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2023/2024

Teaching Knowledge of the Natural and Social Environment in Early Childhood Education I

Code: 101989 ECTS Credits: 5
Degree Type Year Semester
2500797 Early Childhood Education OB 3 1

Contact

Name:
Jordi Castellvi Mata
Email:
jordi.castellvi.mata@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.

Teachers

Nuria Arís Redó
Neus Banqué Martínez
Laura Valdes Sanchez

Prerequisites

Not required


Objectives and Contextualisation

The subject "Didactics of Knowledge of the Natural and Social Environment in Early Childhood Education I" is a mandatory third-year course, focused on a specific didactics shared by two knowledge areas: social sciences and experimental sciences. That is why the subject is designed with specific work moments for each area, and with moments where both areas are approached in an interdisciplinary manner.

With this approach, it is proposed to work on axes that the new curriculum of early childhood education includes, such as 'A child who discovers the environment with curiosity' or 'A child who is part of the diversity of the world that surrounds him', while establishing links with the cultural disciplines of reference such as the didactics of social sciences and experimental sciences. The aim is therefore to develop didactic criteria based on knowledge of the curriculum, theories, models and principles about teaching and learning in early childhood education, and about a conception of the natural and social world aimed at understanding and addressing social and environmental issues at this stage.

Training objectives:

  1. Identify and evaluate the contributions of the experimental sciences and the social sciences as cultural scopes of Western society and their relevance in education. 
  2. Identify the characteristics of a school and classroom programming that incorporates complexity within the framework of Education for sustainability, equal opportunities, coeducation and global citizenship. 
  3. Analyze the child education curriculum.
  4. To know the most relevant theories, models and principles of teaching and learning of the experimental sciences and social sciences in children's education. 5. Analyze various didactic situations that occur in the children's school and identify the purposes and contents of the experimental and social sciences that work on it, valuing its adequacy.

Competences

  • Acquire knowledge of the evolution of thinking, customs, beliefs and social and political movements throughout history.
  • Consider classroom practical work to innovate and improve teaching.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the aims, curricular contents and criteria of evaluation of Infant Education
  • Know about the most important moments in the history of science and technology and their significance.
  • Maintain a respectful attitude for the environment (natural, social and cultural) to promote values, behaviours and practices that address gender equality, equity and respect for human rights.
  • Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
  • Manage information related to the professional environment for decision-making and reporting.
  • Promoting experiences of initiation into information and communication technologies.
  • Properly express oneself orally and in writing and master the use of different expression techniques.
  • Understand scientific methodology and promote scientific thought and experimentation.
  • Understand the scientific, mathematical and technological bases of the curriculum at this stage as well as theories on the acquisition and development of the corresponding learning.
  • Work in teams and with teams (in the same field or interdisciplinary).

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  2. Be able to analyse a learning situation and assess its relevance based on the theoretical framework developed in the subject.
  3. Be able to engage in direct contact with the natural and social environment in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.
  4. Be able to make oral presentations using new technologies that are of use in the professional field.
  5. Be able to organize both personal and group work to design and implement a joint project.
  6. Be able to perform small research studies that can be used in infant education.
  7. Be able to read, interpret and use a program, project or instrument for scientific, social and environmental education in infant education.
  8. Be able to use information and communications technology in the development of the subject.
  9. Be familiar with the curriculum on the open area within the ambit of child education.
  10. Know about historical moments and relevant scientific facts and how they have been used to guide specific experiences in infant education.
  11. Know about the evolution of thinking, customs, beliefs and social and political movements throughout history and how they have been used to target specific experiences in infant education.
  12. Propose new methods or well-founded alternative solutions.
  13. Understand the theory for the teaching and learning of experimental sciences and social sciences as governed by the early education curriculum.

Content

  1. Foundations and perspectives of educational intervention in the field of discovery of the environment, from the perspective of the reference sciences.
    1. Cultural relevance of experimental and social sciences for understanding the world today.
    2. Theories, models, and principles of teaching and learning in early childhood education.
    3. Education for sustainability, equal opportunity, and critical thinking in the stage of early childhood education.
  2. Foundations and perspectives of educational intervention in the field of discovery of the environment, from the curriculum perspective.
    1. The early childhood education curriculum corresponding to the field of discovery of the environment.
    2. The purposes of the work in the field of discovery of the environment in early childhood education.
    3. The content of the field of discovery of the environment in early childhood education.
  3. Content of the field of discovery of the environment and its didactic application in the early childhood classroom.
    1. Space and time, gender perspective, and critical thinking in the field of discovery of the environment in early childhood education.
    2. Living beings, materials, and energy in the field of discovery of the environment in early childhood education.
    3. Analysis and implementation of educational interventions related to the content of the field of environment discovery.

