Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-hfldf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-31T15:32:59.363Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Investigating Early Childhood Teachers’ Understandings of and Practices in Education for Sustainability in Queensland: A Japan-Australia Research Collaboration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2016

Michiko Inoue ,
Lyndal O'Gorman  and
Julie Davis
Michiko Inoue
Affiliation:
School of Early Childhood, Osaka Ohtani University, Tondabayashi, Osaka, Japan
Lyndal O'Gorman
Affiliation:
School of Early Childhood, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Julie Davis*
Affiliation:
School of Early Childhood, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Julie Davis, School of Early Childhood, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove QLD 4059. Australia. Email: j.davis@qut.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In a study undertaken in Queensland, Australia, analysis of a survey that included both qualitative and quantitative questions revealed that, like their Japanese counterparts, early childhood teachers do not have well-developed ideas and practices in education for sustainability (EfS). Instead, they mainly practise traditional nature-based activities, such as gardening or playing outdoors, and teaching about resource conservation through books, posters or fact sheets. Teachers’ understandings of nature education, environmental education, and education for sustainability seem to influence their educational practices. Deeper understandings about sustainability are necessary to extend beyond such traditional practices. Even though national curriculum frameworks and guidelines point to the importance of sustainability within early childhood curriculum, these appear to be insufficient in strengthening early childhood teachers’ ideas of sustainability and how to practise it effectively. We suggest that it would be beneficial for early childhood teachers, both preservice and inservice, to have professional development opportunities that build deeper understandings of sustainability and its implementation in their settings.

Keywords

early childhood educationeducation for sustainabilitysustainabilityteaching practicessurveypreschool teachersearly childhood services
Type
Feature Articles
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , July 2016 , pp. 174 - 191
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). (2011). Guide to the National Quality Standard. Sydney, Australia: Author.Google Scholar
Centre for Environment and Sustainability. (2008). The Gothenburg Recommendations on Education for Sustainable Development. Gothenburg: Sweden Chalmers University of Technology & University of Gothenburg.Google Scholar
Cutter-Mackenzie, A, Edwards, S, Moore, D., & Boyd, W. (2014). Young children's play and environmental education in early childhood education. Switzerland: Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davis, J. (2008). What might education for sustainability look like in early childhood education: A case for participatory, whole-of-settings approaches. In Pramling Samuelsson, I., & Kaga, Y.. (Eds.), The contribution of early childhood education to a sustainable society (pp. 18–24). Paris: UNESCO.Google Scholar
Davis, J. (2009). Revealing the research ‘hole’ of early childhood education for sustainability: a preliminary survey of the literature. Environmental Education Research, 15, 227–241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davis, J. (2014). Examining early childhood education through the lens of education for sustainability: Revisioning rights. In Davis, J. & Elliott, S. (Eds.), Research in early childhood education for sustainability: International perspectives and provocations (pp. 21–37). Oxon, UK: RoutledgeCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davis, J., & Elliott, S. (2009). Exploring the resistance: An Australian perspective on educating for sustainability in early childhood. International Journal of Early Childhood, 41, 65–77.Google Scholar
Davis, J., & Elliott, S. (Eds.). (2014). Research in early childhood education for sustainability: International perspectives and provocations. Oxon, UK: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Denzin, N.K., & Lincoln, Y.S. (2005). The Sage handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). (2009). Belonging, being & becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra, Australia: Author.Google Scholar
Edwards, S., & Cutter-Mackenzie, A. (2011). Environmentalising early childhood education curriculum through pedagogies of play. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36, 51–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elliot, S., Edwards, S., Davis, J., & Cutter-Mackenzie, A. (2013). Early Childhood Australia's best of sustainability: Research, practice and theory. Canberra, Australia: Early Childhood Australia.Google Scholar
Hill, A., McCrea, N., Emery, S., Nailon, D., Davis, J., Dyment, J., & Getenet, S. (2014). Exploring how adults who work with young children conceptualise sustainability and describe their practice initiatives. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 39, 14–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Inoue, M. (2000). A historical study on the significance of ‘Nature’ in early childhood education in Japan — From a viewpoint of environmental education [in Japanese]. Environmental Education, 9, 2–11.Google Scholar
Inoue, M. (2014a). Perspectives on early childhood environmental education in Japan: Rethinking for building a sustainability society. In Davis, J. & Elliott, S. (Eds.), Research in early childhood education for sustainability: International perspectives and provocations (pp. 77–96). Oxon, UK: Routledge.Google Scholar
Inoue, M. (2014b). Beyond traditional nature-based activities to education for sustainability: A case study from Japan. In Davis, J. (Ed.), Young children and the environment: Early education for sustainability (pp. 266–277). London, UK: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Inoue, M., & Muto, T. (2006). A survey of the natural environment of playgrounds in kindergartens and nursery schools [in Japanese]. The Japanese Journal for the Education of Young Children, 15, 1–11.Google Scholar
Inoue, M., & Muto, T. (2007). A survey on nature activities in kindergartens and nursery schools (in Japanese). The Bulletin of Education and Social Welfare, 33, 1–9.Google Scholar
Inoue, M., & Muto, T. (2009). A survey on nature activities in kindergartens and nursery schools (2) [in Japanese]. The Bulletin of Education and Social Welfare, 35, 1–7.Google Scholar
Ji, O., & Stuhmcke, S. (2014). The project approach in early childhood education for sustainability: exemplars from Korea and Australia. In Davis, J. & Elliott, S. (Eds.), Research in early childhood education for sustainability: International perspectives and provocations (pp. 158–179). Oxon, UK: Routledge.Google Scholar
Ji, O., Huh, M., Baik, E., & Chung, M. (2015). Research on Korea kindergartens’ state in relation to education for sustainable development. Korea Journal of Child Care and Education, 90, 23–52.Google Scholar
Kollmuss, A., & Agyeman, J. (2002). Mind the Gap: Why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior? Environmental Education Research, 8, 239–260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lang, J. (2007). How to Succeed with Education for Sustainability. Melbourne: Education Services Australia.Google Scholar
Mackey, G. (2012). To know, to decide, to act: The young child's right to participate in action for the environment. Environmental Education Research, 18, 1–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency. (2003). Patches of green. Retrieved from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/whocares/patchesofgreen.htmGoogle Scholar
Olshansky, S., Passaro, D., Hershow, R., Layden, J., Carnes, B., Brody, J., . . . Ludwig, D. (2005). A potential decline in life expectancy in the United States in the 21st century. New England Journal of Medicine, 352, 1138–1145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pramling Samuelsson, I., & Kaga, Y. (Eds.) (2008 The contribution of early childhood education to a sustainable society. Paris: UNESCO.Google Scholar
Stevenson, B., Brody, M., Dillon, J., & Wals, A.E.J. (Eds.) (2012). International handbook of environmental education research. London: RoutledgeGoogle Scholar
Wilson, R.A. (Ed.) (1994). Environmental education at the early childhood level. Washington DC: North American Association for Environmental Education.Google Scholar
UNESCO. (2014). Roadmap for Implementing the Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development. Paris: Author. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002305/230514e.pdfGoogle Scholar