners of science. Using identity theory as our analytical lens, we investigated by application of qualitative methodology the socially constructed nature of youth's identities. We focused on the ways in which learning conversations at the science camp prompted changes in learners' identity as they engaged in science. Data collection included videotaped observations, field notes, interviews, and journal entries. Interaction analysis and constant comparison were used to develop analytic lenses. The results of our study highlighted the unique affordances of informal science education settings for supporting youth's identity work in science. In particular, we describe how youth negotiated and authored identities as learners of science through positioning, discourse, and performance. Our study contributed essential insights drawn from empirical data on how youth in an informal science education experience-a science camp-socially negotiated their identities during learning conversations. ARTICLE HISTORY

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Section: Learning Conversationsmentioning

confidence: 98%

An investigation of the role of learning conversations in youth’s authoring of science identities during an informal science camp

Riedinger¹,

McGinnis

2016

International Journal of Science Education, Part B

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“…Rigney and Callanan (2011) as well as Geerdts et al (2015) were interested in social transmission within the family interacting with a life zoo exhibit as a potential source of children's anthropocentric construal of animates. Consequently, they coded parental talk about intentional characteristics as well as the use of animate and inanimate pronouns.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rigney and Callanan (2011) found more intentional talk and more personal pronouns in relation to typical (e.g., fish) than atypical (e.g., sea cucumber) animals. Geerdts et al (2015) reported more intentional content (which they construed more broadly as social content) as well as more animate pronoun use for typical animals (penguins) than atypical animals (insects). Typical animals also elicited more conceptual and biological content while atypical animals elicited more connecting talk.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Typical animals also elicited more conceptual and biological content while atypical animals elicited more connecting talk. Both Rigney and Callanan (2011) and Geerdts et al (2015) concluded that parents may reinforce anthropocentric organization of children's biological knowledge by using more mental and social language in reference to animals that are more closely related to humans in terms of salient clues to intentionality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Parent-Child Conversations About Biological Kinds as a Potential Contributor to the Variability in Biological Knowledge

Tarłowski¹

2019

Psychology of Language and Communication

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There is a growing body of research on variability in the early development of biological knowledge. Most of the studies focus on the variability related to culture and direct exposure to nature, however, there is also data suggesting that parental input plays an important role. In children’s first years of life, parents play a key role in scaffolding development. It is therefore very important to provide a detailed account of how parents contribute to children’s understanding of living things, and how they convey biological knowledge through everyday conversations. The present article provides a review of the literature on variability in biological knowledge and parent-child conversations about biological kinds. It also presents original data from parent-child interactions while viewing picture books. Eighteen parent-child dyads who differed in the level of parental expertise within biology, talked while viewing books containing 24 photographs of animals and plants. The speech analysis specified labeling, perceptual and conceptual descriptions, relational, and mentalistic talk. Parents also completed a questionnaire on the child’s interests. The results showed that biology expert families produced more content overall, and a higher proportion of relational content than lay families. The findings help elucidate the specific role parents have in shaping children’s early biological understanding. In particular, I discuss the role of relational language in shaping children’s ontological commitments.

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“…Wood and Wolf 2010), while other research has explored relationships between parent explanations and preschoolers' exploratory behaviour and learning in a science centre (van Schijndel and Raijmakers 2016). Other studies have likewise focused on parent-child interactions during visits, with a particular emphasis on conversations and the way in which they support learning in these settings (Crowley et al 2001;Crowley and Jacobs 2002;Geerdts, Van de Walle and LoBue 2015;Haden et al 2014). For instance, previous studies reflect the way in which verbal interactions support young children's learning in museums, particularly when the adults (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The potential of extended cultural residencies for young children

DeWitt¹,

King

Wright

et al. 2018

Museum Management and Curatorship

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Although years of research efforts have investigated learning benefits from museum visits, relatively less attention has been paid to young children's experiences in these settings. Drawing on contextualist perspectives of learning, this paper seeks to address this gap, using two case studies to explore the experiences of children ages three to five who spent extended periods of time attending school in a museum setting. We draw on qualitative data from the evaluation of two museum-school partnerships, to investigate potential learning benefits of such experiences and elements that may have facilitated the outcomes observed. These two exploratory case studies indicate considerable potential for supporting language and communication skills in young children, as well as personal, social and emotional development. These outcomes appear to be linked to the rich nature of the experience, as well as its extended duration, which allowed it to be deeply child-centred, allowing for valuable learning from the museum environment.

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Parent–Child Conversations About Animals in Informal Learning Environments

Cited by 29 publications

References 65 publications

An investigation of the role of learning conversations in youth’s authoring of science identities during an informal science camp

An investigation of the role of learning conversations in youth’s authoring of science identities during an informal science camp

Parent-Child Conversations About Biological Kinds as a Potential Contributor to the Variability in Biological Knowledge

The potential of extended cultural residencies for young children

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