Whole Earth? Developing an early childhood education response

Whilst Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is now a growing area of research interest particularly within the Higher Education sector, Early Childhood Education for Sustainability is by contrast much less well developed. The issue of how Early Childhood Education can contribute to sustainability is the central concern of this paper. It details the ways in which one University has used the provocation of a photographic exhibition (Whole Earth?) to engage staff, students and practitioners working within the field of Early Childhood with sustainability. Drawing upon Davis’ (2014) expanded rights framework it explores different understandings of sustainability prevalent within the sector and connections to practice. A series of case studies are used to illustrate the responses developed by participants to the exhibition highlighting changes in perspective and understanding. The paper concludes with a consideration of the current English Early Childhood Education policy context and the challenges and opportunities this presents in terms of engaging young children with sustainability.