While working on my project on ecological concepts in picture books, I’ve come across some fascinating research about using picture books to teach science.
Here are a couple points that are particularly interesting:
- Talking animals can confuse children’s understanding of why/how animals do things. (Ganea et al 2014)
- Children don’t differentiate between fact and fiction unless guided to do so. Books presented by adults are viewed as equally authoritative, and fantasy books can lead to children developing faulty explanations for themselves. (Owens 2003; behind a paywall – contact author for reprint)
Entitled Drawn to Science: Exploring the Historical and Contemporary Synergies between Drawing, Creativity, and Science, my talk roved through history, technologies that have influenced art and science, and looked at research and examples of how art and science
