Environmental pre-school education: Pre-service teachers’ reflection on practical professional preparation

Vincentas Lamanauskas 1 * , Daiva Malinauskienė 1
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1 Institute of Education, Vilnius University, Šiauliai, LITHUANIA
* Corresponding Author
EUR J SCI MATH ED, Volume 14, Issue 3, pp. 359-377. https://doi.org/10.30935/scimath/18550
Published: 13 May 2026
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ABSTRACT

Environmental education in early childhood is an important part of education for sustainable development, helping to form children’s environmental awareness, values, and responsible behavior towards the environment. However, research studies show that pre-service pre-school teachers often lack practical skills and methodological knowledge needed to effectively integrate environmental topics into the educational process. Therefore, the aim of this study was to reveal the strategies of environmental education expected by pre-service pre-school teachers, their perceived implementation challenges, and the evaluation of the preparation provided by the study program. The research is based on a sustainable development education paradigm, theories of social constructivism and experiential learning, concepts of teachers’ professional competence and self-efficacy, and the ecological systems theory. The research was conducted using a mixed-methods design that combines qualitative and quantitative analyses. Data were collected using a written survey with four open-ended questions, designed to elicit planned teaching strategies, anticipated challenges, curriculum assessment readiness, and the need for additional professional support. 64 pre-service pre-school education teachers from two Lithuanian universities participated in the study. The data collected were analyzed by applying quantitative content analysis, identifying meaningful units, forming subcategories and categories, and calculating their frequencies. The results of the study showed that pre-service teachers attach the greatest importance to experiential and practical activities in the natural environment. The main expected challenges are related to limited parental involvement, a lack of material and organizational resources, children’s developmental peculiarities, and insufficient professional training for teachers (especially in practical implementation). The results of the study show an obvious need to strengthen the integration of environmental education into preschool teacher training programs, to develop practical training opportunities, and to provide greater methodological and professional support for pre-service teachers.
Keywords: environmental education, qualitative research, quantitative content analysis, pre-service teachers, pre-school education, teacher education

CITATION

Lamanauskas, V., & Malinauskienė, D. (2026). Environmental pre-school education: Pre-service teachers’ reflection on practical professional preparation. European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 14(3), 359-377. https://doi.org/10.30935/scimath/18550

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