Preschool children’s knowledge about the environmental impact of various modes of transport

Author
Borg, F., Winberg, T. M., & Vinterek, M.
Source
Early Child Development and Care, 189(3):376-391.
Year
2019

Purpose

In this study, the researchers investigated kindergarten children’s knowledge about the environmental impact of different types of transport. They also investigated whether the kindergartens were eco-certified or did not play a role in relation to this knowledge. In addition, the researchers investigated what the children perceived as the sources of their knowledge.

Research questions:

  1. How do children describe the word ‘environment’?
  2. What do children know about the impact cars, buses, bicycles and walking have on the environment and living beings?
  3. What are the children’s perceived sources of knowledge about the environmental impact of different types of transport?
  4. Is there a connection between children’s knowledge about the environmental impact of different types of transport and the type of kindergarten they attend?

Result

The findings showed that most of the children had acquired some knowledge about the environmental impact of various means of transport, although some of them were not familiar with the word ‘environment’. Despite the fact that the complexity of the children’s explanations for the environmental impact of various means of transport tended to be higher in eco-certified kindergartens compared to non-certified kindergartens, the researchers did not find any statistically significant differences between the types of kindergartens. Parents/guardians were cited as a major source of their children’s knowledge.

Design

The study used combined qualitative and quantitative methods. The sample consisted of 53 children aged 5–6 years old from 12 Swedish kindergartens. Half of the kindergartens were eco-certified. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews in which the children were shown drawings of various means of transport (car, bus, bicycle, on foot) and asked about environmental impact. Based on data from these interviews, the researchers conducted a content analysis. In addition, they used statistical methods to compare the different kindergartens with each other.

References

Borg, F., Winberg, T. M., & Vinterek, M. (2019). “Preschool children’s knowledge about the environmental impact of various modes of transport”. Early Child Development and Care, 189(3):376-391.

Financed by

Dalarna University, Sweden