ABSTRACT
Creative exploration is an approach to science teaching and learning that mirrors many aspects of the ways in which scientists work. It requires both the teacher and children to make the science and scientific processes involved explicit. It is about ‘children’s science’: children personalising their science activity leading to their development of creative explanations of natural phenomena. It requires children to be involved in exploration, enquiry, explanation and making connections and is often ignited by aesthetic experiences that promote affective and sometimes emotional responses. It is associated with dispositions such as fascination, anticipation, engagement, awe, wonder, interest and curiosity and can lead to the use of scientific enquiry to develop explanations of natural phenomena. This chapter will first introduce and justify this approach, and then provide examples of the approach in action. Creative exploration is a sequential or cyclic model of exploring for understanding in children’s science. It is based on the assumption that children naturally seek explanations for experiences that have some effect on their feelings, attitudes and the manner in which they think about or view natural phenomena. Children will often construct creative explanations when seeking to understand and explain the phenomena involved in their aesthetic experiences. The outcome of such creative explanations is a greater depth of understanding, especially if the learner involved has communicated and justified their ideas with others. In a teaching and learning situation children participating in rich
* Ian Milne has recently retired as Senior Lecturer in Primary Science and Mathematics in the Faculty of Education, University of Auckland. He has taught in a range of Auckland primary and intermediate schools and continues to work on a number of NZ Ministry of Education professional development contracts. He is Past President of the NZ Association of Science Educators (NZASE), National Director of NZASE Primary Science Conferences, and a member of the editorial board for the ASE journal Primary Science.
