Teaching Natural Sciences to Kindergarten Students Using Tablets

The chapter presents the results of a project in which tablets were used for teaching natural sciences to kindergarten students. The classification of animals depending on certain characteristics was the subject matter. Forty-five students participated, divided into three groups. The first used printed material, the second used computers and webpages, and the third used tablets and AR applications. Bybee's 5Es provided the teaching framework for all groups. Data were collected using evaluation sheets and structured interviews. The students in the tablets' group performed better in all the evaluation sheets compared to the ones who were taught using printed material, but there were no statistically significant differences compared to the computers' group. A positive impact on motivation and enjoyment was noted in the tablets' group. Thus, it can be concluded that tablets are an interesting alternative teaching tool for very young students. Implications for research and practice are also discussed.