Erken çocukluk döneminde Sürdürülebilir Gelişim için Eğitim (SGE) bütün dünyada, kuram ve uygulama boyutunda tartışılan güncel bir konudur. SGE eğitim uygulamalarının mevcut okul öncesi eğitim programlarına entegre edilmesi gerektiği alan yazında tartışılmaktadır. Eko okullar programı, Türkiye’de ve dünyada okul öncesi dönemde SGE’nin uygulandığı iyi örneklerden biridir. Bu süreçte, gerek eko gerek eko olmayan okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarında çalışan öğretmenlerin rolü çok büyüktür. Bu çalışmada, eko olan ve olmayan okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarında görev yapan öğretmenlerin Sürdürülebilir Gelişim Bilgisi, Sürdürülebilir Gelişime Yönelik Tutumları, Sivil Toplum Kuruluşu (STK) üyeliği, SGE uygulamalarına yönelik geçmiş deneyimleri ve çocukken yaşadıkları yer ile konut tipi, SGE uygulamalarının yordayıcısı olarak karşılaştırılmıştır. Hiyerarşik Doğrusal Modelleme (HLM) analizlerinin sonuçları, eko okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarında görev yapan öğretmenler için STK üyeliğinin ve sürdürülebilir gelişime yönelik tutumlarının; eko olmayan okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarındaki öğretmenler için ise yine sürdürülebilir gelişime yönelik tutumlarının ve geçmiş SGE deneyimlerinin SGE uygulamalarının yordayıcısı olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Sonuç olarak bu çalışma, SGE uygulamalarının okul öncesi eğitim programına bütünleştirilmesi sürecinde farklı değişkenler açısından okul öncesi öğretmenlerin rolünü ortaya koymaktadır. Bu bağlamda okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin SGE uygulamalarının yaygınlaşmasında en önemli paydaşlardan biri olduğu unutulmamalıdır.

Background/Objectives: While studies suggest that young children can learn and think about sustainability, most research has focused on children aged three to five, leaving a significant gap in understanding how to engage toddlers (one to three years of age) in early-childhood education in sustainability (ECEfS). This study aims to address this gap, a crucial and often overlooked area, by investigating preschool teachers’ views of ECEfS and their daily practices for nurturing sustainability in a toddler group in a Swedish preschool. Methods: We employed a case study approach, incorporating observations, interviews, and document analysis for data collection. Qualitative techniques were used for data analysis. The research was conducted with a strong commitment to ethical considerations, including obtaining participants’ consent, ensuring confidentiality and privacy, informing them of their right to withdraw, and maintaining anonymity. Results: The findings demonstrate that the teachers possessed a solid understanding of education for sustainability and were capable of effectively implementing sustainability-related daily practices in toddler groups. By creating suitable learning environments and integrating sustainability issues into daily classroom activities, they enhanced the children’s overall learning experiences. Conclusions: This study’s findings underscore the pivotal role of educators in shaping the mindsets and behaviors of future generations, thereby supporting the long-term goals of sustainable development. By nurturing toddlers’ innate curiosity and harnessing their brains’ plasticity, educators can effectively engage toddlers in ECEfS and promote sustainable development from an early age. This study’s implications highlight the need to prioritize ECEfS during toddlerhood to realize the full potential of this critical investment in the future of our planet.

This study aimed to determine the frequency of and time allocation for education for sustainable development (ESD) practices of preschools teachers and examine the ESD indicators in the physical environment of eco and ordinary schools. The results indicate that the frequency of and time allocated for the ESD practices of eco preschool teachers were significantly higher than those of teachers in ordinary preschools but only with a small effect size. The results also demonstrate that there are more facilities to support ESD in eco-preschools compared to ordinary preschools. In conclusion, the eco-school approach may promote ESD indicators in preschools; however, the small effect size and similar mean scores of teachers in both schools emphasize the necessity of further investigating the issue. On the other hand, the significant differences between eco and ordinary preschools in terms of the physical environment demonstrate the unequal conditions of preschools in terms of ESD.

This article is dedicated to examining a bilateral project established between the Republic of Korea and Türkiye, with the overarching objective of elevating awareness and endowing preschool teachers with the capacity to embed education for sustainability (EfS) within their classroom practices seamlessly. For this purpose, a professional development (PD) program was developed regarding three pillars of sustainability and 7R themes. Fourteen preschool teachers attended the PD program. Three teachers participated in this case study to reveal teachers' transformation regarding sustainability and early childhood education for sustainability. The data were collected through pre-post-follow-up interviews and classroom observations. Thematic content analyses were conducted. According to the results, the PD program enhanced and deepened teachers’ sustainability knowledge. In addition, teachers could transfer the knowledge from the PD program on education for sustainability into their practice not entirely but acceptably, and they have a chance to reconsider their lifestyle habits regarding sustainability in many areas.