Methodology

The teaching methodology is centered on three important pillars: (a) to offer students a direct contact experience with the natural and social environment and with their educational possibilities for the stage of childhood education through outputs and didactic laboratory activities; (b) design contexts so that students develop new ways of looking at educational work around the social and natural environment; (c) encourage students to read articles and readings and reflect on key ideas that are relevant cultural milestones.

This subject intends to provide the basics for the next subject "Didactics of knowledge of the natural and social environment in Early Childhood Education II" and emphasize the construction of the ways to look necessary to understand the foundations, scope, and possibilities of educational work through the field of discovery of the natural and social environment at the stage of infant education. The type of activities designed include master classes to present points of view, field trips to get to know the surroundings, work in the laboratory and the seminar to deepen in the observation and direct experimentation of natural and social phenomena, and work in small group for reflection around lectures and didactic proposals.

The design of the subject contemplates field trip activities according to the following characteristics (at the beginning of the subject the concretion of the activities will be detailed):

  • Visit to a museum or science center or other institutions related to the content of the subject, at the time established by the institution (morning or afternoon).
  • and / or Interdisciplinary activity, where the discovery of the natural and social environment is worked on in an experiential and direct way, in the usual schedule of the subject.

Fieldtrip activities are mandatory, and may require travel by the student (Barcelona and / or surroundings). A visit to a museum / science center can costup to € 15.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Continuous assessment 6 0.24 1, 12
Presentations by the teaching staff and guided outings to work on the basic content and issues of the syllabus. This is carried out with the entire class group and/or individually and autonomously. 30 1.2 2, 6, 8, 13, 10, 11
Work of document analysis, case resolution, or laboratory work where there is a deepening in the content and themes worked on in the large group. 12 0.48 5, 3, 9
Type: Autonomous      
Perform recommended reading, searching for information to carry out the work entrusted, write texts, prepare presentations and oral exam 77 3.08 1, 7, 13, 12

Assessment

The assessment of the subject will be carried out throughout the teaching period, and it will be specifically structured around the submission of 3 assessment activities:

  1. Individual reflection activity (40% weight in the final grade) - It's an activity for reflection and in-depth exploration of the subjects studied and readings of the subject. This assessment activity will take place on the following dates:

o Group 61 and G2: the first session after the winter holidays, as indicated on the schedule.

  1. Individual field trip activity (15% weight in the final grade) - It's a practical activity linked to a field trip that ends up taking place, where, in an interdisciplinary way, it will be asked to connect it with the area of Discovery of the Environment.

o For both G61 and G62, it will be submitted during or after the end of the content block on Field Trips.

  1. Group activity of seminar reports (45% weight in the final grade) - It's an activity that requires the creation of laboratory reports and practical seminars for reflection and/or implementation of a didactic resource that addresses the didactics of the Environment at EI.

o For both G61 and G62, it will be submitted within a week after the end of the last didactic Seminar.

The specific dates for submitting activities 2 and 3 will be determined at the beginning of the subject, in accordance with the teaching schedule.

The continuous assessment requirements contemplated by the subject are as follows:

