Turkish pre-service early childhood education teachers’ perceptions and practices of nature-based teaching on professional experience

Abstract

This paper considers the perceptions and teaching practices of Turkish pre-service early childhood education teachers with regard to nature-based teaching. Nature-based activities rarely take place in Turkish early childhood education settings; accordingly, there is a clear need to develop pre-service teachers’ professional experience related to nature-based teaching to empower them to support children’s learning in natural environments. In this study, eight pre-service teachers applied nature-based teaching in a professional experience placement over a period of 10 weeks. Clarke and Peterson’s (1986) model of teachers’ thoughts and actions guided this study in terms of understanding pre-service teachers’ related perceptions and practices. Qualitative data were collected through activity plans and semi-structured interviews, the findings from which revealed that the implementation of various activities using natural materials and the natural environment increased pre-service teachers’ self-confidence related to nature-based teaching. The primary barriers to the implementation of nature-based teaching activities were reported as being the attitudes of families and school management, weather conditions and pre-service teachers’ lack of knowledge of nature-based pedagogies. These barriers could be addressed by supporting pre-service early childhood teachers’ professional development and by affording them more opportunities to perform nature-related activities in early childhood settings.

Ağaçların Sosyal-Duygusal Hayatımızdaki Yeri ve Eğitim İçeriği Olarak Kullanılması

“…Ülkemizde durum daha da olumsuzbir tablo çiziyor çünkü okul öncesi çocuklarının dışarı, okul bahçesine çıkarılması aileler, öğretmenler ve idareciler tarafından özellikle kış aylarında uzak durulması gereken bir risk olarak görülüyor (Karaarslan-Semiz & Temiz, 2021). Sayısız bilimsel araştırma çocukların doğada zaman geçirmesi ve doğa ile bağ kurmasını savunurken bütün bu bariyerleri yıkmak ancak bu konuda bilgi sahibi olmakla mümkün olacaktır.…”