Abstract
Learning and development in early childhood is highly dependent on social interaction and exploration through continuous encounters with the real world. Foraging and gardening are outdoor pedagogical practices that have relevance to education for sustainability. Previous work suggests that engagement in such activities can be characterized by the concept “community of practice” (CoP). In this paper, we explore how characteristics of the CoP can be recognized in foraging and gardening projects performed in the Arctic region of Norway, and we discuss how these activities can contribute to social and cultural aspects of sustainability. Data collection included focus group interviews with kindergarten staff (teachers and assistants) and videos taken of foraging and gardening activities with the children. Our data indicate that the hallmarks of CoP, domain, community, and practice, are strongly recognized in these projects through increased interest, social interaction, and agency for learning. This mutual engagement and participation in the CoPs for foraging and gardening connect both staff and children to local food heritage and culture for a sustainable future.
Highlights
Sustainability is a growing research field in early childhood education (ECE) [1,2,3,4,5].Early childhood education for sustainability (ECEfS) has evolved from learning about nature and sustainability issues to becoming more active by learning in nature and for a sustainable future [6]
The second aim was to explore how these activities worked in implementing pedagogical approaches to ECEfS, and the third aim was to establish whether these activities could contribute to learning and agency for the social and cultural aspects of sustainability within the context of ECE
The foraging and gardening projects in this study can be recognized as community of practice” (CoP) where all the members in the kindergartens were engaged and learned in the practice
Summary
Sustainability is a growing research field in early childhood education (ECE) [1,2,3,4,5].Early childhood education for sustainability (ECEfS) has evolved from learning about nature and sustainability issues to becoming more active by learning in nature and for a sustainable future [6]. Norway values nature and outdoor recreation greatly and has an outdoor law (friluftslov) providing common access to nature areas for activities such as hiking and recreation [25]. This law ensures that everyone has the freedom to harvest wild plant resources and mushrooms for their own use with due care. Government suggests that children and youth should get insight into foraging as a part of the Norwegian culture and as a contribution to education for sustainability [26] This enables Norwegian kindergartens to focus on local food traditions through outdoor activities, transferring to the children practical skills and local knowledge about natural food resources, including places and seasons for foraging. In the Arctic region of Norway (north of the polar circle), the context for learning activities outdoors is highly dependent on the Arctic climate, the changing seasons, and the local cultural traditions [27]
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