Abstract

GARCIA GAITAN, Claudia Carolina; RAMIREZ DIAZ, Mario Humberto  and  ARRIAGA SANTOS, Carlos Adrián. How Does Light Travel? The Experimental Activity to Develop Scientific Competencies in Childhood. RIDE. Rev. Iberoam. Investig. Desarro. Educ [online]. 2022, vol.13, n.25, e011.  Epub Dec 13, 2022. ISSN 2007-7467.  https://doi.org/10.23913/ride.v13i25.1252.

At the elementary level in Mexico, students are expected to understand physical phenomena, including light and its interactions. This represents a challenge because, during initial teacher education, content related to physics is not included in the curriculum map. The implications are observed in the learning of students at this level, because it is complex for them to explain natural phenomena and processes from a scientific perspective. The objective of this research was to analyze the level of achievement of the competency: understanding of natural phenomena and processes from a scientific perspective, through the application of an experimental activity related to the trajectory of light. It was a case study, using a qualitative approach. The participants were 59 students between 8 to 10 years of age in elementary school. The results recognize the need for experimental activity to promote the development of scientific competencies in children. The importance of favoring the reflection of observation for the construction of explanations of what happens in the environment and the construction of meanings for scientific knowledge.

Keywords : experimental activity; scientific competence; science education; light phenomena.