Exploring changes in early childhood teachers’ perceptions of sustainable development through participation in a professional learning community: A concept map analysis

The purpose of this study is to explore changes in early childhood teachers’ perceptions of sustainable development through concept map analysis after participating in a sustainable development professional learning community(PLC). For this study, six current and former early childhood teachers enrolled in the master's and doctoral programs at K University Graduate School participated in a 14-week sustainable development PLC during the second semester of 2024. The PLC activities included theoretical lectures and discussions, exploration and dialogue on topics related to sustainable development, reflective journal writing, and sharing. Concept map activities were conducted before and after participation to analyze changes in the teachers’ perceptions of sustainable development. The results of the concept map analysis revealed the following: First, early childhood teachers’ perceptions of sustainable development shifted from being centered on abstract concerns and dilemmas to a focus on concrete practice. Second, their perceptions expanded from an individual-centered ethics to a sense of communal responsibility and relationship-centered thinking. Third, through participation in the PLC, teachers came to recognize themselves as active agents of sustainable development education. These findings suggest that a professional learning community can be an effective teacher education strategy, as it helps early childhood teachers newly perceive and broaden their perspectives on sustainable development and supports them in connecting and implementing sustainable development in both their personal lives and educational practice.