The interview schedule that was drawn up had four headed sections. These were: children; staff; parents; and curriculum. Each section included open questions about recycled and reclaimed materials and how and why they were accessed and used.
The questions about 'children' related to the kinds of materials that children of different ages chose to use and their access to these. The final question was about children's concepts of the 'environment'.
The 'staff' section focused upon how staff accessed, stored and used reclaimed materials. We also asked about training relating to environmental education and knowledge about environmental issues.
The 'parents' section explored parental involvement in the collection and uses of recycled resources. We also asked about parental involvement in any environmental education.
Finally, in the 'curriculum' section, the managers were asked about their curriculum, the resources that they bought and found, and their rationale for the use of recycled materials. We also discussed education for sustainability and whether and how it was included within the curriculum.
The interviews were carried out at a place and time agreed with the managers, typically the manager's office. The interviews were audio-recorded, except in one case where notes were taken.
We are pleased with the overall structure of the interviews and the four foci. The interview data shows the unique responses from each of the four settings but it is also possible to make some effective comparisons. We would now like to refine the schedule further to give interviewees more scope to talk through all the evidence from the audit and the observations. We think that this would elicit some more in-depth answers about benefits for children's learning.
Why are reclaimed resources used?
Why are reclaimed resources used?
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