Education for Sustainability in Early Childhood

• Definition of Education for Sustainability (EfS):

  • Focuses on transformative change in thinking, being, and acting to regenerate the Earth.

  • Engages educators and children in practices like composting, recycling, and growing produce, while also exploring deeper meanings.

• Critical Reflection:

  • Both educators and children need to reflect critically on their worldviews regarding resource sharing and interspecies equity.

  • Example: Understanding water use in the Murray Darling Basin - is it solely for human use or should it also support wildlife?

• Eco-Pedagogies:

  • McLaren’s (2017) idea that education can promote ethical relationships between humans and other species.

  • Shift from an anthropocentric (human-centered) perspective to an ecocentric viewpoint.

  • Importance of asking questions to promote discussion and critique rather than overwhelming children.

  • Advocacy and civic action must follow reflective discussions.

• Roles of Educators:

  • Essential in modeling and facilitating action for sustainability.

  • Collaborate with children, families, and communities through local initiatives and sustainability networks.

Rethinking Theoretical Frames

• Current Theories:

  • Many existing frameworks in early education are socio-cultural and anthropocentric, as seen in policy documents like EYLF (2009) and NQS (2018).

• Emerging Ideas:

  1. Children's Rights:

     • Davis (2014) urges a revisioning of children's rights to include agentic participation and intergenerational rights, emphasizing roles in shaping sustainable futures.

  2. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory:

     • Challenged by Elliott and Davis (2018) to include Earth’s biosystems, recognizing that children's actions impact and are impacted by these systems.

  3. Post-Humanism:

     • Challenges human-nature binaries; advocates for recognizing nature’s inherent rights.

     • Promotes intra-active pedagogies whereby both children and natural materials are seen as agentic in learning processes.

Understanding Sustainability

• Complexity of Sustainability:

  • Beyond mere maintenance of resources; involves a restorative approach to Earth's systems.

  • Dimensions include economic, natural, social, and political interconnections (UNESCO, 2010).

• Global Climate Change:

  • Reports (IPCC, 2018) highlight urgent action needed to address climate change.

  • Young children are particularly vulnerable to its impacts, underscoring intergenerational equity’s importance.

Education for Sustainability Practices

• Role of Educators:

  • Vital to advocate for sustainable futures in daily practice.

  • Understanding the need for change and effective action is critical in early childhood settings.

UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals (2017)

• 17 Goals Overview:

  • Encompass energy, water, health, industry, cities, education, reflecting the complexity of sustainable development.

• Importance in Early Childhood Education:

  • Early childhood education recognized as a transformative vehicle for achieving these goals.

  • UN DESD emphasized children's role in shaping sustainable societies.

• Embedding EfS:

  • EfS should be integral to early childhood programs, aligned with sustainability principles in the Australian Curriculum.

• Significance of Goal 4:

  • Focus on promoting knowledge and skills in sustainable development and inclusive education.