Development of learning experience provision model applying place-based education approach to enhance environmental literacy of early childhood children

Abstract

The research objectives were 1) to develop a learning experience provision model based on place-based education approaches to enhance early childhood children' environmental literacy and 2) to study the consequences of using a learning experience provision model based on place-based education approaches to enhance early childhood children’s environmental literacy. This research, additionally, was divided into 2 phases according to the research objectives and consisted of 2 sample groups. The first one was the sample group used for model development, namely 551 school administrators, and preschool teachers from schools in the upper northern region of 8 provinces which were selected by multi-stage sampling. Furthermore, the second one was the sample group used for model experiment, namely representatives from 3 schools under the Primary Educational Service Area Office, 1 school under the Office of the Private Education Commission, and 1 school under the Local Government Organization. In addition, the research tool was a questionnaire and the data was analyzed by using frequency distribution, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The model’s construct validity was also examined by using the second order confirmatory factor analysis with Mplus Version 7.4 program.

The research results can be summarized as follows: 1. The learning experience provision model based on the place-based education approaches to enhance early childhood children’s environmental literacy which is developed from a causal relationship model of early childhood children’s environmental literacy appears in line with empirical data. It is determined from the chi-square test (2) = 101.49, degree of freedom (df) = 83, probability (p) = 0.08, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) = 0.99, and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.01 consisting of 6 components, namely 1) Goal, 2) Context, 3) Input, 4) Process, 5) Output, and 6) Feedback. Additionally, the procedures of learning experience provision based on the place-based education approaches that were developed for early childhood children’s learning experience provision comprised of 5 steps, namely, step 1: Exploring environment and linking experiences, step 2: Searching for knowledge, step 3: Reflecting ideas, step 4: Considering to perform well, and step 5: Presenting information and applying them. 2. The consequences of using the learning experience provision model based on the place-based education approaches to enhance early childhood children’s environmental literacy of 5 sample schools reveal that schools can implement following the model for enhancing early childhood children’s environmental literacy based on the place-based education approaches. The schools’ environmental management, teachers’ learning experience provision to enhance early childhood children’s environmental literacy, and children’s learning behaviors are all at the highest level (x ̅=4.53). The users are of the opinion that the model is useful, possible, appropriate, and accurate at the highest level (x ̅=4.46, x ̅=4.70, x ̅=4.53, and x ̅=4.68 respectively). Moreover, after testing the model used in all schools’ samples, it is found that the average level of early childhood children’s environmental literacy increases from moderate (x ̅=1.09) to high level (x ̅=1.85).