Co-building an ecological mindset for living gently on planet Earth

Abstract

A new ecological culture puts Earth and Nature – not only human beings – at the centre of life on this planet. On an educational level, this choice concerns lifelong learning from the earliest stages of life, and involves the development of a more holistic and ecological mindset based on: (a) knowledge, understanding of phenomena grasped in relation to one another (Dewey, 1933; Vygotskij, 1930, 1934), and ability to imagine more ecological ways of living on the Earth; (b) an ethics of respect and care, which involves empathy for nature, sociability, reflective thinking, mindful understanding of emotions, storytelling, dialogue and cooperation. To support this view, we present an in-progress educational research design based on the methodology of research with children (Kirk, 2007; Christensen-Allison, 2008; Moore et alii., 2008; Mortari, 2009, 2013) or child-centred research.