| 1. |
- Beery, Thomas H., et al.
(författare)
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Being and becoming in nature : defining and measuring connection to nature in young children
- 2020
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Ingår i: International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education. - 2331-0464. ; 7:3, s. 3-22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper examines the meaning, assessment, and development of connection to nature (C2N) in two- to five-yearold children. It grows out of a Connection to Nature Workshop organized by the University of Florida, Stanford University, the North American Association for Environmental Education, and the Children and Nature Network to evaluate instruments that measure C2N. Defining and measuring C2N in young children emerged as a current research gap. The workshop was followed by the formation of an Expert Advisory Panel on Early Childhood Nature Connection to address this need. Through semi-structured interviews and narrative responses to a survey, panel participants provided insight on early childhood connection to nature and reviewed existing measures of nature connection for this age group. This paper presents a synthesis of panel ideas. One outcome of the analysis was a detailed description of C2N, highlighting the importance of both quantity and quality of time in nature. Quality time in nature includes opportunities for self-directed exploration, multisensory engagement with nature places, the presence of animals, and the supportive influence of peers and adults. Research implications include recommendations for mixed-method assessment strategies for young children as well as the importance of access to nature for all children.
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| 2. |
- Beery, Thomas H., et al.
(författare)
-
Being and becoming in nature : defining and measuring connection to nature in young children
- 2020
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education. - 2331-0464. ; 7:3, s. 3-22
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper examines the meaning, assessment, and development of connection to nature (C2N) in two- to five-yearold children. It grows out of a Connection to Nature Workshop organized by the University of Florida, Stanford University, the North American Association for Environmental Education, and the Children and Nature Network to evaluate instruments that measure C2N. Defining and measuring C2N in young children emerged as a current research gap. The workshop was followed by the formation of an Expert Advisory Panel on Early Childhood Nature Connection to address this need. Through semi-structured interviews and narrative responses to a survey, panel participants provided insight on early childhood connection to nature and reviewed existing measures of nature connection for this age group. This paper presents a synthesis of panel ideas. One outcome of the analysis was a detailed description of C2N, highlighting the importance of both quantity and quality of time in nature. Quality time in nature includes opportunities for self-directed exploration, multisensory engagement with nature places, the presence of animals, and the supportive influence of peers and adults. Research implications include recommendations for mixed-method assessment strategies for young children as well as the importance of access to nature for all children.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Fridberg, Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Swedish early childhood educators’ views on teaching to promote connectedness to nature
- 2022
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Ingår i: International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education. - 2331-0464. ; 9:3, s. 21-38
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Connectedness to nature (C2N) shows a positive relationship with many factors supporting children's health, wellbeing, and development. In addition, C2N has been shown to have a positive relationship with learning about and caring for nature. Despite a long history of outdoor education in early childhood settings in Sweden, C2N is not a concept that early childhood professionals widely use. In this study, we aimed at investigating whether early childhood educators perceived C2N as a valuable idea for their professional efforts. Further, the possible relationship between early science learning and C2N was explored. Specifically, Swedish preschool teachers' view on how natural science teaching as part of the Swedish National Curriculum for Preschool could promote children's connectedness to nature. Teachers from two preschools participated in a connectedness to nature workshop and subsequently reflected on their teaching in a questionnaire and during two follow-up discussions. The data reveals a broad set of content regarding natural science teaching and connectedness to nature in the preschool setting. Results indicate that teachers focus on children's interests, participation, and collaboration in their work with children. Further, results indicate educators perceive their role as someone exploring nature together with children.
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| 5. |
- Ärlemalm-Hagsér, Eva, 1958, et al.
(författare)
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”Business as usual”? Or transformative and transactive teaching leading towards the Agenda 2030 goals in Swedish Early Childhood Education.
- 2021
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Ingår i: International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education. - 2331-0464. ; 9:1, s. 94-102
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Sweden, the national parliament has adopted objectives to implement the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UNESCO, 2017). Sweden’s objectives are more ambitious and far-reaching in several policy areas than the targets listed in the 2030 Agenda and outlined in the report Agenda 2030 and Sweden: Challenges and Possibilities for the Earth (SOU 2019; UNESCO, 2017). In this article, we discuss Swedish early childhood education in relation to these new national objectives. We employ a critical perspective and recognize early childhood education as both a political and educational setting, one where major and minor politics are interconnected and embedded in practice. We discuss these interconnections as a narrative inquiry scrutinizing different transformations and transactions in Swedish early childhood education practice. Our inquiry focus is an early childhood teacher case study narrative of her everyday education for sustainability (EfS) practices and the UN, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The findings revealed everyday pedagogical practices where children’s own interests, curiosities and investigations enhanced EfS as integral to transformative and transactive early childhood education. We argue that further action is required to go beyond “business as usual” and embed transformative and transactive teaching for promoting the new national objectives and global objectives as 2030 Agenda. Such teaching for sustainability builds on pedagogical strategies where both children and teachers are engaged in a collaborative critical inquiry to challenge unsustainable thinking and actions in everyday life.
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