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Question: A Critical Analysis of Education for Sustainability in Early Childhood Curriculum Documents in China and Norway

Answer: Introduction
Education is key to the global integrated framework of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which has been reaffirmed as a central concern by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2015). However, early childhood education (ECE) has been quite slow at addressing sustainable development (SD) issues and did not play an active role as some other education sectors in developing governmental policies and innovative practices during the United Nations’ Decades of Education for Sustainable Development in 2004–2015. Nevertheless, the advocacy by World Organisation for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) has seen the contribution of ECE to a sustainable society highlighted over the years, “as the values, attitudes, behaviours and skills acquired in this period may have a long-lasting impact in later life” (Pramling Samuelsson & Kaga, 2008, p. 9). Furthermore, it is increasingly recognized that ECE could play a significant role “in preparing present and future citizens and in aiding societies to make the necessary transitions to sustainability” (UNESCO, 2014, p. 70). Therefore, the relevance of early childhood education for sustainability (ECEfS) and the call for pedagogically strong ECE in this domain has continued to be articulated, driving more and more efforts focusing on how to deeply investigate the concepts associated with sustainability in early childhood curricula and encourage more innovative practices (Aürlemalm-Hagsér & Davis, 2014; Centre for Environment and Sustainability, 2009; Davis, 2009, 2015; Davis & Elliott, 2014; Weldemariam et al., 2017).

(Source: Sage Journal, 08 May 2021)

Source Link: https://journals-sagepub-com.onlinedatabase.librarynet.com.my/doi/full/10.1177/2096531119893483