![]() Observation plays a key role throughout the entire scientific investigation process, not only in the phase of data collection. Progression from everyday to expert scientific skills of observation should be a more central focus of science teaching by providing extended time for careful observations, teachers’ encouragements, shared noticing and conversations between teachers and children, peer interaction, sketching and drawing, sculpture, diary-writing, and asking questions (see for example Eberbach & Crowley, 2017). Just as children’s intuitive (spontaneous) concepts are gradually refined and replaced by scientific concepts (for instance, not all organisms that fly and have beaks are birds), intuitive observations are replaced with more selective, sophisticated, and theory-driven observations that lead to the development of scientific explanations of natural phenomena (Tomkins & Tunnicliffe, 2007). ![]() Initially, children start observing using multiple senses simultaneously – sight, sound, smell, touch, taste – and gradually, step by step, they develop simple explanations of observations and complex interpretations of the world around them. Observation is an important initial skill in the early years that helps children find and organise patterns in the observed natural world. Observations sometimes can be very specific, developed within a disciplinary framework, such as in ornithology: learning how to recognize bird songs, silhouettes and flying patterns. Observation skills are more than ‘just looking’ at things or ‘just seeing’ things. However, are their observations trivial and effortless, or do we, as teachers or parents, need to encourage and facilitate their observational skills? Children’s observations and investigations of the local environment enable them to identify and answer questions that trigger further curiosity. Young children’s fascination with the world around them is something education must capitalise on to develop their ‘invisible glasses’ (that is, their worldview) and foster scientific process skills. Children are seekers of explanations to make sense of their experiences with nature. This beautiful quote from the Slovenian writer Feri Lainšček captures the essence of why educators should devote time to developing children’s observational skills starting in early childhood. She just knows because there is something about that frog that she has picked up subconsciously because she is a very good observer that she can actually work that out.‘In that earliest childhood, we get those invisible glasses through which we look at the world all our lives, and these glasses color our views.’ A very good example, I think, is that my student who has been working on the sex identification has become such a good observer that she can look at a frog and think, “That’s a female.” And we haven’t been able to scientifically quantify how she knows that. ![]() It does become critical, particularly when you’re working with frogs. What can I see? What can I hear? What can I feel? The things we do like taking measurements and handling animals – it’s a chance to just step back a wee bit and say, well, let the animal speak to me. So it’s a chance to reflect, to pause, if you like. So I would say that most research scientists are usually very observant people. I think observation is… A key element that drives you into wanting to do research is that you make an observation and you think that’s a bit strange, I didn’t notice that last time. Observation is a critical part of being a scientist, and observation is not just about what you can see with your eyes, but for me, it’s using all your senses and letting the animal speak to you.
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