The doctoral dissertation authored by Sevinç Ölçer in 2015 provides robust empirical evidence on how early science education profoundly shapes young children's cognitive development. The research investigates the transformative effects of a constructivist-grounded science curriculum specifically designed for five-year-olds, focusing on their acquisition of foundational scientific concepts and their ability to adopt others' cognitive and perceptual viewpoints (perspective-taking skills).

The investigation employed a pretest-posttest control group experimental design, conducted across two early childhood education centers in Burdur, Turkey, with a sample of 60 children. Over a 10-week intervention period, the experimental group engaged in hands-on, inquiry-driven science activities three times per week, while the control group maintained the standard preschool curriculum. To evaluate learning outcomes, the "Science Learning Assessment (SLA)" instrument was adapted and standardized for Turkish children through rigorous validity and reliability analyses. In addition, validated developmental testing batteries were utilized to evaluate both perceptual and cognitive perspective-taking capabilities.

The empirical findings demonstrated that the science education program generated statistically significant gains in both scientific concept mastery and perspective-taking faculties among children in the experimental group. Compared to their control group peers, participants exhibited superior performance in fundamental scientific process skills—including systematic observation, comparative analysis, classification, and predictive reasoning—as well as comprehensive life science concepts. Crucially, active scientific engagement extended beyond domain-specific knowledge: it enhanced children's cognitive flexibility and their capacity to infer alternative visual perspectives and internal mental states. Follow-up retention assessments administered four weeks post-intervention confirmed that these developmental advancements remained stable and enduring over time.

The dissertation highlights the constructivist educational paradigm as the primary catalyst behind these significant developmental milestones. By actively manipulating natural materials, testing hypotheses, and solving hands-on problems, young learners build resilient foundations for both intellectual and socio-emotional growth. Concurrently, the study draws attention to an educational bottleneck: many preschool educators continue to rely on traditional, teacher-centered routines when introducing science, largely due to gaps in early science pedagogical training. This didactic tendency risks dampening children's innate inquisitiveness and underutilizing their scientific capacities.

Ultimately, Sevinç Ölçer’s research calls for structured professional development initiatives in preschool science pedagogy, targeted parental guidance to encourage curiosity at home, and the intentional creation of discovery-rich environments in early learning classrooms.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Sevinç Ölçer for this valuable academic contribution. The complete dissertation can be accessed via www.tez.yok.gov.tr using reference code 378272.