The overall aim of this grounded theory multiple-case study was to better understand how K-12 independent schools ("schools") in the United States cultivate a connection between children and adolescents ("students") and the natural world ("environment") by exploring the interplay between this connection and (a) the…

Engagement with nature is crucial for child development and kindergarten educators' pedagogical beliefs about nature play significantly affect children's access to and experiences of nature in kindergarten. This study examines the role of nature play in children's holistic development, engaging 12 Chinese kindergarten educators through in-depth…

Research shows that experiences with nature have positive direct and indirect effects on multiple domains of child development, including language skills. However, few studies have examined the relationship between young children's language and outdoor nature settings. In this quantitative study, we compared children's language use in an indoor…

The first purpose of this qualitative study was to explore self-reported significant life experiences of early childhood educators to determine whether experiences of traditional pre-K educators differed from those who taught in nature-based programs. The second purpose was to explore whether these experiences influenced their teaching practices.…

Metacognition is the process of thinking about one's own thinking, learning, and problem-solving strategies. It involves being aware of one's own cognitive processes and knowing how to regulate and monitor them. Sustainability, instead, refers to the ability to maintain or preserve resources and ecosystems for future generations. Here, we draw…

Research suggests spending time outdoors and with natural materials can benefit all young children across different areas of development. However, children with developmental disabilities often have fewer opportunities to engage with nature as a result of the limited understanding and negative views about nature expressed by their caregivers and…

The loss of biodiversity is a global and local problem and challenge. The problem is solvable only with changed behavior, which can be achieved through education. In the literature, there are no criteria for achieving biodiversity literacy despite internationally binding documents, such as the United Nations' "Agenda 21" and…

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is an educational imperative that requires supporting young learners in developing awareness about--and exploring--concepts, topics and vocabulary of significant importance in environmental education. Chawla (2009, "Journal of Developmental Processes," "4"(1), pp. 6-23) identified two…

The South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) advocates for the integration of Environmental Education (EE) in all grades and subjects. The purpose of this study was to conduct a review of CAPS documents that guide pedagogy in all three subjects offered in Grade R, namely; English (Home Language), Life Skills and Mathematics.…

Recognizing the valuable role nature plays in human development as well as humans' responsibility toward the earth is critically important when considering how to transform education for the betterment of the individual and society. In this article, the author views nature as a force or phenomenon of the metaphysical world. As such, she suggests…

The aim of this study is to determine the mental images of preschool teachers' perceptions about nature through metaphors. Participating in the study on a voluntary basis it consists of a total of 106 preschool teachers. The phenomenology design from the qualitative research designs was administrated in this study aiming to specify the perceptions…

Today's technologies are rapidly impacting how children learn, play, communicate, and interact with others. Popular media and common wisdom often portray children's technology use as detrimental to their growth and wellbeing. However, in recent years, a wealth of research in Child-Computer Interaction (CCI), education, and health informatics…

A substantial body of research highlights the value of nature experience in supporting children's well-being and development. Given the growing interest in connectedness to nature (C2N), a better understanding of C2N measurement provides multiple opportunities, including consideration of the use of tools for research purposes and practitioner…

As environmental education and sustainability education play a fundamental role in training citizens who are more aware of global change and more environmentally responsible, organic learning is a recommended alternative learning experience for young children. This article describes how one kindergarten class in South Korea applied organic…

This study theoretically aligns with research that purports that nature play positively contributes to sustainability stewardship. Early childhood teachers can plan for and nurture children's capabilities and dispositions for sustainability stewardship. Initial teacher education programs contribute to the professional learning of preservice early…