Table Of ContentSociocultural Explorations of Science Education 25
Karen Janette Murcia
Coral Campbell
Mathilda Marie Joubert
Sinead Wilson Editors
Children’s
Creative
Inquiry in
STEM
Sociocultural Explorations of Science Education
Volume 25
Series Editors
Catherine Milne, Steinhardt School of Education, New York University,
New York, NY, USA
Christina Siry, University of Luxembourg, Ossining, NY, USA
The series is unique in focusing on the publication of scholarly works that employ
social and cultural perspectives as foundations for research and other scholarly
activities in the three fields implied in its title: science education, education, and
social studies of science.
The aim of the series is to promote transdisciplinary approaches to scholarship in
science education that address important topics in the science education including
the teaching and learning of science, social studies of science, public understanding
of science, science/technology and human values, science and literacy, ecojustice
and science, indigenous studies and science and the role of materiality in science
and science education. Cultural Studies of Science Education, the book series
explicitly aims at establishing such bridges and at building new communities at the
interface of currently distinct discourses. In this way, the current almost exclusive
focus on science education on school learning would be expanded becoming instead
a focus on science education as a cultural, cross-age, cross-class, and cross-
disciplinary phenomenon.
The book series is conceived as a parallel to the journal Cultural Studies of
Science Education, opening up avenues for publishing works that do not fit into the
limited amount of space and topics that can be covered within the same text. Book
proposals for this series may be submitted to the Publishing Editor: Claudia Acuna
E-mail: [email protected]
More information about this series at https://link.springer.com/bookseries/16729
Karen Janette Murcia • Coral Campbell
Mathilda Marie Joubert • Sinead Wilson
Editors
Children’s Creative Inquiry
in STEM
Editors
Karen Janette Murcia Coral Campbell
Australian Research Council Centre of Deakin University
Excellence for the Digital Child Geelong, VIC, Australia
Curtin University
Perth, WA, Australia Sinead Wilson
Australian Research Council Centre of
Mathilda Marie Joubert Excellence for the Digital Child
Sheridan Institute of Higher Education Curtin University
Perth, WA, Australia Perth, WA, Australia
ISSN 2731-0248 ISSN 2731-0256 (electronic)
Sociocultural Explorations of Science Education
ISBN 978-3-030-94723-1 ISBN 978-3-030-94724-8 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94724-8
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland
AG 2022
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Preface
Throughout this book, we present rich descriptions of applied research drawn from
diverse learning contexts from across the world. As editors bringing the book
together, we took the position that creativity is relevant in all aspects of life and is
essential for adaptable and innovative thinking. We believe the importance of cre-
ativity in children’s learning and development should be recognised, valued and
nurtured. A common theme shared by all chapter authors was their unique way of
seeing the creativity in children’s play and inquiry learning in STEM. Each of these
authors reflect on their research and share their observations of children exploring
everyday problems, seeking solutions and playfully imagining possibilities.
Children were observed applying concepts from multiple STEM fields as they were
thinking creatively, generating ideas, solving problems, finding alternative solutions
or constructing a new and different insight. The pedagogical principles, applied
practices and elements of quality learning environments provoking and supporting
children’s creativity and STEM inquiry, surfaced in the chapters through the analy-
sis and reporting of empirical research.
We have positioned and developed our book through a socio-cultural construc-
tivist lens which framed the meta-analysis and enabled a responsiveness to the
broader international settings shared in each chapter. Authors used a range of cultur-
ally influenced definitions, habits and frameworks of creativity for shaping their
research designs and interpretations of children’s creative thinking and STEM
inquiry. Through a socio-cultural constructivist philosophical lens, authors collec-
tively critiqued literature and considered the questions “what is creativity?” and
“how is creativity expressed and developed by young children?” The importance of
creative learning and teaching was recognised as important for engaging children
with quality learning opportunities. Yet this book goes further, promoting critical
reflection and questioning about creative practices. In critiquing the research and
editing the book, we questioned “who was doing the original thinking?” and “was
the creative vision and voice of the child heard and given agency?”
The thought leaders contributing to this book highlight both challenges and
opportunities for developing children’s creativity. The book addresses these chal-
lenges by placing children’s creative inquiry centre stage within STEM learning
v
vi Preface
contexts. Together, the chapters provide a set of rich and diverse exemplars that
capture the essence, characteristics and nuances of children’s creativity across mul-
tifarious international learning settings. This book redresses the traditional imbal-
ance of undervaluing children’s creativity in STEM learning by recognising that
teachers’ values, design of STEM learning environments and pedagogical practices
impact on children’s opportunities for creative thinking and doing. It is evident that
children’s agency impacts on their ability to think creatively, and is in contrast with
controlled learning experiences where children followed, replicated or were pro-
ducing creative outcomes according to instructions. The authors contributing to the
book highlight research into pedagogical practices in which creativity is positioned
as a social, interactional and meaningful process.
