The basic models in the experimental work of student-teachers of primary school

This work, issued from an ongoing collaboration between the researchers in Physics education of the Universities of Udine and Modena-Reggio Emilia, focuses on an educational and training process which allows to bridge experimental work and formal thinking, thus providing professionalizing bases to teachers to-be. This process was performed within the course in “Design of Educational Experiments” which is a part of the degree course in Primary Education, placing the student-teachers in a critical position by proposing project activities which implied reflection not only on the operational elements of the organization of simple experimental activities for children, but also - and mainly - on the role of such activities in science education. The students were asked to illustrate the models underlying specific sets of experimental activities and to discuss their reflections upon these models. For the design and reflection phases the students could benefit from the opportunity to design activities using specific materials, as well as sufficient time for discussion through a web-based environment supplying web-forums and a cooperative writing tool.