The Mission of Early Childhood Education in the Anthropocene

Abstract

During the last century, the human way of life has begun to transgress many of the Earth’s biophysical boundaries in an alarming way. The consequences of this are more dramatic and long lasting than ever before. Many researchers even argue that humanity has created a new geological epoch, which they call Anthropocene. Education, even in early childhood (EC), is often presented as a remedy for these complex problems. Yet, how can anyone prepare young children to deal with such tremendous changes? The primary aim of our study is to define and outline what the mission of early childhood education (ECE) might be in the epoch of the Anthropocene. Through a comprehensive review of the literature, we have tried to find answers about how the Anthropocene could be addressed in ECE. We have searched for answers in the natural science literature, policy documents, educational research articles and philosophy, and discuss the various standpoints we have identified. We argue that the Anthropocene demands a new, more authentic education; a change towards a more holistic, transformative, sustainability-oriented approach. At the same time, children, as always, have a right to a safe, positive and encouraging childhood.

Species Learning and Biodiversity in Early Childhood Teacher Education

“…An underlying motive of this study was to improve nature and sustainability education for EC teachers. We, in the role of teacher educators and researchers, see species knowledge as part of outdoor education for young children and as a foundation of sustainability education [16]. Therefore, one aim of this study was to investigate Finnish students' species identification skills and their views on the importance of species knowledge.…”

“…and social (or social/cultural) dimensions [14,15]. However, these dimensions overlap, and the distinction is widely discussed and criticized [15,16], and there are voices asking for new holistic sustainability paradigms [15,16], also in relation to ECE. Some of them, for example emphasize, post humanistic approaches and indigenous knowledge [16,17].…”

“…However, these dimensions overlap, and the distinction is widely discussed and criticized [15,16], and there are voices asking for new holistic sustainability paradigms [15,16], also in relation to ECE. Some of them, for example emphasize, post humanistic approaches and indigenous knowledge [16,17]. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were created as part of the post-2015 development agenda (Agenda 2030) and address today's global challenges, including climate change, environmental degradation, poverty, and inequality [18].…”

Transformation toward sustainability in Finnish teacher education policy: Promises and shortcomings

“…(see also Burns, 2018). It is also a distinction between if transformation toward sustainability is addressed as a norm or as an open-ended continuous discourse (see Wolff et al, 2020).…”

The Challenge of Global Environmental Change: Attitudinal Trends in Teachers-In-Training

“…From this paradigm, education is fundamental to promote the empowerment of people and the development of the necessary skills to carry out social transformation, especially in relation to adaptation and resilience [33]. In addition, here it is essential to consider the value base the knowledge and skills are related to, especially since the Anthropocene challenges are strongly value-dependent [34]. In fact, authorities in the field point out that schools often indoctrinate students to become unquestioning consumers who replicate established patterns or, at best, do little to prepare them for the social and ecological realities they will soon inherit [35].…”