Education for Sustainable Development in Early Childhood Education: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53905/ChildDev.v2i02.12Keywords:
education for sustainable development, early childhood education, sustainability education, preschool, kindergarten, environmental educationAbstract
Purpose of the study: This systematic literature review examines the scope, characteristics, and key findings of published research on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Early Childhood Education (ECE), providing a comprehensive analysis of the field from 2010 to 2024.
Materials and methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, a comprehensive electronic search was conducted across four major databases: Scopus, Web of Science (Core Collection), ERIC (ProQuest), and Google Scholar. The search was performed in January 2025, covering publications from January 2010 to December 2024. Studies were included if they were peer-reviewed, published in English, and focused on ESD or sustainability education within ECE settings for children aged 0-8 years. After systematic screening and quality assessment, 47 studies met the final inclusion criteria.
Results: The reviewed literature demonstrates that ESD in ECE is a growing yet geographically concentrated research field, dominated by Nordic and Australian scholarship. Five major thematic clusters emerged: (1) conceptual and theoretical frameworks (n = 12), (2) teacher perspectives and professional development (n = 10), (3) curriculum and pedagogical approaches (n = 11), (4) children's agency and participation (n = 8), and (5) national and regional policy implementation (n = 6). Qualitative methodologies predominated (59.6%), while recent years witnessed increased diversification of research approaches and geographic scope, particularly from Southeast Asia.
Conclusions: ESD in ECE constitutes a significant and evolving research domain with strong global policy relevance, particularly in the context of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, significant disparities in knowledge production between the Global North and Global South persist. Future research should prioritize cross-cultural studies, longitudinal designs, and expanded investigation of ESD integration within diverse national curriculum frameworks, particularly in low-to-middle income countries.
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