Refocusing Environmental Education in the Early Years: A brief introduction to a Pedagogy for Connection

TY - JOUR

T1 - Refocusing Environmental Education in the Early Years

T2 - A brief introduction to a Pedagogy for Connection

AU - Barrable, Alexia

PY - 2019/3/19

Y1 - 2019/3/19

N2 - The aim of this article is to introduce an effective, evidence-informed, and developmentally appropriate framework of practice for Environmental Education (EE) in the early years, with the ultimate goal being to achieve environmental sustainability. Initially, the author will briefly examine the current state of EE in the early years, contextualising it within a gradual shift from EE to the more encompassing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The article then proposes that there is a need for a refocusing of EE in the early years that has as a central goal—the promotion of nature connectedness, benefiting both the next generation of learners, as well as our planet. A four-point draft of a pedagogy for connection will be outlined that comprises sustained contact, engagement with nature’s beauty, cultivation of compassion towards non-human nature, and mindfulness. The latest empirical research from ecopsychology and developmental psychology will be used throughout in order to synthesise this brief initial draft of a pedagogy for connection.

AB - The aim of this article is to introduce an effective, evidence-informed, and developmentally appropriate framework of practice for Environmental Education (EE) in the early years, with the ultimate goal being to achieve environmental sustainability. Initially, the author will briefly examine the current state of EE in the early years, contextualising it within a gradual shift from EE to the more encompassing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The article then proposes that there is a need for a refocusing of EE in the early years that has as a central goal—the promotion of nature connectedness, benefiting both the next generation of learners, as well as our planet. A four-point draft of a pedagogy for connection will be outlined that comprises sustained contact, engagement with nature’s beauty, cultivation of compassion towards non-human nature, and mindfulness. The latest empirical research from ecopsychology and developmental psychology will be used throughout in order to synthesise this brief initial draft of a pedagogy for connection.

KW - Early childhood

KW - Ecocentric education

KW - Environmental education

KW - Nature connectedness

KW - Pedagogy

KW - Sustainability

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85063494438

U2 - 10.3390/educsci9010061

DO - 10.3390/educsci9010061

M3 - Article

SN - 2227-7102

VL - 9

JO - Education Sciences

JF - Education Sciences

IS - 1

M1 - 61

ER -