Teaching and learning of everyday astronomical phenomena in Spanish Primary Education

Abstract

This article shows the results of a study carried out with Spanish Primary Education children (7-8 years old) in relation to the Sun-Earth-Moon system. Conceptual change about everyday phenomena (day-night cycle, moon phases and seasons’ succession) is investigated in three groups (K2) under different learning conditions. A longitudinal study is performed for over two quarter of the academic year, including one pretest and two posttests. According to our results, the sample seems to have considerable cognitive obstacles for understanding these physical concepts, being apparently learning strategies based on role-playing the best option to overcame these cognitive problems in a short-and long- term.