Evaluation of the Architectural Features and Physical Environment in Early Childhood Education Framework
Vol. 7 No. 2 (2021): February
Research Articles
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Many initial childhood settings worldwide have started to create an environment and educational system that would increase the children's environmental awareness and the ways to minimize it. A newly built ecological kindergarten in Antalya, Turkey, has adopted an educational system in which children are getting involved with nature in most of their daily routines. This study intended to learn if the physical environment of the declared setting responds to the early childhood environmental education work frame. Accordingly, the study has adopted "Guidelines for Excellence, Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs'' as the primary resource for an evaluation checklist. Data collection is conducted via an in-depth site analysis, as well as the questionnaire survey of teachers and parents regarding their perception of the kindergarten's physical environment. The results showed that the physical environment of the kindergarten does not meet the requirements of the early education environmental framework. This study underlines the importance of profound research studies that analyze the architectural features of an early environmental education setting and the ways improving its physical attributes may promote the children environmental education.
Doi: 10.28991/cej-2021-03091657
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Izadpanah, S., Parvaresh, P., & Šžekerci, Y. (2021). Evaluation of the Architectural Features and Physical Environment in Early Childhood Education Framework. Civil Engineering Journal, 7(2), 330–342. https://doi.org/10.28991/cej-2021-03091657
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[27] North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). "Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence”. Washington, DC: NAAEE, (2010).
[2] Taylor, Andrea Faber, and Frances E. Kuo. "Is Contact with Nature Important for Healthy Child Development? State of the Evidence.” Edited by Christopher Spencer and Mark Blades. Children and Their Environments, Cambridge University Press (2006): 124–140. doi:10.1017/cbo9780511521232.009.
[3] Kellert, Stephen. R. "Building for Life: Designing and Understanding the Human-Nature Connection”. Washington, DC: Island Press, (2005).
[4] Louv, Richard. "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder”. New York, NY: Algonquin Books, (2008).
[5] Fitzgerald, Meghan. "Why Nature Makes the Best Classroom”. Available online: https://tinkergarten.com/blog/why-nature-makes-the-best-classroom (accessed on November 2020).
[6] North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). "Nature preschools and forest kindergartens: 2017 national survey”. Washington, DC: NAAEE, (2017).
[7] Elliott, Sue, and Julie Davis. "Mud pies and daisy chains: Connecting young children and nature." Every Child 10, no. 4 (2004): 4-5.
[8] Available online: https://www.farmkindergartens.net/ (accessed on November 2020).
[9] Rutter, Michael. "The Interplay of Nature, Nurture, and Developmental Influences: The Challenge Ahead for Mental Health.” Archives of General Psychiatry 59, no. 11 (November 1, 2002): 996-1000. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.59.11.996.
[10] Mustard, F. "Early childhood development: The base for a learning society”. Paper presented at the HRDC / OECD Meeting, December 7, in Ottawa, Canada, (2000).
[11] Davis, Julie M. "Young children, environmental education and the future”. Early Childhood Education Journal, 26(2), (1998): 117-123.
[12] Inoue, Michiko. "Fostering an Ecological Worldview in Children: Rethinking Children and Nature in Early Childhood Education from a Japanese Perspective.” Springer International Handbooks of Education (2020): 995–1024. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-67286-1_55.
[13] Türel, Ahmet, and Elmira Ayşe Gür. "Effects of Primary School's Physical Environment on Children's Spatial Perception and Behavior.” Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research 13, no. 2 (July 15, 2019): 425–443. doi:10.1108/arch-12-2018-0048.
[14] Weldemariam, Kassahun, Diane Boyd, Nicky Hirst, Barbara Maria Sageidet, Jamison K. Browder, Leanne Grogan, and Fran Hughes. "A Critical Analysis of Concepts Associated with Sustainability in Early Childhood Curriculum Frameworks Across Five National Contexts.” International Journal of Early Childhood 49, no. 3 (September 14, 2017): 333–351. doi:10.1007/s13158-017-0202-8.
[15] Cordiano, Tori S., Alexis Lee, Joshua Wilt, Audrey Elszasz, Lisa K. Damour, and Sandra W. Russ. "Nature-Based Education and Kindergarten Readiness: Nature-Based and Traditional Preschoolers Are Equally Prepared for Kindergarten." International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education 6, no. 3 (2019): 18-36.
[16] Alp, Elvan, Hamide Ertepinar, Ceren Tekkaya, and Ayhan Yilmaz. "A Statistical Analysis of Children's Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes in Turkey.” International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education 15, no. 3 (August 15, 2006): 210–223. doi:10.2167/irgee193.0.
[17] Makki, Maha Haidar, Fouad Abd-El-Khalick, and Saouma BouJaoude. "Lebanese secondary school students' environmental knowledge and attitudes." Environmental Education Research 9, no. 1 (2003): 21-33. doi:10.1080/13504620303468.
[18] Phenice, Lillian A., and Robert J. Griffore. "Young Children and the Natural World.” Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood 4, no. 2 (June 2003): 167–171. doi:10.2304/ciec.2003.4.2.6.
[19] Ewert, Alan, Greg Place, and Jim Sibthorp. "Early-life outdoor experiences and an individual's environmental attitudes." Leisure Sciences 27, no. 3 (2005): 225-239. doi:10.1080/01490400590930853.
[20] North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). Taking Preschool Outdoors, Natural Start Alliance Forum: Promoting Early Childhood EE (2020).
[21] Berris, Rebecca, and Evonne Miller. "How design of the physical environment impacts on early learning: Educators' and parents' perspectives." Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 36, no. 4 (2011): 102-110. doi:10.1177/183693911103600414.
[22] Moore, Gary T., and Takemi Sugiyama. "The children's physical environment rating scale (CP ERS): Reliability and validity for assessing the physical environment of early childhood educational facilities." Children Youth and Environments 17, no. 4 (2007): 24-53.
[23] Evans, Gary W. "Child Development and the Physical Environment.” Annual Review of Psychology 57, no. 1 (January 2006): 423–451. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190057.
[24] Clark, Helen. Building Education: The Role of the Physical Environment in Enhancing Teaching and Research. Issues in Practice. Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, England, (2002).
[25] Elizabeth Matthews, Peter C. Lippman, "The Physical Environment of Early Childhood Centers: A Case Study in the use of Break-Out Spaces,” International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education 7, no. 2, (June 2016): 2774-2781.
[26] Dudek, Mark. "Kindergarten architecture: Space for the imagination.” Taylor & Francis, (2000).
[27] North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). "Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence”. Washington, DC: NAAEE, (2010).
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