Abstract

IMPACT OF PRESCHOOL TEACHER PRACTICES AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE PRESCHOOLS ON RECYCLING PRACTICES WITHIN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN: A CASE STUDY FROM SRI LANKA

Buddhiprabha D D Pathirana

Volume: 5 Issue: 3 2015

Abstract:

The present study explores the impact of preschool teacher practices and physical environment of the preschools on recycling practices within Sri Lankan preschool children; through observation of 41preschools in Sri Lanka. Based on data environmental sensitivity in the preschool class room was divided into three categories. They are, (1) practices of the preschool children, (2)practices of preschool teachers and (3)observations made on the physical environment of the preschool class rooms/playgrounds. Results conveyed, that preschool classrooms were clean, clutter free and environmental friendly with a hygienic, child friendly play area for children to play. Results also conveyed that majority of the preschool teachers instructs the children to clean after an activity (97.6%), put left over food/other materials in the dustbin (82.9%). However, only one preschool teacher was reported to have picked up litter in the class/ playground (2.4%). The predictor variables which seem have a significant impact on the preschool children’s cleanliness/ recycling practices were the state of cleanliness in the preschool class (p <.05), having clean toilets/ washrooms (p <.05), and having separate bins to put separate types of waste(p < .1). The study offers suggestions/ recommendations for teacher trainers and policy makers pertaining to promoting recycling practices within preschool children.

