Abstract
At the closure of the UNESCO decade on Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014), this article reports on large research projects on sustainability conducted within the World Organisation for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) through 2009–2014. The overall aim of the projects within OMEP was to enhance awareness of Education for Sustainable Development among young children, OMEP members and the international early childhood community, with a special focus on taking a child-oriented perspective. The OMEP research comprised four studies which are described in this paper. The rich data in the research were drawn from 28 participating countries, involved more than 44,330 children aged from birth to 8 years, as well as 13,225 teachers. These participants were from various early childhood educational contexts. The research methods used included child interviews, children’s dialogues, and child-driven, theme-based projects as part of children’s early education programs. The results showed that young children have significant knowledge about the Earth and important ideas about environmental issues, as well as knowledge of the responsibilities which individuals carry with respect to sustainability. In the research findings, it was strongly apparent that adults often underestimate the competencies of young children. It is argued that education for sustainability can be a driver for quality early childhood education.
Résumé
Au terme de la décennie de l’UNESCO consacrée à l’éducation pour un développement durable (2005–2014), cet article fait état des projets de recherche importants sur la durabilité menés au sein de l’Organisation mondiale pour l’éducation préscolaire (OMEP) entre 2009 et 2014. L’objectif général des projets au sein de l’OMEP était de mieux sensibiliser à l’éducation pour le développement durable tant les jeunes enfants, les membres de l’OMEP que la communauté internationale de la petite enfance, en adoptant une perspective centrée sur l’enfant. La recherche de l’OMEP comprenait quatre études qui sont décrites dans cet article. Elle porte sur un ensemble riche de données issues de 28 pays, avec plus de 44 330 enfants de la naissance à huit ans et 13 225 enseignants participants de divers contextes éducatifs à la petite enfance. Les méthodes de recherche comprenaient des entretiens avec des enfants, des dialogues entre enfants et des projets thématiques menés par les enfants dans le cadre de programmes d’éducation des jeunes enfants. Les résultats ont montré que les jeunes enfants avaient beaucoup de connaissances sur la terre et des idées importantes sur les questions environnementales; qu’ils connaissaient les responsabilités que les individus portent à l’égard de la durabilité. Les résultats de recherche ont fait très clairement apparaître que les adultes sous-estiment souvent les compétences des jeunes enfants. Cela indique que l’éducation pour le développement durable peut être un moteur pour une éducation de la petite enfance de qualité.
Resumen
En el cierre de la década de la UNESCO sobre la educación para el desarrollo sustentable (2005–2014), este artículo informa sobre los grandes proyectos de investigación sobre sostenibilidad, llevadas a cabo en la Organización Mundial para la Educación Preescolar (OMEP) a través de 2009–2014. El objetivo general de los proyectos dentro de OMEP era mejorar el conocimiento de la educación para el desarrollo sustentable entre los niños pequeños, los miembros de OMEP y la comunidad internacional en la primera infancia, con un enfoque en la consideración de una perspectiva especial orientada hacia los niños pequeños. La investigación OMEP comprendía cuatro estudios que se describen en este documento. Los datos, fructíferos en la investigación, procedían de 28 países participantes; participaron más de 44.330 niños con edades desde recién nacidos hasta los ocho años; así como 13.225 profesores. Estos participantes eran de diferentes contextos educativos para la primera infancia. Los métodos de investigación utilizados incluyen entrevistas con los niños, los diálogos de los niños, así como, los proyectos temáticos impulsados con y por los niños como parte de los programas de educación temprana de los niños. Los resultados mostraron que los niños pequeños tienen un conocimiento significativo sobre la tierra y las ideas importantes sobre cuestiones ambientales, así como el conocimiento de las responsabilidades que los individuos realizan con respecto a la sostenibilidad. En los resultados de la investigación, fue fuertemente evidente que los adultos, a menudo, subestiman las competencias de los niños pequeños. Se argumenta que la educación para la sostenibilidad puede ser un controlador para una educación de calidad en la primera infancia.
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Acknowledgments
Sincere thanks to all the national project leaders, the participating children and adults from all over the world who engaged in the four studies. A special gratitude is directed to the other world coordinators: Studies 1, 2 and 3—Professor Milada Rabušicová, Masaryk University, Czech Republic, and Study 4—Professor Ingrid Pramling-Samuelsson, the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and Professor John Siraj-Blatchford, UK, for their dedicated work. This article was written during a research period at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education (MGSE) at the University of Melbourne, Australia, where I was warmly welcomed.
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Engdahl, I. Early Childhood Education for Sustainability: The OMEP World Project. IJEC 47, 347–366 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-015-0149-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-015-0149-6