Reclaiming the Discarded: A Practice-Based Inquiry into Sustainable Materiality and Ecological Awareness in Preschool Visual Arts Education

Περίληψη

This study investigates the creative use of recyclable and everyday "waste" materials in early childhood education, approaching artistic practice as a meeting point of education, culture, and psycho-emotional development. Within the contemporary educational landscape of the twenty-first century, "waste" material is reconceptualized not merely as an instructional resource but as a cultural object and a carrier of values such as sustainability, ecological awareness, and creation under conditions of limited resources. The theoretical approach of the study is grounded in contemporary pedagogical and artistic learning theories, as well as in the current Curriculum for Early Childhood Education, which recognizes art as a fundamental field of aesthetic and cultural literacy. At the same time, psychological perspectives are integrated to highlight the contribution of artistic creation to children's self-expression, emotional regulation, collaboration, and social interaction. Particular emphasis is placed on the practice-based character of the research, through a laboratory case study involving early childhood education students, in which the artistic process is organized spirally: from continuous line drawing and linear gesture, through collage and the deconstruction of form, to three-dimensional construction using recyclable materials. This instructional trajectory draws inspiration from Cubism and the constructions of Pablo Picasso, foregrounding the significance of materiality, composition, and the transformation of the object within artistic practice. Through the creative processing of materials, participants develop skills of experimentation, collaboration, and symbolic thought, while simultaneously strengthening their ecological and cultural awareness. Artistic practice is recognized as a cultural practice of learning, capable of connecting the educational process with contemporary social and environmental challenges.