New teacher strategies to support children’s active participation in early childhood education for sustainability (ECEFS)

• The aim of this study is to analysis how preschool teachers give opportunities for children to develop competences by using the Environmental Rating scale for Sustainable Development in Early Childhood (ERS-SDEC). The research question was: Which strategies are needed by preschool teachers so children can become active participants, citizens, and agents of change in the everyday preschool practices? This research builds on previous research on ECEfS (Davis, 2009, 2014) and studies about ERS-SDEC (Larsson & Pramling-Samuelsson, 2020; Siraj-Blatchford et al., 2016). It answers to the need for more research about children’s agency in education for sustainability. The theoretical underpinning is built on critical theories (Fraser, 2010; Mouffe, 2008) and perspectives about children’s participation (Hart, 1992). Education for Sustainability, children’s active participation and agency (Davis, 2014) are conceptual frameworks for the study. This qualitative research is inspired by action research and involved an in-service study with participatory, collaborative and cyclical ways in order to produce knowledge and change (Rönnerman, 2004). The participating preschool teachers received information about the aim, method, and process, and consent and was collected from all participants. Ethical guidelines from the Swedish Research Council (2016) and EECERA (2014) were considered during the research. design and process. Overall, the teachers’ have started to develope new knowledge and understandings about ECEFS, children’s participation and agency when using ERS-SDEC in this study. The study has implications for both policy and practice. As, the preschool teachers have deepening their knowledge about ECEfS as well as critical exploring the policy. 

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

Keyword

sustainability

children’s participation

early childhood education

teachers’ professional development

the environmental rating scale for sustainable development in early childhood

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)