Aesthetic distinction in elementary school science

The role of aesthetic experiences was examined in elementary school in a vein inspired by Dewey and the later Wittgenstein. The results show that aesthetic, normative and cognitive aspects of learning science are intimately related, and that aesthetic experiences are moments of expectations and consummation. In such instances aesthetics is not only an expression of joy, but also something that is integrated with communicating desirable ways of proceeding, and learning new relationships of what carries forward both from the individual's perspective and in communicating science. Aesthetic language is used by teachers and children in establishing norms of action, in talking about which objects, events and actions that should be included and excluded. They are also intimately connected to the continuity of experience. Aesthetic relations make meaningful connections to the earlier experiences of the children and so in a wider sense connect what happens in science education to their understanding of science and their will to participate in science class.