GAMIFICATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES AND PERCEPTIONS

Abstract

This study examines the pedagogical potential of gamification in early childhood environmental education, with a focus on how it contributes to the formation of environmental culture among preschool children. Grounded in a qualitative research design, the study explores educators’ perceptions, practices, and experiences related to the implementation of gamification in educational settings. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with two participants representing both theoretical and practical perspectives and analyzed using thematic analysis supported by MAXQDA software. The findings reveal that environmental culture is conceptualized as a value-based behavioral construct embedded in children’s everyday practices rather than as isolated ecological knowledge. Gamification was found to enhance experiential learning by increasing children’s motivation, engagement, and voluntary participation in environmental activities. In particular, it supports the transition from externally imposed tasks to intrinsically motivated behavior, thereby facilitating the development of sustainable environmental practices. At the same time, the study highlights the context-dependent nature of gamification. Its effectiveness is influenced by factors such as teachers’ professional competence, availability of resources, and parental involvement, as well as the need to balance digital and non-digital forms of play. The study contributes to the literature by providing qualitative insights into the pedagogical mechanisms of gamification and by extending its conceptualization beyond motivational outcomes to include value formation. The results suggest that gamification can serve as an effective pedagogical approach in early childhood environmental education when implemented within a play-based and context-sensitive framework