between common sense and scientific knowledge, which is one of the main objectives indicated by the research literature on scientific learning processes. It is
important to develop in this context for children the habit to look in terms multiperspective knowledge, but there is the need to develop this competence for teachers
by means of examples and good praxis. In this setting, we designed and tested a
research-based experiment with this goal, starting with a reflection on the concept of
time in the philosophical, scientific, technological, literary and artistic perspective.
The theoretical framework of the teacher planning is the Model of Educational
Reconstruction (MER) (Duit 2009) and the dynamical research referent is the
designed based research with the approach of inquiry-based learning. Strategies,
instruments and methods used are IBL, with personal involvement of children with
active role hands-on and minds-on in a sequence of activities in which they have held
exploratory, interpretive and creative role. The design looks a vertical curriculum,
with attention to the interdisciplinary nature of the contexts and the transverse
dimension of the conceptual elements. The active role of the children and the
exploratory nature of the activities pointed to the construction of formal thinking
in terms of models and interpretative ideas, as well as representations and simultaneous use of different languages: graphics and iconographic language. Data on
learning processes are analysed in the perspective of argumentation and the reasoning in the interpretative phases by means of monitoring materials.
This work presents the educational project on the theme of time, designed and
experimented in primary school, which develops transversal perspective on the
subject more and which is proposed as reproducible and innovative for learning.
23.6 An Educational Project on the Theme of Time:
Understand and Measure Time
The theme of time was introduced to five classes of the primary school (from the first
class to the fifth class of primary school) in a vertical curriculum.
The learning path on time involved educational approach to time in different
contexts including philosophy, poetry, art and history and looking at different
aspects: irreversible phenomena, cyclic phenomena, sequence of actions in everyday life, words related to time. Built, explored and experimented various instruments for time measurement: gnomons, hourglasses, oscillating fluids, pendulum
(Fig. 23.2).
For the path, research tools have been designed: grid for the collection of
spontaneous ideas; photographic journey to recall prior knowledge; programme of
the discussion on the synthesis of time ideas with work sheets and small narratives
(history of time, measurement, sundial, consumption watches, water clocks, watches
sand); analysis of artefacts (height ring, solar ring, notturlabio, diptych, Galileo’s
clock, clock counter with gears); construction and calibration of instruments;
23 Time as Topic Transversal Perspective in Teacher Professional Development Carry. . . 287
important to develop in this context for children the habit to look in terms multiperspective knowledge, but there is the need to develop this competence for teachers
by means of examples and good praxis. In this setting, we designed and tested a
research-based experiment with this goal, starting with a reflection on the concept of
time in the philosophical, scientific, technological, literary and artistic perspective.
The theoretical framework of the teacher planning is the Model of Educational
Reconstruction (MER) (Duit 2009) and the dynamical research referent is the
designed based research with the approach of inquiry-based learning. Strategies,
instruments and methods used are IBL, with personal involvement of children with
active role hands-on and minds-on in a sequence of activities in which they have held
exploratory, interpretive and creative role. The design looks a vertical curriculum,
with attention to the interdisciplinary nature of the contexts and the transverse
dimension of the conceptual elements. The active role of the children and the
exploratory nature of the activities pointed to the construction of formal thinking
in terms of models and interpretative ideas, as well as representations and simultaneous use of different languages: graphics and iconographic language. Data on
learning processes are analysed in the perspective of argumentation and the reasoning in the interpretative phases by means of monitoring materials.
This work presents the educational project on the theme of time, designed and
experimented in primary school, which develops transversal perspective on the
subject more and which is proposed as reproducible and innovative for learning.
23.6 An Educational Project on the Theme of Time:
Understand and Measure Time
The theme of time was introduced to five classes of the primary school (from the first
class to the fifth class of primary school) in a vertical curriculum.
The learning path on time involved educational approach to time in different
contexts including philosophy, poetry, art and history and looking at different
aspects: irreversible phenomena, cyclic phenomena, sequence of actions in everyday life, words related to time. Built, explored and experimented various instruments for time measurement: gnomons, hourglasses, oscillating fluids, pendulum
(Fig. 23.2).
For the path, research tools have been designed: grid for the collection of
spontaneous ideas; photographic journey to recall prior knowledge; programme of
the discussion on the synthesis of time ideas with work sheets and small narratives
(history of time, measurement, sundial, consumption watches, water clocks, watches
sand); analysis of artefacts (height ring, solar ring, notturlabio, diptych, Galileo’s
clock, clock counter with gears); construction and calibration of instruments;
23 Time as Topic Transversal Perspective in Teacher Professional Development Carry. . . 287