Reseach on early childhood environmental education to foster an ecological world view

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K02717
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09040:Education on school subjects and primary/secondary education-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Ohtani University
• Principal Investigator: Inoue Michiko 大阪大谷大学, 教育学部, 教授 (80269919)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 環境教育 / 幼児 / 保育 / 稲作 / 質問紙調査

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Under the goal of constructing a theory that contributes to the diffusion of environmental education in early childhood services and proposing model practices, a rice paddy was constructed in one early childhood education and care center to explore whether experience of traditional primary industry is effective in fostering an "ecological view of nature" from infancy. The five-year-old children worked on rice cultivation program throughout the year. Through this practice and professional development of educators, both children and educators became aware of the relationship between human life and nature. A questionnaire was also conducted at early childhood services in Tokyo and Hyogo prefectures in 2022. The survey has revealed the actual implementation of rice cultivation activities, the conceptual understanding of early childhood educators, and the reality of activities related to environmental education in early childhood settings.

Free Research Field

環境教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

幼児期の環境教育の実践として伝統的第一次産業の模擬的体験に効果があることが確認でき、日本の伝統的産業である稲作という点からも国際的にも発信力を持ち得る学術的成果である。保育現場の実態調査からは稲作の実施実態やその目的設定、保育者の環境教育などについての概念理解の実態がいずれも不十分であることがわかり、幼児期の環境教育として伝統的第一次産業の模擬的体験の導入を進めていく意義が確認できた。持続可能な社会の形成は21世紀の人類の最大の課題であり、幼児期の教育から持続可能な社会の作り手を意識した教育を行うことは重要であり、本研究で確認した成果をふまえた保育実践が普及すればその社会的意義は大きい。