Principals´ Views on and Descriptions of Preschool Education for Sustainable Development
Keywords:
early childhood education; eco-certification; organizational leadership; preschool principal; sustainable development
Abstract
Principals have an important role to play when it comes to making decisions on organizational reforms and priorities in preschool; however, there has been little focus on their views on education for sustainable development (ESD) at the preschool level, which is a reform that needs to be prioritized. Furthermore, there is little insight into similarities and differences when it comes to how different types of preschools incorporate ESD, especially from the point of view of management. For this reason, this study aims to find out about the views on ESD that principals of eco-certified and non-eco-certified preschools have. A further aim is to examine whether there are any differences between the two types of preschools – eco-certified and non-eco-certified – as made evident in the principals’ descriptions of ESD. This qualitative study applies a cross-sectional design. Seven principals, who headed a total of 22 preschools located in six municipalities in Sweden were interviewed: these interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and a thematic analysis was conducted. The findings demonstrate that the principals consider ESD to be crucial in early childhood education and feel ESD needs to be integrated into preschool education. Going by the principals’ descriptions, it seems that the eco-certified preschools prioritize ESD in their daily educational practices more than non-eco-certified preschools do. Further studies are needed to explore the attitudes and actions of principals when it comes to heading ESD in preschool, since attitudes guide both actions and behavior.
References
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Carr, V., Johnson, L. J., & Corkwell, C. (2009). Principle-centered leadership in early childhood education. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 37(3), 25-32.
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Lunneblad, J., & Garvis, S. (2019). A study of Swedish preschool directors’ perspectives on leadership and organization. Early Child Development and Care, 189(6), 938-945. doi:10.1080/03004430.2017.1354855
Mackey, G. (2012). To know, to decide, to act: The young child’s right to participate in action for the environment. Environmental Education Research, 18(4), 473-484. doi:10.1080/13504622.2011.634494
Mogren, A., & Gericke, N. (2017). ESD implementation at the school organisation level, part 2 – investigating the transformative perspective in school leaders’ quality strategies at ESD schools. Environmental Education Research, 23(7), 993-1014. doi:10.1080/13504622.2016.1226266
Pramling Samuelsson, I. (2011). Why we should begin early with ESD: The role of early childhood education. International Journal of Early Childhood, 43(2), 103-118.
Ryan, G. W., & Bernard, H. R. (2003). Techniques to identify themes. Field Methods, 15(1), 85-109. doi:10.1177/1525822x02239569
SCB (2020) Stockholm: Statistiska centralbyrån. Förskola – Personal – Riksnivå. Tabell 2 A: Antalheltidstjänster, personaltäthet och anställda 2014–2018. Retrieved 03-06, 2020 from https://www.skolverket.se/skolutveckling/statistik/sok-statistik-om-forskola-skola-och-vuxenutbildning?sok=SokC&verkform=F%C3%B6rskola&omrade=Personal&lasar=2015&run=1
Schein, E. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (3rd Ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons.
Sergiovanni, T. J. (2003). The lifeworld at the center: Values and actions in educational leadership. In A. Bennett, M. Crawfold & M. Cartwright (Eds.), Effective educational leadership. London: Open University Press in association with Paul Chapman Publishing.
Siraj-Blatchford, J., Smith, K. C., & Samuelsson, I. P. (2010). Education for sustainable development in the early years: World Organization for Early Childhood Education [Göteborg].
SKOLFS (2009:19). Skolverkets föreskrifter om utmärkelsen Skola för hållbar utveckling. Retrieved 02-07, 2009 from https://skolfs-service.skolverket.se/api/v1/download/grundforfattning/2009:19
Skolverket (2018). Preschool and preschool class, For children aged 1-6. Retrieved 10-16, 2018 from http://www.omsvenskaskolan.se/engelska/foerskolan-och-foerskoleklass/
Skolverket (2018a). Curriculum for the Preschool 2018. The Swedish National Agency for Education. Stockholm: Skolverket.
Talan, T. N., Bloom, P. J. & Kelton, R. E. (2014). Building the leadership capacity of early childhood directors: An evaluation of a leadership development model. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 16(1).
