The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of early childhood science education programs, which were geared toward improving the scientific literacy of young children
To meet the above purpose, two study purposes have been set up as follows:
1. How large is the effect size of the early childhood science programs which affect young children’s scientific literacy?
2. Is the effect size of the early childhood science programs which affect young children’s scientific literacy different depending on program’s instructional approaches and according to moderator variables such as children’s age, type of group in experiment, the period of experimental treatment, the number of experimental treatment and year of publication?
To find the answers to these inquiries, three meta-analytical techniques were conducted; 1)multiple outcome analysis; 2) subgroup analysis; 3) cumulative analysis.
The relevant domestic studies that were conducted between 2000 and 2014 were analyzed and the subjects of meta-analysis for this study were 114 sample of effect size from 73 papers. The overall effect size of the early childhood science education programs geared toward improving scientific literacy was 1.36, which indicated that they produced huge effects.
The result showed as follows:
First, the early childhood science education programs carried out aiming at enhancing scientific literacy had effect size in improving young children’s scientific literacy.
Second, the majority of the studies were instruction based young children’s science education programs. And instruction based programs and eco-education based programs had the large effect size of influence over scientific literacy comparing with integrated based program with other subjects.
Third, to investigate the cause of the difference in effect size of the influence of the early childhood science education programs on young children’s scientific literacy, the regulation effect about children’s age, type of group in experiment, the period of experiment treatment and the number of experimental treatment were explored. As a result, there was no significant difference, but children’s age and the type of group in experimental treatment proved to be the moderator variables which explain the difference of effect size of the influence of the early childhood science programs on young children’s scientific literacy.
To sum up, it can be seen that various science education programs for young children whose goal is to enhance scientific literacy have a positive effect in improving young children’s scientific literacy.