Acta Iadertina, Vol. 21 No. 1, 2024.
Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.15291/ai.4512
Approaches and Dimensions of Kindergarten Sustainability - Validation of Scale and Educator’s Assessment on the Practice of Education for a Sustainable Development in Kindergarten
Dunja ANĐIĆ
orcid.org/0000-0001-8444-1820
; Faculty of Teacher Education in Rijeka, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The systematic process of Education for Sustainable development begins
in kindergartens, i.e., early and preschool education institutions. Existing
practices and pedagogical approaches in Education for Sustainable development
often vary, as do different aspects of kindergarten teachers’ work.
In this study, the focus is on assessing practices in developing sustainability
domains in the work of preschools and examining kindergarten teachers’
attitudes toward prevailing approaches in practice. 81 kindergarten
teachers from three districts of the Republic of Croatia participated in the
research. Three scales were constructed for the research, which examined
the kindergarten teachers’ working practices in certain dimensions of sustainability:
social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability.
In addition, the frequency of implementation of specific sustainability
dimensions and approaches in kindergarten work practices in the
field of Education for Sustainable development were examined. Research
tasks included validation of the scales, i.e., verification of their measurement
properties, views on the evaluation of pedagogical approaches in the
practice of Education for Sustainable development, assessments of the implementation
of different practices of dimensions of sustainability in kindergartens,
and correlation calculations. The research results showed the
adequacy of the measurement indicators of all three constructed scales.
It was found that kindergarten teachers most often implement a project
approach in the practice of Education for Sustainable development. It was
found that there is a statistically significant relationship between all dimensions
of sustainability, which is consistent with integrated approaches
in the work of kindergartens. The overall results of the research point to
further reflections on the measurement of dimensions of sustainability
as indicators of the level of implementation processes of upbringing and
Education for Sustainable development in preschool institutions, but also
significant indicators of aspects of the dimensions of kindergarten work
that need further improvement.
Keywords
social; economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability; integrated; project and problem-oriented approach; kindergarten teachers; education and education for sustainable development
Hrčak ID:
319580
URI
Publication date:
22.7.2024.
Visits: 351 *