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Zachariou, A., & Kadji‐Beltran, C. (2009). Cypriot primary school principals’ understanding of education for sustainable development key terms and their opinions about factors affecting its implementation. Environmental Education Research, 15(3), 315-342. doi:10.1080/13504620902862902
Ärlemalm-Hagsér, E., & Davis, J. (2014). Examining the rhetoric: A comparison of how sustainability and young children's participation and agency are framed in Australian and Swedish early childhood education curricula. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 15(3), 231-244. doi:10.2304/ciec.2014.15.3.231
Bloom, P. J., & Sheerer, M. (1992). The effect of leadership training on childcare program quality. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 7(4), 579-594. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0885-2006(92)90112-C
Borg, C., Gericke, N., Höglund, H.-O., & Bergman, E. (2012). The barriers encountered by teachers implementing education for sustainable development: Discipline bound differences and teaching traditions. Research in Science & Technological Education, 30(2), 185-207. doi:10.1080/02635143.2012.699891
Borg, F., & Pramling Samuelsson, I. (2019). Education for Sustainability in the New Preschool Curriculum in Sweden. Paper presented at the ECER 2019, Hamburg, "Education in an Era of Risk - the Role of Educational Research for the Future", Universität Hamburg, 3-6 September 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:du-29960
Borg, F., Winberg, M., & Vinterek, M. (2017). Children’s Learning for a Sustainable Society: Influences from Home and Preschool. Education Inquiry, 8(2), 151-172. doi:10.1080/20004508.2017.1290915
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Carr, V., Johnson, L. J., & Corkwell, C. (2009). Principle-centered leadership in early childhood education. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 37(3), 25-32.
Climate Council. (2019). The facts about bushfires and climate change. Retrieved 04-09, 2019 from https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/not-normal-climate-change-bushfire-web/
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education (7th Ed). London and New York: Routledge.
Corney, G. (2006). Education for sustainable development: An empirical study of the tensions and challenges faced by geography student teachers. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 15(3), 224-240. doi:10.2167/irgee194.0
Corsaro, W. A., Molinary, L., & Brown Rosier, K. (2002). Zena and Carlotta: Transition narratives and early education in the United States and Italy. Human Development, 5(5), 323-348.
Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2011). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (2nd ed.). Washington DC: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Davies, B. (2007). Developing sustainable leadership. Management in Education, 21(3), 4-9. doi:10.1177/0892020607079984
Davis, J. (2005). Educating for sustainability in the early years: Creating cultural change in a childcare setting. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 21, 47-55.
Davis, J. M. (2015). What is early childhood education for sustainability and why does it matter? In J. M. Davis (Ed.), Young children and the environment: Early education for sustainability (pp. 7-31). Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
Fullan, M., & Ballew, A. C. (2004). Leading in a culture of change: Personal action guide and workbook. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Gibson, M. (2015). Leadership for creating cultures of sustainability. In M. D. Julie (Ed.), Young children and the environment: Early childhood education for sustainability (2nd ed., pp. 55-74). Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
Gough, A. (2006). Sustainable schools in the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development: Meeting the challenge? South African Journal of Environmental Education 23, 48-63.
Hayden, J. (1997). Directors of early childhood services: Experience, preparedness and selection. Journal of Australian Research in Early Childhood Education, 1, 49-61.
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. Intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Håkansson, J. (2017). Leadership for learning in the preschool: Preschool managers’ perspectives on strategies and actions in the systematic quality work. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 0(0). doi:10.1177/1741143217732794
HSR. (2019). Håll Sverige Rent. Retrieved from https://www.hsr.se/
Jackson, L. (2007). Leading sustainable schools: What the research tells us. UK: National college for school Leadership. Retrieved from http://www.arcworld.org/downloads/14669_lead_sus_school%20(2).pdf
Jensen, B. B. (2005). Education for sustainable development – building capacity and empowerment. Conference report on Education for sustainable development, in Esbjerg, Denmark. Retrieved from http://www.ubu10.dk/downloadfiles/Seed%20Conference%20Report.pdf
Kagan, S. L., & Bowman, B. T. (1997). Leadership in Early Care and Education. Washington DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Lewis, E., Mansfield, C., & Baudains, C. (2010). Going on a turtle egg hunt and other adventures: Education for sustainability in early childhood. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 35(4), 95-100.
Lunneblad, J., & Garvis, S. (2019). A study of Swedish preschool directors’ perspectives on leadership and organization. Early Child Development and Care, 189(6), 938-945. doi:10.1080/03004430.2017.1354855
Mackey, G. (2012). To know, to decide, to act: The young child’s right to participate in action for the environment. Environmental Education Research, 18(4), 473-484. doi:10.1080/13504622.2011.634494
Mogren, A., & Gericke, N. (2017). ESD implementation at the school organisation level, part 2 – investigating the transformative perspective in school leaders’ quality strategies at ESD schools. Environmental Education Research, 23(7), 993-1014. doi:10.1080/13504622.2016.1226266
Pramling Samuelsson, I. (2011). Why we should begin early with ESD: The role of early childhood education. International Journal of Early Childhood, 43(2), 103-118.
