Conceptions about Memory: research with early childhood education children

Abstract

These are the results of the exploratory and interventional research about "mediated memories" (according to the cultural-historical theory) with the objective of analyzing (i) the children's conceptions of memory; and (ii) possible effects of the use of mediation tools in the educational context. It was carried out with 34 children – two groups of Early Childhood Education students aged 4-5 years old – in two steps. It started with Group III-A, with remote activities, when semiotic instruments were made available weekly for memory mediation. After that step, individual interviews were carried out with 14 children of Group III-A and Group III-B, with 10 conceptual/generic questions related to problem-solving situations experienced by fictional characters. After transcribed, the answers were categorized and analyzed and it was possible to identify (i) the children's struggles to deal with more generic/conceptual questions and a more elaborated way to deal with problems; (ii) only the children who participated on the first step suggested the use of mediating instruments (calendar and list); (iii) signs of the effects of the research on how children think about memory. We hope this study may be an inspiration for other research, especially those carried out in a period of normal school life, so that more knowledge is produced.