ABSTRACT
While the expansion of early years “bush kinder” programs in Australia is encouraging, the assumption that children’s connection with nature equates with education for sustainability (EfS) is a key issue, as is educators’ understandings of their own pedagogical roles in relation to a perceived nature–sustainability nexus. Currently in Australia there is little guidance for educators about their pedagogical role in nature-based learning environments. This chapter offers insights into how links between nature and sustainability were perceived by early childhood educators in “bush kinder” settings and the implications for their pedagogy.
The authors argue that the time is right to question the assumption that early childhood education for sustainability (ECEfS) is being implemented in nature-based settings and explore the possibility that educators are assuming that nature experiences are enough to engage children in ECEfS.
The two research projects that inform this chapter were conducted in bush kinder settings in separate Australian states, Victoria in 2014 and New South Wales (NSW) in 2017. One project utilized a comparative case study approach with a constructivist grounded theory methodology. The other utilized a social constructivist theoretical position, with Participatory Action Research (PAR), Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and Case Study methodologies. Data from both studies demonstrated that educator knowledge of ECEfS and pedagogical practices in relation to nature and sustainability were varied and sporadic. Insights are offered from each study into the importance of educator relationships with nature for promoting children’s connection with nature, a sense and understanding of place and the inclusion of Indigenous world views to country to inform practice. Further studies about outdoor early childhood education programs are shared in Chapters 12 and 16 of this volume.