Ryan, G. W., & Bernard, H. R. (2003). Techniques to identify themes. Field Methods, 15(1), 85-109. doi:10.1177/1525822x02239569
SCB (2020) Stockholm: Statistiska centralbyrån. Förskola – Personal – Riksnivå. Tabell 2 A: Antalheltidstjänster, personaltäthet och anställda 2014–2018. Retrieved 03-06, 2020 from https://www.skolverket.se/skolutveckling/statistik/sok-statistik-om-forskola-skola-och-vuxenutbildning?sok=SokC&verkform=F%C3%B6rskola&omrade=Personal&lasar=2015&run=1
Schein, E. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (3rd Ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons.
Sergiovanni, T. J. (2003). The lifeworld at the center: Values and actions in educational leadership. In A. Bennett, M. Crawfold & M. Cartwright (Eds.), Effective educational leadership. London: Open University Press in association with Paul Chapman Publishing.
Siraj-Blatchford, J., Smith, K. C., & Samuelsson, I. P. (2010). Education for sustainable development in the early years: World Organization for Early Childhood Education [Göteborg].
SKOLFS (2009:19). Skolverkets föreskrifter om utmärkelsen Skola för hållbar utveckling. Retrieved 02-07, 2009 from https://skolfs-service.skolverket.se/api/v1/download/grundforfattning/2009:19
Skolverket (2018). Preschool and preschool class, For children aged 1-6. Retrieved 10-16, 2018 from http://www.omsvenskaskolan.se/engelska/foerskolan-och-foerskoleklass/
Skolverket (2018a). Curriculum for the Preschool 2018. The Swedish National Agency for Education. Stockholm: Skolverket.
Talan, T. N., Bloom, P. J. & Kelton, R. E. (2014). Building the leadership capacity of early childhood directors: An evaluation of a leadership development model. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 16(1).
UNESCO. (2002). Education for sustainability – From Rio to Johannesburg: Lessons learnt from a decade of commitment. The report was prepared by UNESCO in its role as Task Manager for Chapter 36 of Agenda 21 and the International Work Programme on Education, Public Awareness and Sustainability of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). Paris: UNESCO Education Sector.
UNESCO. (2005) Draft International Implementation Scheme for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), 172 EX/11, Paris: UNESCO.
UNESCO. (2006). Framework for the UN DESD International Implementation Scheme. Paris: UNESCO Retrieved 05-25, 2017 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001486/148650E.pdf
UNESCO. (2016). Education 2030: Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action. Towards inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all. Paris: UNESCO Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002432/243278e.pdf
UNESCO. (2019). What is education for sustainable development? United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. Retrieved 01-22, 2019 from https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-sustainable-development/what-is-esd
United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. United Nations. Retrieved 12-19, 2015 from http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E
United Nations (2017). Global Goals. Retrieved 08-19, 2017 from http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
Vetenskapsrådet (2011). God forskningssed. Stockholm: Vetenskapsrådet. Retrieved from https://publikationer.vr.se/produkt/god-forskningssed/.
Vetenskapsrådet (2017). Good research practice. Swedish Research Council. Stockholm: Sweden. Retrieved 08-25, 2017 from https://www.vr.se/download/18.5639980c162791bbfe697882/1529480529472/Good-Research-Practice_VR_2017.pdf
WCED. (1987). Our common future: The world commission on environment and development. United Nations. UK: Oxford University Press.
Zachariou, A., & Kadji‐Beltran, C. (2009). Cypriot primary school principals’ understanding of education for sustainable development key terms and their opinions about factors affecting its implementation. Environmental Education Research, 15(3), 315-342. doi:10.1080/13504620902862902
Ärlemalm-Hagsér, E., & Davis, J. (2014). Examining the rhetoric: A comparison of how sustainability and young children's participation and agency are framed in Australian and Swedish early childhood education curricula. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 15(3), 231-244. doi:10.2304/ciec.2014.15.3.231
Published
2020-06-30
How to Cite
Borg, F., & Vinterek, M. (2020). Principals´ Views on and Descriptions of Preschool Education for Sustainable Development . Journal of Applied Technical and Educational Sciences, 10(2), 18-40. https://doi.org/10.24368/jates.v10i2.170
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