In conclusion, this book reinforces that the STEM disciplines are highly creative
in nature and that children’s engagement is enhanced by embedding creative teach-
ing into learning environments. The field of creativity has been advanced by filter-
ing the contributions of STEM researchers through a range of creative practice
frameworks and lenses. Ultimately, this work is a celebration of children’s creativity
and educator ingenuity to nurture children’s creativity in widely diverse settings. In
this fast-changing world, learning to think and act creatively, learning to generate
novel solutions that have value to society, and learning to solve problems that
haven’t yet been invented have become a basic human right that all children deserve.
This book celebrates educators who are ready to deliver quality practices that meet
this challenge.
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence Karen Murcia
for the Digital Child, Curtin University
Perth, WA, Australia
Deakin University Coral Campbell
Geelong, VIC, Australia
Sheridan Institute of Higher Education Mathilda Joubert
Perth, WA, Australia
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence Sinead Wilson
for the Digital Child, Curtin University
Perth, WA, Australia
June 2021
Acknowledgements
This book arose out of the European Science Education Research Association
(ESERA) Conference (2019) where the Special Interest Group (SIG) in Early
Childhood Science discussed the possibility of harnessing research on creativity in
STEM. Many of the authors whose chapters form part of this book presented at this
conference, and the invitation to contribute was sent to all ESERA SIG members.
We acknowledge the role that this important SIG has played in the creation of the
book – firstly by supporting the initial idea but also for offering SIG members an
opportunity to contribute.
This book includes chapters from others as well, as those ESERA contributors
reached out to colleagues and research collaborators to recount their explorations of
children’s creative STEM experiences. The conference, research networks and aca-
demic partnerships brought together 38 collaborating authors from across the world.
The authors include high-achieving academic researchers who have worked with
their PhD students, teachers and other researchers. This dynamic mix of perspec-
tives from universities, educational institutes and industries provides a wealth of
research expertise and diverse experience that underpins each chapter.
The editorial team commends the chapter authors who have been working and
finalising their chapters throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We especially appre-
ciate the resilience and persistence of our chapter authors, who despite experiencing
lockdown restrictions, working from home (often combined with childcare and
home-schooling) as well as looking after vulnerable loved ones have continued to
edit and format their chapters and meet deadlines. We acknowledge and thank all
authors.
A book of this nature requires commitment and many hours of dedication from
the editors, who have collaborated across institutions and the states of Western
Australia and Victoria. The editors gratefully acknowledge the vital assistance of
our editors’ assistant and copy-editor, Linda Jaunzems. Her attention to detail,
organisational skills and deep experience of the editing process was instrumental to
bringing this book to completion. We are also indebted to Springer for its editorial
support and valuable advice and insight throughout the publishing process.
vii
viii Acknowledgements
Finally, we would like to acknowledge and thank the anonymous peer referees
who provided our chapter authors with valuable feedback. Their thoughtful com-
ments and suggestions were much appreciated and contributed to ensuring a high-
quality publication, underpinned by academic rigour.
This book exists in the current form due to the dedicated efforts of the contribut-
ing authors. We are grateful to you all.
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence Karen Murcia
for the Digital Child, Curtin University
Perth, WA, Australia
Deakin University Coral Campbell
Geelong, VIC, Australia
Sheridan Institute of Higher Education Mathilda Joubert
Perth, WA, Australia
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence Sinead Wilson
for the Digital Child, Curtin University
Perth, WA, Australia
Endorsements
Professor Susan Danby
Centre Director
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child
QUT, Brisbane, Australia
Play, creativity, digital experiences, science, engineering and the outdoors – what do
these all have in common? At the heart of early childhood education is the core
understanding that children learn in a myriad of ways that cannot be arbitrarily
separated. This outstanding collection of investigations advances innovative peda-
gogy and curriculum for young children’s inquiry and learning in STEM. A highly
readable book that is a must read for scholars, educators, and policy makers.
Professor Susan Edwards
Director Early Childhood Futures
Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
A robust collection of enjoyable and rigorous research conducted by academics in
genuine collaboration with children and educators. Provides rich new insights into
the process of creativity and how this interfaces with STEM learning. An important
book for researchers, graduate students and teachers alike.
Russell Tytler
Alfred Deakin Professor and Chair in Science Education
Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
This book represents a significant contribution to understanding children’s creativ-
ity; how we frame it and how we can develop it. Full of fascinating case studies
across diverse STEM settings globally, it will be a valuable resource for researchers,
teachers, policy makers and parents.
ix
