ERIC Number: EJ1468395
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2331-0464
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Educational Environments and Practices Associated with Enhancement of Children's Nature Connectedness in Early Childhood Education: A Scoping Review
Irina Salmi; Marie Halme; Paula Salo; Marja Seeve; Vivika Mäkelä
International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, v12 n1 p4-24 2024
This scoping review explored, what kind of educational environments and practices have been used when children's nature connectedness in early childhood education has been studied. While the beneficial influence of forest preschools -- and others alike based on substantial nature contact -- is well-established, little is known about how ordinary early childhood education units could enhance children's nature connectedness. Earlier studies have shown nature connectedness to have wide beneficial consequences related for example to mental and physical health, prosocial, and pro-environmental inclinations. We included in the scoping review empirical studies with different setups that concerned children attending early childhood education and reported the association between certain educational environments or practices and children's nature connectedness. We searched six online databases and included 14 studies in the scoping review. We found that some practices were associated with enhanced nature connectedness more often than others. Indigenous perspectives, stories about nature, and personizing nature were associated with enhanced nature connectedness every time but only rarely mentioned. More often mentioned practices with substantially high association (over 75%) were taking walks or hikes in nature, structured play in nature, using empathy and caring or sense experiences in enhancing nature connectedness, and teaching arts and music or autonomy in nature. To a large extent, however, the existing research does not sufficiently describe what is actually done and in which kinds of surroundings: More detailed research is needed, focusing either on one educational environment or practice at a time, or conducting more specified reports of interventions consisting of several practices.
Descriptors: Educational Environment, Early Childhood Education, Educational Practices, Physical Environment, Journal Articles, Outdoor Education, Preschools, Student Experience, Indigenous Knowledge, Curriculum Enrichment
North American Association for Environmnental Education. 1725 DeSales Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-419-0412; Web site: https://naturalstart.org/research
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A