INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND CREATIVE ARTS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE AT BAIT ADZKIA ISLAMIC KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL
Abstract
This paper presents a community development initiative conducted in collaboration with Bait Adzkia Islamic Kindergarten School. A team of five university students undertook the project as part of their Sustainable Development coursework. The initiative's purpose was to engage kindergarten students in creative activities centered on recycling plastic waste into colleges, fostering skills in problem-solving, teamwork, and environmental awareness. The method involved thorough preparation of materials, including collecting and preparing plastic waste, organizing children into groups, and guiding them through the process of creating collages. The results demonstrated significant engagement and satisfaction among the kindergarten students upon completing their artwork, highlighting their enthusiasm and understanding of environmental stewardship. The study's implications underscored the effectiveness of integrating environmental education with creative arts in early childhood settings, promoting sustainable practices and preparing young learners to become responsible global citizens. This initiative contributes to broader discussions on the role of early childhood education in instilling values of environmental sustainability, emphasizing practical applications of theoretical knowledge within community contexts.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Carson, V., Boyd, M., Potter, M., Rhodes, R., Liu, S., & Naylor, P. J. (2022). Protocol for the PLAYshop randomised controlled trial: Examining efficacy of a virtually delivered parent-focused physical literacy intervention for early childhood on child-specific and family-specific outcomes. BMJ Open, 12(12), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066962
Chumo, I., Kabaria, C., Elsey, H., Ozano, K., Phillips-Howard, P. A., & Mberu, B. (2023). Co-creation and self-evaluation: An accountability mechanism process in water, sanitation and hygiene services delivery in childcare centres in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1035284
Gribble, D. (2012). Acting in the Community Interest: a Sustainable Ngo Theatre-in-Education Model for Delivering Child Safety Education in Schools. Injury Prevention, 18(Suppl 1), A53.4-A54. https://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2012-040580e.7
Habtamu, E., Chilo, D., & Desalegn, D. (2022). Determinants of wasting among children aged 6–59 months in Wonago woreda, south Ethiopia. A facility-based unmatched case-control study. PLoS ONE, 17(6 June), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269380
Islam, M., Ercumen, A., Ashraf, S., Rahman, M., Shoab, A. K., Luby, S. P., & Unicomb, L. (2018). Unsafe disposal of feces of children <3 years among households with latrine access in rural Bangladesh: Association with household characteristics, fly presence and child diarrhea. PLoS ONE, 13(4), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0195218
Khoaele, K. K., Gbadeyan, O. J., Chunilall, V., & Sithole, B. (2023). The Devastation of Waste Plastic on the Environment and Remediation Processes: A Critical Review. Sustainability (Switzerland) , 15(6), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065233
Latomme, J., Cardon, G., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., Iotova, V., Koletzko, B., Socha, P., Moreno, L., Androutsos, O., Manios, Y., De Craemer, M., Paw, M. C. A., Summerbell, C., Lobstein, T., Annemans, L., Buijs, G., Reilly, J., Swinburn, B., Ward, D., Grammatikaki, E., … Voegele, C. (2017). Effect and process evaluation of a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention with a randomized cluster design on sedentary behaviour in 4- to 6-year old European preschool children: The ToyBoxstudy. PLoS ONE, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172730
Liu, J., Hu, Z., Du, F., Tang, W., Zheng, S., Lu, S., An, L., & Ding, J. (2023). Environment education: A first step in solving plastic pollution. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 11(March), 2021–2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1130463
Magnusson, L. O., & Elm, A. (2023). The Entangled Intersection of Children’s and Educators’ Engagement in the Educational Environment of a Preschool. Early Childhood Education Journal, 0123456789. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01533-4
Rahman, A., Iqbal, Z., Roberts, C., & Husain, N. (2009). Cluster randomized trial of a parent-based intervention to support early development of children in a low-income country. Child: Care, Health and Development, 35(1), 56–62. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00897.x
Roth, K., Mauer, S., Obinger, M., Ruf, K. C., Graf, C., Kriemler, S., Lenz, D., Lehmacher, W., & Hebestreit, H. (2010). Prevention through activity in kindergarten trial (PAKT): A cluster randomised controlled trial to assess the effects of an activity intervention in preschool children. BMC Public Health, 10, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-410
Shanks, C. B., Milodragovich, A., Smith, E., Izumi, B., Stephens, L., & Ahmed, S. (2021). Preference for fruits and vegetables is linked to plate waste among preschool children. SSM - Population Health, 15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100908
Venkatesan, S., Afroz, M., Navaratnam, S., & Gravina, R. (2023). Circular-Economy-Based Approach to Utilizing Cardboard in Sustainable Building Construction. Buildings, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13010181
Woo, S. K., LePage, B., Chiang, Y. Te, & Fang, W. T. (2022). Predicting the protective behavioral intentions for parents with young children that possess different levels of education in Hong Kong using the theory of planned behavior for air polluted with PM2.5. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13141-9
Ylikörkkö, E. M., Karjalainen, S., & Puroila, A. M. (2023). Toddlers with the Doll Carriage: Children Doing Space of Participation in Early Childhood Education. Early Childhood Education Journal, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01514-7
Zhang, D., Chen, J., Liu, L., Hao, M., & Morse, S. (2023). The waste separation behaviour of primary and middle school students and its influencing factors: Evidence from Yingtan City, China. Environmental Research Communications, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/acc789
Zhang, X., Liu, C., & Medda, F. (2023). A Smart-Contract-Aided Plastic Credit Scheme. IEEE Systems Journal, 17(1), 1703–1713. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSYST.2022.3205266
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30813/jpk.v8i2.6238
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.