  • In order to pass the subject, it will be necessary to pass each of the 3 activities, with a minimum grade of 5, so that the average grade of the activities is calculated and the final grade of the subject is obtained. If this is not the case, a recovery test for the failed activity will be offered, on the recovery date established in the schedule in the first week of February (Tuesday for group 61 and Friday for group 62). The maximum grade for recovered activities is a 5. The grades for each of the assessment activities will be made public on the virtual campus or will be given to the students within a maximum period of 20 days and the students who want to review the grade will have to do so in the specific evaluation and review tutorial set by the teaching staff.
  • Attendance at class is mandatory. Students must attend a minimum of 80% of the classes, and practical classes (seminars and trips) are all mandatory. If this attendance requirement is not met, it will be considered as not present. The certificates that are presented in case of absence, only serve to explain the absence, in no case are they an exemption from attendance.
  • In order to pass this subject, it is necessary for the student to demonstrate good general communicative competence, both orally and in writing, and a good command of Catalan. In all activities (individual and group), therefore, linguistic, orthographic and grammatical correctness, as well as writing and formal presentation aspects, will be taken into account. Students must be able to express themselves fluently and correctly and must show a high degree of comprehension of academic texts. An activity can be returned 'not evaluated' or failed if the teacher considers that it does not meet these requirements.
  • In the evaluation, it is considered as a requirement to pass the subject that the students show an attitude compatible with the teaching profession. Some competencies that will be taken into account are: active listening, respect, participation, cooperation, empathy, kindness, punctuality, not judging, arguing, proper use of the mobile, etc. In group activities, one or more incorrect attitudes can lower the individual grade. Therefore, it may be that members of the same group do not have the same grade in the evaluation activity.

In accordance with UAB's academic regulations, copying or plagiarizing in any typeof evaluation activity constitutes an offense, and will be penalized with a 0 as the grade for the subject, losing the possibility of recovering it, whether it is an individual or group work (in this case, all members of the group will have a 0). If during the realization of an individual work in class, the professor considers that a student is trying to copy or is found to have any type of document or device not authorized by the professor, it will be graded with a 0, without the option of recovery, and therefore, will have failed the subject. It will be considered that a work, activity or exam is "copied" when it reproduces all or a significant part of the work of another colleague. It will be considered that a work or activity is "plagiarized" when a part of a text from an author is presented as own without citing the sources, regardless of whether the original sources are on paper or in digital format.

It is recommended to make sure that before submitting an evaluation activity, the sources, notes, textual citations and bibliographic references have been correctly written following the APA 7 regulations.

The single evaluation requirements contemplated by the subject are as follows:

You will have to present the same evaluation activities as the rest of the students, but with an adjustment in the percentage of the activities to include an interview. These will be the weights of each element:

  1. Individual reflection activity: 35%
  2. Individual seminar reports activity: 40%
  3. Individual field trip activity: 10%
  4. Evaluator interview: 15%

The evaluator interview aims to ensure that all the work presented is your own and that you master the bibliography and the content of the subject.

You must attend class a minimum of 80% of the sessions, as established. Otherwise, you will be able to present yourself to the recovery of the activity thatyou have determined, as long as you have delivered at least 66% of the evaluation activities. If you have not presented any evaluation activity, you could not present yourself to the recovery. The maximum grade that can be obtained in the recovery activity is a 5 out of 10. This grade will be weighted with the rest of the grades.

In the case of group evaluation activities, those who request the single evaluation will carry out the activity individually. The single evaluation activities must be submitted towards the end of the teaching period, specifically on the date of the evaluation of the individual reflection activity, scheduled in the calendar for the first session after the winter holidays. It is important to note that if you follow this modality you also have the right to recovery, which will take place on the same date as the continuous assessment recovery.

The single evaluation implies that you must deliver, on a single date, the necessary number of evaluator evidences to accredit and guarantee the achievement of the objectives and learning results established in the subject. The tests established for the single evaluation have the same level of demand as the continuous evaluation.

 


Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Carrying out laboratory reports and practical seminars for the reflection or implementation of a didactic resource to be applied to enviromental didactics in EI. The seminars are of obligatory attendance 45% 0 0 1, 2, 5, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12
Individual assessment of reflection on the contents worked and the proposed readings (following the teacher's directions) 40% 0 0 1, 2, 5, 3, 4, 6, 8, 7, 13, 10, 9, 11, 12
Individual task: interdisciplinary activity linked to the area of ​​Descoberta de l'Entorn. 15% 0 0 2, 5, 3, 4, 7, 10, 9, 11

Bibliography

The following bibliography considers a perspective of gender and with predominance of women authors.

Aranda, A. M. (2003). Didáctica del conocimiento del medio social y cultural a educación infantil. Sintesis.

Aranda, A. M. (2016). Didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales en Educación Infantil. Síntesis.

Arcà, M. (1995). El procés d’aprenentatge. De l’experiència concreta al pensament abstracte. ICE Universitat de Lleida.

