THE IMPACT OF LEARNING STATIONS STRATEGY ON DEVELOPING SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF LIFE AND ENVIRONMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SCIENCE EDUCATION
THE IMPACT OF LEARNING STATIONS STRATEGY ON DEVELOPING SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF LIFE AND ENVIRONMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SCIENCE EDUCATION

Summary/Abstract: Science education is fundamental to shaping how children perceive the world and cultivate their initial scientific reasoning. This study examined the impact of the "Learning Stations Strategy" on developing scientific concepts of life and the environment among young learners. Utilizing a quasi-experimental approach, the study involved 64 kindergarteners from Hofuf, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, divided into experimental and control groups. After consulting with experts to define age-appropriate scientific concepts, an educational unit was crafted around the Learning Stations Strategy. These stations engaged children through hands-on tasks, experiments, observational activities, and guided reflections. To measure progress, a specialized "Scientific Concepts Test of Life and Environment" was administered before and after the intervention. The findings demonstrated statistically significant gains favoring the experimental group, highlighting the strategy's success. Specifically, children participating in the learning stations showed a deeper grasp of life concepts-such as distinguishing between living and non-living things, identifying basic survival needs, and understanding growth, biological functions, and diversity. Furthermore, there was improvement in environmental awareness, including the recognition of natural components, resource utility, ecosystems, environmental stewardship, and the basics of pollution. These findings suggest that moving away from teacher-centered teaching toward more interactive, station-based learning can enhance children’s curiosity and understanding.

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