Growing Green with Screens: Integrating Technology to Enhance Sustainability Education in Early Childhood

Abstract

Incorporating sustainability education in early childhood settings is essential to foster pro-environmental values from an early age. This study explores how integrating digital applications into school gardening can enhance sustainability education in preschool contexts. Grounded in Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, technology is conceptualised as a cultural tool that supports learning within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Using a mixed-methods approach, the study involved 30 preschool children (ages 5–6), with data gathered through children’s lapbook portfolios (qualitative), parental surveys (quantitative), and teacher interviews (qualitative). Digital apps like iNaturalist and Plant Parent facilitated plant identification, documentation, and care routines. Findings reveal that digital integration enhances children’s engagement, supports observational and scientific thinking, fosters environmental awareness and healthy habits, and promotes socio-emotional development. The VeggieNest Project, combining hands-on gardening with interactive digital tools, demonstrates how young children can meaningfully engage with sustainability through scaffolded, inquiry-based activities. The study proposes a replicable, developmentally appropriate model for digitally supported Early Childhood Education for Sustainability (ECEfS), addressing the challenge of embedding ecological literacy in early learning.