Arcà, M. i Mazolli, P. (1990). Fer, parlar, entendre. Educació científica a nivell de pre escolar. Papers. Documents. ∑l clik científic de tres a set anys. Barcelona: Museu de la Ciència.

Bassedas, E. i Huguet, T. i Solé, I. (1997). Aprendre a ensenyar a l’educació infantil. Barcelona: Graó.

Batllori, R., del Carmen Martín, L., Falgàs, M., Romero Diaz, A., & Oller, M. (2010). Identidad, diversidad y ciudadanía. Motivo de innovación curricular en algunos (siete) centros de educación infantil y primaria. En J. Pagès i N. González-Monfort (Eds.), La construcció de les identitats i l'ensenyament de les Ciències Socials, de la Geografia i de la Història (pp. 121-128). Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Bonil, J. i Calafell,G.(2006). Los retos actuales de la Educación Científica .Praxis, Octubre 2006, p.25/1--‐25/16.

Bonil, J. i Pujol, RM. (2005). Observar i mantenir grills a l'aula per construir el model d'ésser viu Perspectiva Escolar, 293, 55-59.

Cuenca, J. M. (2008). La enseñanza y el aprendizaje de las ciencias sociales en Educación Infantil. En R. M. Ávila, A. Cruz y M. C. Díez-Bedmar (Eds.), Didácticade las Ciencias Sociales, currículo escolar y formación del profesorado, (pàg. 289-310). Asociación Universitaria del Profesorado de Didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales/Universidad de Jaén.

Departament d'Educació (2023). Currículum, DECRET 21/2023, de 7 de febrer, d’ordenació dels ensenyaments de l’educació infantil. Generalitat de Catalunya. https://projectes.xtec.cat/nou-curriculum/educacio-infantil/decret-educacio-infantil/

Feliu-Torruella, M., & Jiménez Torregrosa, L. (2015). Descobreixo, descobreixen, descobrim junts. Guix d'infantil, (82), 26-26.

Feliu, M. & Jiménez, L. (Coords.) (2015). Ciencias sociales y educación infantil.Cuando despertó el mundo estaba allí. Graó.

Gimeno, J. (coord.)  (2008). Educar por competencias, ¿Qué hay de nuevo? Ed. Morata.

González Milea, A. (2022). Ética, estética y política de la complejidad en la escuela: enseñar competencias sociales en educación infantil. RIDE Revista Iberoamericana Para La Investigación Y El Desarrollo Educativo, 13(25). https://doi.org/10.23913/ride.v13i25.1325

González Milea, A. (2022). Literacidad Crítica en la primera infancia: mito o realidad. En J. C. Bel, J. C. Colomer & N. De Alba (Eds.), Repensar el currículum de ciencias sociales: prácticas educativas para una ciudadanía crítica (pp. 569-576). Tirant Lo Blanc.

Gudín, E. (2015). Didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales en Educación Infantil. Unir Editorial.

Hannoun, H. (1977). El niño conquista el medio. Kapelusz.

Hart, R. A. (2001). La participaciónde los niños en el desarrollo sostenible. Barcelona: PAU Education-UNICEF.

Hernández, L., & Pagès, L. (2014, septiembre). La enseñanza y el aprendizaje del tiempo histórico en la educación infantil. Ponencia presentada en el Quinto Encuentro Nacional de Docencia, Difusión en Investigación en Enseñanza de la Historia, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. Red de Especialistas en Docencia, Difusión e Investigación en Enseñanza de la Historia (REDDIEH).

Hinojosa, O., & Wilson-Daily, A. E. (2015). Método muñecos persona: una estrategia innovadora para trabajar la empatía y la invisibilidad de personas en el aula de infantil. En A. M. Hernández Carretero, C. R. García Ruíz, & J. L. de la Montaña Conchiña (Eds.), Una enseñanza de las ciencias sociales para el futuro: Recursos para trabajar la invisibilidad de personas, lugares y temáticas (pp. 215-217). AUPDCS.

López-Torres, E., Carril-Merino, M. T., & Alonso-Neila, E. (2022). ApS con fuentes orales para hacer frente a la España vaciada en Educación Infantil. Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales y Sociales, (43), 53-70.

