Assessing the Influence of Preschool Teachers' Competence in Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Implementation of Environmental Education in Line with SDG 4

Background This study examines the role of teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in the successful teaching of Environmental Education (EE) as part of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). The study is based on the Theory of PCK and the Tree Model of Environmental Education by Palmer. It is aimed at examining the impact of teacher expertise on the implementation of EE in early childhood classrooms. Methods The research was carried out in three privately owned preschools in Bukit Mahkota, Selangor in Malaysia. Ten participants were selected out of 20 targeted population of preschool teachers who worked with children aged between 5-6 years. The information was gathered through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with teachers. The qualitative data were interpreted and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings The findings indicated that there were big gaps in EE content knowledge, a lack of pedagogical strategies, as well as insufficient professional development among teachers. The participants were very willing to teach EE but showed little knowledge of the components of EE. The research also discovered that institutional limitations like the lack of resources, outdoor areas and overburdened curriculum also curtailed EE implementation. Evidence, however, indicated that experiential learning styles, such as gardening, recycling, and outdoor projects, have positive effects in increasing the environmental knowledge and stewardship attitudes of the children. Conclusions To acquire significant EE outcomes and ensure the advancement of SDG 4, it is crucial to implement the targeted training and institutional support of preschool educators, along with the equal distribution of resources in the context of strengthening their PCK related to EE. To close the gap between the intent of the curriculum and classroom practice, it is necessary to reinforce the content mastery and pedagogical competence of the teachers in a way that EE becomes successfully integrated into early childhood education.