I Like the Red Plants: Children's Perceptions of their Local Natural Environments in Australia and Singapore

Abstract

Research has raised concerns that there is a growing disparity between young children and their local, natural environments [1; 2]. Concerns over environmental issues and children's awareness of their local, natural environment have further prompted education departments to include environmental and sustainability concepts in curriculum documents. In the most recent Australian curriculum, currently in draft form, a major component of the curriculum has included sustainability [3]. To gain an understanding of children's awareness of their environment, an action research study was conducted between Australia and Singapore with two groups of children aged five to seven years. The study explored children's perceptions of their local natural environments and whether, if they were offered an authentic, real-life activity such as postcard exchanges with children in another location, their awareness of, and interest in, both their own and others’ local natural environments would increase. The study found that while children's awareness of sustainability and their local, natural environment increased through the activity, children in Australia were more aware of, and interacted with, their local natural environment than children in Singapore.