Early environmental experiences can help children develop environmental knowledge and concern; support their physical, emotional, and cognitive development; and increase their “naturalistic intelligence”—their ability to recognize and classify parts of nature. The prevalence of environmental education in early childhood education is growing; however, there is a dearth of research on the topic. This paper discusses many of the challenges to conducting research with young children, as well as suggestions for developmentally appropriate research methods.
Adults' perceptions of children are the root of much of the difficulty with research involving young children. Historically, children have been seen as incomplete beings on their way to adulthood. The author points out that this developmental theory diminishes the importance of a child's voice. A shift toward constructivist theory, which supposes that children construct knowledge from their life experience and, therefore, understand the world around them as complete individuals, has helped alter this dynamic. However, it remains difficult for adults to put aside their experience of childhood and acknowledge that the children they are working with may hold a different perspective from their own life experiences.
Ethical and communication issues create further hurdles to doing research with young children. Because of their unique standing as individuals who are competent decision makers, yet not fully responsible for themselves, it is ethically necessary to obtain consent from parents or guardians when young children are involved. This means that parents have the power to limit access to children's voices. Even with parental consent, communication barriers present another layer of difficulty. Entering children's social worlds can be a major hurdle, and developing a rapport with a child is often a necessary step to hearing their point of view. As noted above, it is difficult for adults to shift their perspective to that of the child, which is crucial for truly hearing children's voices. Furthermore, it can be difficult to interpret children's actions and emotions, and their accounts are often exaggerated or even make-believe.
Traditional research methods, which include tools such as questionnaires and long interviews, do not work with young children. The author posits that an alternative “mosaic approach,” a multi-method approach using cameras, drawing, tours, mapmaking, ranking exercises, and other methods, may prove more fruitful. Strategies, such as observing children during silent activities, obtaining audio recordings of playtime to find out how children interact with the people and things around them, and giving children cameras to document what they are interested in or what they think is important, are all ways to understand children's experiences. Talking to caregivers and parents who are much closer to the children than the researchers can also yield valuable insights. Though children are often viewed as incapable of participating in the research process, with the correct tools and approach, it is both possible and valuable to incorporate their voices.
The Bottom Line
Including children in research presents many challenges, including logistical, ethical, and communication hurdles. However, innovative methods, such as the mosaic approach, which combines photography, observations, and audio recordings, can be used to gain valuable insights into how young children experience environmental education.