ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses ecological perspectives on learning and their methodological implications for empirical research. Ecology – originating in the study of the relationships of organisms between one another and their environments – is a central subject in biology. Perspectives grounded in ecological ways of thinking have also been developed and applied in various other domains, such as psychology, anthropology, and sociology. In education, ecological perspectives offer a set of valuable conceptual tools for examining learning in a complex, interrelated world, as they account for diverse learners’ interactions within various environments. These perspectives are timely, considering the current complex epistemological, social, and institutional contexts, where learning is intertwined with human subjectivities, collective human cultures, and their surroundings. We elaborate on the theoretical notions and discuss the implications of considering teaching and learning as a dynamic and organic process woven within learners’ lives and pathways rather than an independent, linear, and predictable course. We illustrate how ecological perspectives could be applied for analysing informal learning and discuss the key methodological challenges and implications.
