The perception and estimation of time in third grade children: from intuition to awareness of the subjective aspect

Abstract

In a reality where the rhythms of life are more and more frenetic, we try to keep every minute of our day under control; depending on the activities we carry out, however, time seems to last forever or to run out in a blink, and the same applies to our students. Which are the factors that influence the perception of time in children? Is it possible to activate an awareness of the subjectivity of time experienced by children through classroom work? The aim of the research is to explore the capacity of estimating durations of a group of students and to make them aware of the subjective aspect of the perception of time. The experience, which lasted about two months, involved 20 third grade students in a continuous work of reflection and estimation of the duration of recreational and didactic activities. Through a series of individual interviews, the drafting of questionnaires and discussion with peers it was possible to collect the interesting considerations of the children, which offer a unique picture of the theme from their point of view.