Empowering Parents: The Conceptualization Of Marine Environmental Awareness In Early Childhood

Abstract

The concept of marine environmental awareness needs to be instilled from an early age. This study aims to explore the empowerment by parents in conceptualizing marine environmental awareness in early childhood. This research uses a qualitative case study approach with interviews, observation, and reflective journals from researchers. Participants in this study were the two main participants, boys aged five years and ten years who are siblings, also involving parents and other family members who are influential in forming the concept of marine environmental awareness. The results of the study indicate that the empowerment undertaken by parents includes (1) an introduction to the marine environment, (2) efforts to make children responsible for ocean problems, and (3) actions to help reduce sea problems and conceptualization of awareness of the simple marine environment at the same stage of cognitive development. Further research is needed to explore the more comprehensive conceptualization of marine environment awareness in early childhood.