Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T16:39:08.649Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Educating For Sustainability in the Early Years: Creating Cultural Change in a Child Care Setting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 June 2015

Julie Davis
Julie Davis*
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology
*
†School of Early Childhood, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia. Email: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The early childhood education field has been slow to take up the challenge of sustainability. However, Brisbane's Campus Kindergarten is one early education centre that is making serious efforts in this regard. In 1997, Campus Kindergarten initiated its Sustainable Planet Project involving a variety of curriculum and pedagogical activities that have led to enhanced play spaces, reduced waste, lowered water consumption and improved biodiversity. Such changes are not curriculum “add-ons”. A study of curriculum decision-making processes shows that a culture of sustainability permeates the centre. This has been by a process of slowly evolving changes that have led to a reculturation of many social and environmental practices. This study also shows that very young children, in the presence of passionate and committed teachers, are quite capable of engaging in education for sustainability and in “making a difference”.

Keywords

early childhoodcollaborationeducational changeempowermentleadershipprofessional developmentsustainability
Type
Research Article
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 21 , 2005 , pp. 47 - 55
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

References

Campus Kindergarten. (2002). Water conservation documentation. Brisbane.Google Scholar
Campus Kindergarten. (2003). The trolley documentation. Brisbane.Google Scholar
Campus Kindergarten. (2004). Prospectus. Brisbane.Google Scholar
Davis, J., & Elliott, S. (2003). Early childhood environmental education: Making it mainstream. Canberra: Early Childhood Australia.Google Scholar
Fleener, M. J. (2002). Curriculum dynamics: Recreating heart. New York: Peter Lang.Google Scholar
Fullan, M. (1999). Change forces: The sequel. London: Falmer Press.Google Scholar
Fullan, M. (2001). The new meaning of educational change (3rd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hart, R. (1997). Children's participation: The theory and practice of involving young citizens in community development and environmental care. New York: UNICEF.Google Scholar
Heron, J., & Reason, P. (2001). The practice of co-operative inquiry: Research “with” rather than “on” people. In Reason, P. & Bradbury, H. (Eds.), Handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice (pp. 179–188). London: Sage.Google Scholar
Larson, R. L. (1999). Changing schools from the inside out (2nd ed.). Lancaster, PA: Technomic Publishing.Google Scholar
New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency. (2003). Patches of green. Retrieved August 15, 2003, from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/whocares/patchesofgreen.htm Google Scholar
Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organisation. Sydney: Random House.Google Scholar
Stacey, R. (2000). Strategic management and organisational dynamics: The challenge of complexity (3rd ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson Education.Google Scholar