Diversifying tree-child relations: making the case for epistemological and methodological shifts in environmental education research

Ambreen, Samyia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4681-4934, Badwan, Khawla ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1808-724X and Pahl, Kate ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8840-1121 (2025) Diversifying tree-child relations: making the case for epistemological and methodological shifts in environmental education research. Environmental Education Research. ISSN 1350-4622 (In Press)

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Abstract

This article argues for embracing epistemological and methodological diversity in order to advance recent shifts in environmental education that call for alternative spaces for learning. The article narrates our fieldwork experiences of conducting creative research working with children aged 7–9 years old in two primary schools in England, while exploring the children’s immersive experiences with/of treescapes. Through featuring two case study examples, the article demonstrates what happens when children are positioned as co-researchers in inquiries related to environmental education. The work provides an example of ‘re-imagining’ the future of environmental education research, while challenging the common framing of children as ‘the future’, those who should be tasked or inspired to develop their understanding of environmental issues. Instead, the article shifts the focus towards children’s existing knowledge of their natural worlds and emphasises how and why adults should pay attention to these insights and their becoming with a particular focus on diversity.