Luque Revuelto, R. M., Martínez Medina, R., Priego-de-Montiano, G. & García-Morís, R. (2019). Espacio geográfico y tiempo histórico en la literatura infantil y los relatos viajeros. Revista de Innovación y Buenas Prácticas Docentes, 8(3),  55-63.

Martí, J (2006). Les idees científiques dels infants i l'ensenyament de les ciències a l'escola primària. Reflexions Educatives. 19-26

Mendioroz-Lacambra, A. (2013). Empleo de la Historia del Arte para la adquisición de nocionesestructurantes del área de Conocimiento del Entorno en Educación Infantil: espacio y tiempo. Arte, Individuo Y Sociedad, 25(3), 393-405. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_ARIS.2013.v25.n3.39314

Muzzi, S., González, N. & Girbau, L. (2019). La formación del profesorado de Educación Infantil en Didáctica de las Ciencias sociales. Prácticas innovadoras para la transformación de la sociedad. Comunicación en el XXX Simposio Internacional de Didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales, Lisboa, 9-11 d'abril 2019.

Pedreira, M. i Feu, T. (2006). Pensar, fer i parlar per aprendre ciències a l’educació infantil. Curs d’actualització de l’ensenyament-aprenentatge de les ciències al’educació infantil i primària. Barcelona: Departament d’Educació. Generalitat de Catalunya. http://www.xtec.es/formacio

Puerta Sánchez, S. & González Barea, E. M. (2015). Reproducción de los estereotipos de género en Educación Infantil a través de los juegos y juguetes, Revista de Investigación en la Escuela, 85, 63-74.

Puig Gutiérrez, M. & Guerrero Onieva, C. (2013). Las Ciencias Sociales en la Educación Infantil. En III Jornadas de Innovación Docente. Innovación Educativa: respuesta en tiempos de incertidumbre Sevilla, España: Universidad de Sevilla. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación.

Pujol, R. M. (1999). Ambientalització i escola. Perspectiva Escolar, 235, 2-7.

Pujol, R. M. (2001). Les ciències més que mai poden ser una eina per formar ciutadans i ciutadanes. Perspectiva escolar, 257, 2-8.

Rivero Gracia, M. P. (Coord.). (2015). Didáctica de las ciencias sociales para educación infantil. Mira.

Sanmartí, N. (2006). Aprendre Ciències. Connectar l’experiència,el pensament i la parla a través de models. Curs d’actualització de l’ensenyament-aprenentatge de les ciències a l’educació infantil i primària. Barcelona: Departament d’Educació. Generalitat de Catalunya. http://www.xtec.es/formacio

Speroni, M. del C., Vitto, V. del, & Lista, S. (Ed.). (2014). Didáctica de las ciencias sociales en el nivel inicial. Bonum.

Tonucci, F. (1993). Hacia una propuesta de educación ambiental coherente. Aula, 12, 82-83.

Tonucci, F. (1997). La ciutat dels infants. Barcanova.

Tur, G. (2007). Reflexió entorn a les competències del mestre. Proposta de decàleg. Materials de la UOC. 

Varela, B., & Ferrero, L. (2007). Las ciencias sociales en el nivel inicial. Andamios para futuros/as ciudadanos/as. Ediciones Colihue.

Wood, L. i Holden, C. (2007). Ensenyar història als més petits. Zenobita Edicions.

 

Webs of general interest

Association Internationale Pikler (LÓCZY) http://www.aipl.org/

Centre de Documentació i Experimentació en Ciències i Tecnologia (Dept. d’Eensenyament): www.xtec.es/cdec

Comunitat catalana de Webquest: http://www.webquestcat.org/

El safareig: educació infantil i natura (AAMM RosaSensat): www.elsafaeig.org/

Senderi-Educacióen Valors: http://www.senderi.org

Tallers d'expressió i educació creadora: Diraya. http://www.dirayaexpresion.es/

Xtec-Xarxa Telemàtica Educativa de Catalunya:  http://www.xtec.es

Zona Clic: http://clic.xtec.net/ca/

 

Child Education Magazine

Aula d’infantil. Revista de l’editorial Graó.

Guix d’Infantil. Revista de l’editorial Graó.

Infància. Revista de l’Associació de Mestres Rosa Sensat

Infància-Europa. Revista de l’Associació deMestres Rosa Sensat

Viure en família. Revista (per a paresimares) de l’editorial Graó


Software

No specific software is required.