Naciye Öztürk

This study aims to examine how forest school practices support Early Childhood Education for Sustainability (ECEfS) and to explore how sustained engagement with nature extends or challenges the existing 7R themes (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Redistribute, Respect, Reflect, and Rethink). Using a qualitative case study design, the research was conducted in a forest school in Türkiye and involved semi-structured interviews with five preschool teachers, as well as structured and unstructured classroom observations. Data were analysed through a systematic three-level content analysis guided by the 7Rs. The findings reveal that ECEfS is enacted through interconnected practices of reducing consumption, reusing materials, recycling through composting, redistributing resources, rethinking, reflecting, and fostering respect. However, sustained and immersive engagement with nature emerged as a distinct pedagogical dimension not fully captured by the existing 7Rs, leading to the identification of an eighth theme: Reconnect with Nature. By addressing a gap in the literature regarding how sustainability is enacted in nature-based early childhood settings, the study contributes conceptually by extending the 7R themes and empirically by illustrating how teachers integrate sustainability into everyday forest school practices. The findings have important implications for practice, policy, and research, suggesting that ECEfS should prioritise daily sustainability routines, teacher-led reflective and relational pedagogies, and sustained immersion in natural environments. Furthermore, policy frameworks and teacher education programmes should explicitly recognise nature connection as a core component of ECEfS. Finally, future research should examine the long-term impacts of such approaches across diverse educational contexts.

This study aimed to explore preschool teachers' knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding early childhood education for sustainability within the framework of sustainability literacy. To achieve this, we validated the Sustainability Literacy Survey, combining three sections: the Sustainable Development Knowledge Scale, the Attitude toward Sustainable Development Scale and the Early Childhood Education for Sustainability Practices Scale. The survey assesses teachers' understanding of sustainability concepts, their willingness to incorporate sustainability into their teaching, and how they implement sustainability‐related practices in their classrooms. We collected data from 345 teachers serving at public and private preschools in Türkiye. Participants varied in teaching experiences and educational backgrounds. Analyses began with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to establish the validity and reliability of the three scales. Then, we conducted correlation and regression analyses to examine the relationships among knowledge, attitudes and practices, while t‐tests identified differences based on external factors such as school type. The results indicated that education for sustainability practices is primarily driven by teachers' knowledge and attitudes rather than their education level. Although in‐service and preservice programs correlated sustainability‐related understanding, this knowledge did not directly predict classroom practices. Instead, positive attitudes emerged as the critical factor linking knowledge to sustainability practices.

Araştırmanın amacı, 11-36 aylık çocukların ev medya ortamlarının, ilk medya araçları ile etkileşimleri ve genel kullanım alışkanlıklarını incelemektir. Nicel araştırmalardan tarama modeli ile yürütülen araştırmanın çalışma grubunu, 217 ebeveyn oluşturmuştur. Ebeveynler, araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen Bilgi Formu ve Medya Anketinde yer alan soruları yanıtlamışlardır. Veriler, SPSS aracılığı ile betimsel olarak analiz edilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda çocukların tamamının evlerinde en az bir akıllı telefon, tamamına yakınında televizyon, üçte ikisinde bilgisayar ve yaklaşık yarısında da tablet olduğu bulunmuştur. Çocukların medya araçları ile ilk etkileşimlerinin ortalama 13. ayda genellikle televizyon ve akıllı telefon ile gerçekleştiği görülmüştür. Çocukların medya araçları ile ilk etkileşim nedenleri arasında en çok video izlemek yer almaktadır. Mevcut durumda ise çocukların televizyon, tablet, akıllı telefon ve bilgisayar gibi medya araçlarıyla günlük ortalama 96 dakika etkileşime geçtikleri belirlenmiştir. Çocuklar medya araçları ile en çok ebeveynleri başka bir işle uğraşırken etkileşim kurmaktadırlar. Çocuklar medya araçları ile ilgilenirken, çoğunlukla yanlarında ebeveynleri, kardeşleri, akranları veya bir yetişkin bulunmaktadır. Ebeveynler, çocuklarının medya kullanım süresi ve izleyecekleri içeriğe ilişkin kuralları olduğunu belirtmişlerdir. Bu sonuçlar, küçük çocukların oldukça erken dönemde medya araçları ile etkileşim kurduklarını ve ebeveynlerin medya etkileşim kararlarında etkili olduklarını göstermektedir. Bu sonuçlar temel alınarak, gelecek araştırmalarda, mevcut araştırmanın sonuçlarının derinleştirilerek, ebeveynlerin medya araçlarının kullanımına ilişkin koydukları kurallara dair (tercih etme nedenleri, uygulama durumları/ sıklıkları vb.) araştırmalar yapılabilir. Ayrıca, uygulayıcılar ve politika yapıcılar tarafından erken dönemde ailelerin medya araçlarının kullanımına yönelik farkındalıklarını artırmaya rehberlik edecek uygulamalar ve eğitsel stratejiler geliştirilebilir.

