ERIC Number: EJ1388479
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0300-4430
EISSN: EISSN-1476-8275
Forest Kindergarten: Fostering Ecological Cognition and Executive Function in Preschoolers
Orr, Edna; Dorfberger, Shoshi
Early Child Development and Care, v193 n5 p698-707 2023
Forest learning has been encouraged globally in recent years as it regularly provides opportunities to interact with nature and one's own abilities. The contributions of forest and traditional kindergarten and home environment to children's ecological cognition and how ecological cognition relates to executive function (EF) is understudied. Therefore, this study evaluates the ecological cognition and EF of children from traditional and forest kindergartens along with home environment involvement in sustainability behavior. A total of 78 children, their teachers, and parents were recruited for this study. The children's ecological cognition and EF levels were tested using a series of tasks and short interviews. Home persuasion related to sustainability behavior was assessed by questionnaire. The analysis revealed that forest kindergarten is the main factor that is involved in children's ecological cognition and EF. The discussion outlines the trajectories and factors that delineated children's cognitive growth when sustainability was part of their education
Descriptors: Outdoor Education, Natural Resources, Preschool Education, Executive Function, Preschool Teachers, Parents, Ecology, Biology, Knowledge Level, Family Environment, Educational Environment, Program Effectiveness, Foreign Countries
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Israel
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A