“The formal part of ECE is termed the Foundation Phase and represents the initial stage of schooling. This is where the ‘foundation for further learning is laid’. This is the phase when the learners’ love for science should start and be nurtured so that they may become critical thinkers and develop a curiosity about the world.”

– Stears, James & Beni

Stears, James and Beni give examples of inquiry based learning in early childhood education. Their work is based out of South Africa, where Early Childhood Education spans from birth until the age of nine. While the education system is different from ours on paper, it stands to reason that laying the foundation of inquiry based learning in early childhood education will allow for a more successful educational career in IBL schooling. And the topics in which the students learn in what they call “early childhood education” is similar to what our students learn in elementary school.

What they propose is that students learn a “Beginning Knowledge” that includes natural science and technology, which will better prepare students for their education and will hopefully garner more interest in the sciences. While Stears, James and Beni seem to believe that the educators in these situations should have a science background, I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary.

Stears, M., James, A., and Beni, B. (No Date). Inquiry-based teaching in early childhood education – a paradigm shift?. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/22252534/Inquiry-based_teaching_and_learning_in_early_childhood_teacher_education-_a_paradigm_shift