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The preschool child of today — The world-citizen of tomorrow?

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Summary

Ideas of sustainable development, globalization and global citizenship raise questions about justice, rights, responsibility and caring for human beings and the world. Interest in the role of education for sustainable development has increased during the last decades, however little attention has been directed to early education. Even if the moral dimension in learning for sustainable development is evident it is seldom discussed or analysed. The aim of this paper is to discuss issues in everyday interaction as aspects of learning for sustainable development in preschool. The examples used as the basis for discussion are drawn from research on morality among young children (aged 1–6 years) in various daycare contexts in Sweden. From the analyses certain core values and competences are identified as tentative dimensions in early learning for global citizenship.

Résumé

Le développement durable, la mondialisation et la citoyenneté amène des questions relatives à la justice, aux droits, aux responsabilités et au bien-être des personnes et du monde. L’intérêt de l’éducation face au développement durable a augmenté ces dernières décennies, malgré le fait que peu d’attention ait été accordée à l’éducation de la petite enfance. Même si la dimension morale dans le développement durable est évidente, la question y a rarement été discutée ou analysée. L’objectif de cet article consiste à exposer des avenues possibles dans la vie de tous les jours au préscolaire pour relever les défis du développement durable. Les exemples qui servent de base à la discussion reposent sur la recherche sur la moralité effectuée auprès d’enfants âgés de 1 à 6 ans dans des contextes variés de services de garde suédois. À partir des analyses, certaines valeurs fondamentales et des compétences sont identifiées comme des dimensions à privilégier dans les premiers apprentissages relatifs à la citoyenneté.

Resumen

Ideas del desarrollo sustentable, globalización y ciudadanía global plantean cuestiones sobre justicia, derechos, responsabilidad y el cuidado de los seres humanos y el mundo. El interés en la significación de la educación para el desarrollo sustentable ha aumentado durante las últimas décadas, sin embargo poca atención se ha dirigido a la educación preescolar. Incluso teniendo en cuenta que la dimensión ética y moral en el aprendizaje para el desarrollo sustentable es evidente, rara vez se discuten o analiza. El objetivo de este trabajo es examinar las cuestiones en la interacción cotidiana como los aspectos del aprendizaje para el desarrollo sustentable en preescolar. Los ejemplos utilizados como base para la discusión se han extraído de la investigación sobre la moralidad de los niños pequeños (edades 1–6 años) en diversos contextos de centros de cuidado y educación en Suecia. Desde el análisis de algunos valores fundamentales y competencias se identifican algunas dimensiones tentativas para el aprendizaje para la ciudadania global.

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Correspondence to Eva Johansson.

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Johansson, E. The preschool child of today — The world-citizen of tomorrow?. IJEC 41, 79–95 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03168880

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