Education for sustainability in preschool: Swedish preschool teachers’ perspectives

• Worldwide, preschool is recognized as an important arena for the implementation ofeducation for sustainability (EfS). In Swedish preschools EfS has been a part of thenational curriculum since 2019, but little is known about what this means in practice.Therefore, the purpose of this study is to increase our understanding about preschoolteachers’ perspectives on teaching for sustainability. Using individual semi-structuredinterviews with 16 randomly selected preschool teachers in Sweden, the results ofwhich were analyzed thematically and then quantitatively, this study examines howteachers put EfS into practice. Four teaching practices were identified: actively presentteachers, children’s experiences as a basis for learning, children’s opportunity for agency –a democratic approach, and communication between children and teachers. Takentogether, these four teaching practices demonstrate a pluralistic teaching tradition.The analysis also demonstrates a holistic perspective on subject content where environmental,social and economic issues are addressed. A third result is that EfS is carriedout using three teaching strategies planned, spontaneous and semi-spontaneous. Theidentification of semi-spontaneous teaching is an important finding which is madepossible in created learning environments aiming to stimulate children’s agency, whichis of central importance in EfS and an important contribution from this study.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogiskt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogical Work (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Education for sustainable development; pluralism; preschool teachers’ perspectives; teaching strategies; thematic analysis

Undervisning för hållabar utveckling

pluralism

förskollärares perspektiv

undervisningsstrateier

Tematisk analys

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)