This article is dedicated to examining a bilateral project established between the Republic of Korea and Türkiye, with the overarching objective of elevating awareness and endowing preschool teachers with the capacity to embed education for sustainability (EfS) within their classroom practices seamlessly. For this purpose, a professional development (PD) program was developed regarding three pillars of sustainability and 7R themes. Fourteen preschool teachers attended the PD program. Three teachers participated in this case study to reveal teachers' transformation regarding sustainability and early childhood education for sustainability. The data were collected through pre-post-follow-up interviews and classroom observations. Thematic content analyses were conducted. According to the results, the PD program enhanced and deepened teachers’ sustainability knowledge. In addition, teachers could transfer the knowledge from the PD program on education for sustainability into their practice not entirely but acceptably, and they have a chance to reconsider their lifestyle habits regarding sustainability in many areas.

Visuals, are significant instructional tools that facilitate children's learning, provide an aesthetic perspective, and contribute to classroom management. This study investigated preschool classroom visuals on walls from the perspective of preschool teachers. The data was collected from 58 preschool teachers working in Ankara by using the Demographic Information Form and Classroom Visuals Questionnaire developed for this study. The data were analyzed with content analysis qualitatively. This study has found that generally, the visuals used in preschool classrooms mainly display children's works, basic concepts, and classroom rules. There are limited visuals representing diversity, especially for people with special needs and most of the teachers use visuals related to diversity and people with special needs during special days and weeks. Finally, the majority of static and non-static visuals are created by the teachers for their classrooms. The findings of this study, which provide a snapshot of classroom visuals from the perspective of preschool teachers, yield interventionists and researchers who work on classroom environments and learning methods, emphasizing the importance of visuals in the development, and learning of young children.

This study aims to review the scientific papers on Early Childhood Education for Sustainability (ECEfS) published between 2008 and 2020 and reveal changes in the area. This systematic review was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, a systematic review of papers on ECEfS was conducted according to the specified criteria, and all identified studies were evaluated descriptively. In the second stage, interventional research was evaluated, and their results were reviewed. It was seen that qualitative research methods were mostly preferred in the reviewed studies and most of them were conducted with children. It was determined that the most frequently discussed pillar is environmental. Moreover, the number of interventional research studies is limited. The research findings, it is thought that there is a need for future studies that use interventional, experimental and action research methods, holistically addressing pillars of sustainability

This study aimed to analyze the home environment of young children with disabilities. Data related to overall home environment was collected from 145 mothers by using the Turkish Form of the Home Screening Questionnaire (HSQ-T), while the home learning environment including the involvement of the mothers and the learning materials available in the home was assessed through individual interviews with mothers. The finding revealed that the 50.35 percent of the children live in low-quality homes and whereas the remainders live in high-quality homes based on the cut-off points of the HSQ-T score. The HSQ-T scores were found to be significantly related to parental involvement, education level and income of the mothers, and the developmental functions of the children measured by the Abilities Index. The mothers who live in less crowded homes participated in activities with their children more than those in the other group. Additionally, a comparison of the home quality of CWDs with and without access to home-made toys revealed a significant difference in the HSQ- T scores of the two groups of children, and finally, the maternal involvement was found to be the main predictor of the home environment of children.