The 2024-25 GYA Sasha Kagansky Interdisciplinary Grant was awarded to Alexia Nunez-Parra (Universidad de Chile), Nadia De León Sautú, (Institute of Scientific Research and High Technology Services, Panama), Alma Cristal Hernández Mondragón (National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico) and Lorena Michelle Coronado Vásquez (Institute of Scientific Research and High Technology Services, Panama), for their project: Scientific Thinking in Pre-Schoolers: A Regional Challenge.
This project aims to generate and validate the first test in Spanish to measure scientific thinking competences in preschoolers from the Latin American region.
Science permeates almost every aspect of our life and is required to confront and solve pressing challenges. The central role of science in improving people’s life in fundamental ways, including promoting sustained economic growth and technological innovation, is widely recognized. As the worldwide economy moves towards technology-based industries, the demand for professionals proficient in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is exponentially increasing. Science education is then fundamental to increase the number of STEM professionals, but also for every citizen to have basic competences in scientific thinking. Scientific thinking is the capacity to sustain and develop the curiosity and sense of wonder about the world, to use reason based on evidence and to think flexibly, and continue learning.
Early Childhood offers a window of opportunity to enhance the competences (attitudes, abilities and knowledge) related to scientific thinking, as developmental milestones have long-lasting effects on brain structure. Therefore, early education becomes the most significant period to develop adequate capacities such as scientific thinking and to improve the disposition of choosing scientific careers in the future. In contrast to leading developing countries, in Latin America, little attention has been given to the development of scientific competences development in the educational system, and less to early childhood scientific education.
The project proposes to pilot a study to quantitatively measure scientific thinking in pre-elementary children in Chile, Mexico and Panama.
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Final Report January 2026
“The interdisciplinary nature of the team (spanning neuroscience, psychology, education, child development, and science–policy studies) deeply shaped both the process and outcomes of this project. Rather than functioning as parallel contributions, these disciplinary perspectives interacted continuously and often revealed complexities that none of us would have anticipated alone.” – 2024/25 Grant Project Team
The project explored how scientific thinking begins to emerge in preschool-aged children in three Latin American countries: Chile, Mexico and Panama. The team adapted and piloted a Scientific Thinking Inventory tailored to young children, together with a simple behavioural curiosity game. Around 60 children in each country participated, in collaboration with local schools and educators.
The inventory assess three core dimensions of early scientific thinking: experimentation, data interpretation and basic scientific understanding, using short, illustrated tasks. The curiosity game provided a complementary window into children’s exploratory behaviour and decision-making. In this game children explored five water tanks, collected fish, and decided whether to exchange them for the contents of a secret chest.
Preliminary analyses suggest that many children are able to meaningfully engage with tasks that require basic forms of experimentation and causal reasoning, although performance varies across dimensions and items. At the same time, the pilot revealed important methodological lessons: some items were less reliable or were interpreted differently than expected, especially in the data-interpretation component. These insights are now guiding a careful revision of wording, images and response formats.
The project faced typical cross-country challenges, including differing school logistics and, in some cases, complex authorization processes with educational authorities. Yet it also generated strong interest among teachers and families, with some parents expressing a desire for follow-up. Building on this interdisciplinary collaboration, the team now aims to refine the instrument, explore digital formats and seek additional funding and partners for future and possibly longitudinal studies.
Policy outcome: The project captured the attention of the Ministry of Education in Panama, and the project team is working to support further science education initiatives in this context.
Follow-up actions: The team aims to transform this pilot into a long-term regional initiative and is seeking partnerships to secure additional funding. Preparation of a manuscript, policy briefs and the design of a longitudinal study are potential future outputs of this GYA pilot project.
