Promoting Sustainability Through Multimodal Storytelling

Abstract

In recent years, sustainability has been increasingly recognized within the early childhood education and care (ECEC) context. Early childhood educators’ capacities to design meaningful learning opportunities for young children have been underlined. The article reports on a study of student teachers’ learning during a project about multimodal storytelling and sustainability in ECEC teacher education. The study explores how multi-modal storytelling might contribute to the capacity to conduct education for sustainability in the context of ECEC. The participants were first-year student teachers at a Finnish university. The results show that multimodal storytelling can contribute to addressing challenging issues linked to sustainability through holistic learning processes. Hereby, multimodal storytelling opens for the exploration of existential issues and complex aspects of sustainability education. It contributes to the reflection and discussion of values, knowledge and skills that are vital for the capacity to conduct sustainability education in the early childhood.

Reflection of Concept Modelling on Student Teachers’ Learning Experiences From a Primary Education Perspective

“…In other words, student teachers recognize the need for and value of multimodal teaching (cf. Furu et al, 2021). Nevertheless, we see a need and the potential to improve teaching and learning experiences in teacher education about the modelling of complex concepts.…”

Transdisciplinary education for sustainability. Creativity and awareness in teacher training

“…As explained in , where some preliminary results with a smaller sample were analyzed, the educational experience was designed according to the pattern of socioformative didactic sequences (Tobón et al, 2010) and the 10.3389/feduc.2023.1327641 model of complementary tasks. The use of storytelling is believed to be a good approach to addressing challenging issues regarding sustainability through holistic learning processes (Furu et al, 2021) and promoting creativity (Echegoyen-Sanz and Martín-Ezpeleta, 2021a).…”

Who is the ‘Guardian of the Sea’? A Narrative Practice Approach Analysis of a Short Story Book for Six to Eight Years Old on the Main Character's Environmental Identity Construction

“…and in debating about the issues presented (e.g., should we use plastic objects, can we afford not to use plastic objects, etc.). On that note, Furu et al (2022) argue that students need to be holistically engaged with their bodies and feelings for sustainability learning to be effective. Hence, young children can have opportunities to understand in more depth the complexities of environmental issues and develop an environmental identity that is based on better informed and more ëconsciousí decisions rather than accepting in a dogmatic like-manner the importance of protecting oceans and the environment.…”

“…Summers (2013) highlighted that one issue teachers and lecturers have to overcome in order to promote sustainability education is overcoming anxieties relevant to issues that can be politically laden. Story books can contribute to creating ëfriendlyí and familiar contexts for teachers to use in class (Furu et al, 2022). The use of the story in this project is beyond the formal educational context, even though teachers can use stories in class to deliver the curriculum.…”