Incorporating Music to enhance Sustainability learning in Early Childhood Education

Description

This presentation will present data from a project (currently underway) that engages young children and Early Childhood teachers/educators in creative music and movement learning experiences, planned and enacted in response to a storybook stimulus.

Young children have a significant role in the future of the planet (Nelson & Drew, 2024). It is important that educators understand the significance of this human/more-than-human entanglement and facilitate creative opportunities for children to develop agency and connection to the planet. The (new) Australian Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF, V2.0, 2022) has a strong focus on sustainability education, and a recognition of ‘children’s ability to engage with the big questions’ (Barblett et al., 2021, p. 26) and this project contributes to supporting educators to address this focus through music and creativity.

The project employs a mixed methods, qualitative approach involving an intervention, observation, interview, educator documentation, and action research. It is framed by Literacy+Sustainability+ (developed by Powell & Somerville, 2020), which invites educators into ‘thinking differently’ about literacy (in all its forms) and sustainability, and ‘then thinking them together’ (p. 4), and where each (+) represents the next connection, thought, or action for enhancing children’s meaning-making, and connection with the planet.

The intervention consists of using a storybook to guide the collaborative planning of creative music activities. Observational data will be collected by the researcher as educators implement activities. Educator documentation will also be a data source. After debriefing, educators may choose to rethink activities based on children’s responses and interests (action research). Educators will discuss their practice with the researcher via individual interviews and/or team focus group discussions.

This research aims to engage children in quality music experiences to enhance their planetary literacies, and it seeks to support early childhood educators to plan and facilitate such opportunities and develop their own teaching skills and confidence in music education.

Period	2 Nov 2024
Event title	46th Annual ANZARME Conference: Whaowhia te kete mātauranga – Fill the basket of knowledge
Event type	Conference
Conference number	46
Location	Auckland, New ZealandShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International