Back Download

References

• Acher, A., Arcà, M. & Sanmartí, N. (2007), Modeling as a teaching learning process for understanding materials: A case study in primary education. Sci. Ed., 91: 398–418. doi: 10.1002/sce.20196
• Bowker, R. 2007. Childrens‟ perceptions and learning about tropical rainforests. an analysis their drawings. Environmental Education, 13 (1), 75–96.
• Cohen, S., & Horm-Wingard, D. (1993). Children and the environment: Ecological awareness among preschool children. Environment and Behavior, 25, 103-120.
• Cutter-Mackenzie, A., & Edwards, S. (2006). Everyday environmental education experiences: The role of content in early childhood education. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 22(2), 13 - 19.
• Chapman, D. & Sharma, K. (2001). Environmental attitudes and behavior of primary and secondary students in Asian cities: An overview strategy for implementing an ecoschools programme. Environmentalist,21, 265- 272. DOI: 10.1023/A: 1012996016601
• Davis, J. (1998). Young Children, Environmental Education, and the Future. Early Childhood Education Journal, 26 (2):117 -123.
• Davis, J.M. (2010) What is early childhood education for sustainability? In. Davis J. (Ed.) Young children and the environment: Early education for sustainability. Melbourne: Cambridge Press
• Davis, J. (2009). Revealing the research ‘hole’ of early childhood education for sustainability: A preliminary survey of the literature. Environmental Education Research, 15(2), 227– 241.
• Edwards, S. & Cutter-Mackenzie, A. (2011). Environmentalising early childhood education curriculum through pedagogies of play. Australian Journal of Early Childhood. 36(1), 51-59.
• Elliott, S. (2010), Essential not optional: Education for sustainability in early childhood centres. Childcare Information Exchange. 32 (2), 34-37.
• Elliott, S. (2003). Patches of green EPA social research series early childhood environmental education in Australia: Scope, Status and direction environment protection authority. 59–61, Goulbur Street: Sydney, Australia.
• Elliott, S., & Davis, J. (2004). Mudpies and daisy chains: Connecting young children and nature. Every Child, 10(4).
• Elliot, S. & Davis, J.M. (2009). Exploring the resistance: An Australian perspective on educating for sustainability in early childhood. In. International Journal of Early Childhood. 41(2), 65 -77.
• Ergazaki, M., Zogza, V., & Grekou, A. (2009). From preschoolers’ ideas about decomposition, domestic garbage fate and recycling to the objectives of a constructivist learning environment in this context, Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education 3 (1), 99-121.
• Fjortoft, I. (2001). The Natural Environment as a Playground for Children: The Impact of Outdoor Play Activities in Pre-Primary School Children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(2), 111-117
• Fjortoft, I. & Sageie, J. (2000). The Natural Environment as a Playground for Children: Landscape Description and Analysis of a Natural Landscape. Landscape and Urban Planning, 48(1/2), 83-97.
• Gardner, H. (1991). The tensions between education and development. Journal of Moral Development, 20(2), 113-125.
• Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the Twenty-first Century. New York: Basic Books.
• Grodzińska-Jurczak, M., Stępska, A., Nieszporek, K. & Bryda, G. (2006). Perception of environmental problems among preschool children in Poland. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 15(1), 62-76.
• Harlan, J. & Rivkin, M. (2007). Science Experiences for the Early Childhood Years: An Integrated Affective Approach. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
• Kidd, A. H. & Kidd, R. M. (1990). Social and environmental influences on children's attitudes toward pets. Psychological Reports, 76, 807-818
• Kumar, K.S. and Patil S.M.(2007. Influence of environmental education on environmental attitude of the Post-graduate students. Edutracks, Hyderabad, 6: 34-36.
• Manz, E. (2012). Understanding the codevelopment of modeling practice and ecological knowledge. Sci. Ed., 96, 1071–1105. doi: 10.1002/sce.21030
• Miller, J. D. (1975). The development of pre-adult attitudes toward environmental conservation and pollution. School Science and Mathematics, 27, 729-737.
• Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs (MCDWA): Laws, Policies and Plans. Action Plan of ECCD- 2012. Retrieved on 23rd of March, 2013 from http://www.childwomenmin.gov.lk/web/images/pdf/action_plan-eccd-%202012.pdf
• Nikolaeva, S. (2008). The ecological education of preschool children. Russian Education & Society, 50(3), 64-72.Retrieved June 1, 2009, doi:10.2753/RES1060.
• Ozturk-Kahriman, D., Olgan, R., & Tuncer, G. (2012). A qualitative study on Turkish preschool children's environmental attitudes through ecocentrism and anthropocentrism. International Journal of Science Education, 34, 629-650.
• Palmer, J.A., Grodzinska-Jurczak, M., & Suggate J. (2003). Thinking about waste: Development of English and Polish children's understanding of concepts related to waste management. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 11 (2), 117 — 139.
• Palmer, J. A. (1995). Environmental thinking in the early years: Understanding and misunderstanding of concepts related to waste management. Environmental Education Research, 1(1), 35-45.
• Paprotna, G. (1998). On the understanding of ecological concepts by children of pre-school age. International Journal of Early Years Education, 6 (2), 155-164.
• Pathirana, B.D.D. (2011). To investigate the nature of the environmental education provided during the early childhood year. Unpublished research, presented to the Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
• Papaevripidou, M., Constantinou, C.P. & Zacharia, Z.C. (2007), Modeling complex marine ecosystems: an investigation of two teaching approaches with fifth graders. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 23, 145–157. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2006.00217.x
• Pratt, R. (2009). Education for sustainability in the early years: beyond recycling and veggie gardens Educating Young Children - Learning and teaching in the early childhood years, 15 (2), 30 – 34.
• Piaget, J. (1959). The language and thought of the child (trans. M. Gabain). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd (Original work published in 1926)
• Prince, C. (2006). A knowledge creation approach to environmental education in early childhood: Creating a community of learners. Retrieved on 7th of July, 2014 from, http://mro.massey.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10179/526/02whole.pdf?sequence=2
• Sobel, D. (1996). Beyond Ecophobia. Great Barrington, MA: The Orion Society.
• Stapp, W. (1978). An instructional model for environmental education. Prospects, VIII(4), 495-507.
• Tilbury, D. (1994). The critical learning years for environmental education. In R.A. Wilson (Ed.). Environmental Education at the Early Childhood Level. Washington, DC: North American Association for Environmental Education, pp. 11-13.
• The Central Environment Authority (2013). Retrieved on 14th of March, 2014 from http://www.cea.lk/index.php/en/2013-05-07-07-51-07/environment-education-andawareness-division/environmental-education-unit
• UNICEF annual report for Sri Lanka (2011). Retrieved on 4th of February, 2013 from http://www.unicef.org/srilanka/SLCO_annual_report_2011.pdf
• UNESCO (1975) The International Workshop on Environment. Final Report, (Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 13–22 October 1975). Paris: UNESCO.
• UNESCO-UNEP. (1976) The Belgrade Charter. Connect: UNESCO-UNEP Environmental Education Newsletter, Vol. 1 (1): 1–2.
• UNESCO. (1992, June). Agenda 21–Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Chapter 36. Promoting education, public awareness and training. Rio de Janeiro, UNESCO. Retrieved on 5th of July, 2014 from http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/Agenda21.pdf
• UNESCO (1998) International Conference on Environmental and Society: Education and Public Awareness for Sustainability. Final Report, (Thessaloniki, Greece, 8–12 December 1997). Paris: UNESCO.
• UNESCO. (2005). Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014 Draft International Implementation Scheme. Paris:UNESCO. Retrieved on 7th of July, 2014 from, http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001399/139937e.pdf
• UNESCO (2008). The contribution of early childhood education to a sustainable development. Retrieved on 5th of July, 2014 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001593/159355e.pdf
• UNESCO (2009). UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development; 31 March – 2 April 2009, Bonn, Germany, Retrieved on 5th of July, 2014 from http://www.esd-world-conference2009.org/fileadmin/download/ESD2009ProceedingsEnglishFINAL.pdf
• Wilson, R. A. (1996). ‘Environmental education programs for preschool children’. The Journal of Environmental Education 27(4): 28–33.
• Wilson, R.A. (Ed.) (1994). Environmental education at the early childhood level. Washington, DC: North American Association for Environmental Education.
• Wilson, R.A. (1997). The Wonders of Nature - Honoring Children's Ways of Knowing, Early Childhood News, 6(19).