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Early Childhood Educators’ Practices in Education for Sustainable Development in China: Evidence from Shandong Province

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  • Chen Cheng

    (School of Education Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China)

  • Yongping Yu

    (School of Education Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China)

Abstract

Educators can drive educational change and enable children’s learning for sustainable development. Early childhood education is an important component of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and analyzing early childhood educators’ ESD practices can help advance the implementation and realization of ESD. However, the existing overseas studies’ survey instruments do not systematically reflect the basic ideas of ESD. Furthermore, few studies have explored early childhood educators’ ESD practices in China. Therefore, this study established a newly developed and validated instrument, the Early Childhood Educators’ Education for Sustainable Development Practices Scale (ECEESDPS), to assess early childhood educators’ ESD practices. We randomly surveyed 7287 early childhood educators from Shandong Province. The psychometric properties show that the ECEESDPS is a reliable and valid scale that contains four constructs: Values, Content, Competency, and Implementation. The descriptive statistics revealed that educators scored relatively higher for the Values and Implementation constructs, and lower for the Content and Competency constructs. These results suggest that early childhood educators’ ESD practices are generally positive, which correlates with the theoretical background and policies of early childhood education in China. We provide implications for policy development and practical improvement.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen Cheng & Yongping Yu, 2022. "Early Childhood Educators’ Practices in Education for Sustainable Development in China: Evidence from Shandong Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:4:p:2019-:d:746334
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    2. Martín Bascopé & Paolo Perasso & Kristina Reiss, 2019. "Systematic Review of Education for Sustainable Development at an Early Stage: Cornerstones and Pedagogical Approaches for Teacher Professional Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, January.
    3. United Nations UN, 2015. "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Working Papers id:7559, eSocialSciences.
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    1. Ángel Acevedo-Duque & Tohtli Prado-Sabido & Elizabeth Emperatriz García-Salirrosas & Mirtha Mercedes Fernández Mantilla & Velia Graciela Vera Calmet & Nicolás Valle Palomino & Haydee Mercedes Aguilar , 2022. "Postgraduate Trends in the Training of Human Talent for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Jian Li & Eryong Xue & Chang Liu & Xingcheng Li, 2023. "Integrated macro and micro analyses of student burden reduction policies in China: call for a collaborative “family–school–society” model," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.

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