UAEU researchers launch ‘SciKids’ with Oxford University to improve Emirati childrens’ understanding of the Nature of Science
Everything relates, in some way to science. We have all seen that with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our lives. The ability to understand real life situations with a ‘scientific eye’ will help us gauge what is important, factual, reliable and accurate when assessing scientific issues. Dr. Rachel Takriti is leading a team of researchers from the College of Education at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) in a two-year joint project in collaboration with Oxford University. The research project known as ‘SciKids’, is funded by UAEU and aims to train early-stage school teachers to teach science in a new and innovative way.
In contrast to traditional methods used in early years science education, the new approach teaches how science works in the real world. Known as ‘Nature of Science’, the technique enables students to develop true scientific literacy which helps them to make good quality, well informed decisions in their everyday lives. Nature of Science has been a focus for some time in secondary education, but has not been investigated in depth for use with young children. Nature of Science is about the ‘substance’ of science – the philosophical, historical, socio-cultural, economic and political perspectives which are incorporated into the development and assessment of scientific knowledge, as well as its values, procedures, approaches and implications.
The value of Nature of Science is that it helps students use their ‘understanding of science’ rather than their ‘knowledge of science’ to think creatively and critically. An introduction to science as a multi-dimensional mode of thinking is something that will inspire scientific interest and creativity in young people, and with a deep and long-lasting understanding of science, encourage them into creative projects in the sciences as they grow older. The first step in the Nature of Science vision is for teachers themselves have a clear understanding of critical scientific thinking, which, it has been shown around the world is often not the case.
UAEUThe SciKids project aims to assess the Nature of Science teaching in early years education in the UAE, and then design, implement, and provide targeted training for teachers. The aim is to increase teachers’ understanding of strategies they can use to bring Nature of Science straight into the classrooms of young children. A learning network will be established for the teachers to develop their skills and provide them with online resources to use in their science teaching development. The SciKids project will provide participating teachers with training built on innovative, evidence-based practice in Science Education. Upon completion of the project, the outcomes will be shared for use as exemplars across all UAE schools as part of their professional learning communities.
Dr. Rachel Takriti is the Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Department in the College of Education, UAEU and Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education. Dr Rachel’s research interests are: science education in early years; starting school experiences and educational transitions; differences in how transitions are experienced by different groups; cross-cultural education in the early years; and the understanding of social groups, prejudice and discrimination in childhood. For an example of her other work, see
Rachel Allison Takriti (2020) Children starting school in the UAE: a comparison of teacher and parent expectations,Education 3-13, 48:6, 642-650, DOI: 10.1080/03004279.2019.1638956
https://www.uaeu.ac.ae/en/