"My Child Might Be Thinking About Something Beneficial to Humanity": Enhancing Parental Perspectives on Engineering Education in Early Childhood

Abstract

This qualitative case study explores how parental involvement (PI) in earlyengineering education (EEE) of 5- to 6-year-old children provided througha school-based program reflected on Turkish parents’ perspectives regardingthree themes: 1) engineering, 2) EEE, and 3) PI in EEE. Data were collectedfrom 13 parents through pre- and post-interviews and reflective journals.Findings revealed that, after their involvement in the program activities,parents tended to define engineering as related to problem-solving andfacilitating daily life and perceive the contributions of EEE to children morecomprehensively. After participating in the program, parents reporteda more expanded perception of alternative ways of supporting their chil-dren’s EEE through PI. Findings also indicated that parents’ perceived lifecontexts might constitute a barrier to PI in EEE, and parents need moreguidance on providing effective scaffolding for their children’s EEE.