Exploring the interconnected systems that shape how we learn, grow, and thrive
Imagine two preschoolers: one spends her day mixing mud pies in a forest-style playground, her hands rich with soil microbes; another learns in a sterile, asphalt-covered yard. Within weeks, the first child shows measurable improvements in immune function and cognitive development. This isn't magic—it's educational ecology in action, a revolutionary framework revealing how learning transforms through complex interactions between individuals and their environments.
Examines the entire learning ecosystem—physical spaces, social relationships, cultural contexts, and microscopic organisms that collectively shape development.
Educational ecology moves beyond traditional education's focus on curriculum and instruction to examine the entire learning ecosystem—the physical spaces, social relationships, cultural contexts, and even microscopic organisms that collectively shape development. From Finnish forest kindergartens to digital learning networks, educators are leveraging ecological principles to create richer, more effective learning environments. This article explores how understanding these connections is transforming educational theory and practice, revealing why where and how we learn matters as much as what we learn.
The theoretical foundations of educational ecology date back more than 75 years, most notably to psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of human development 7 . Bronfenbrenner envisioned development as occurring within a series of nested environmental systems, each influencing the learner in distinctive ways:
Immediate environments (classroom, family, playground)
Connections between microsystems (home-school relationships)
External settings indirectly affecting development (school board policies, parent workplaces)
Broader cultural context (societal values, educational policies)
Temporal dimension encompassing historical events and transitions
This framework fundamentally shifted educational research from artificially simple laboratory settings to studying learning in actual life situations . Rather than examining educational inputs in isolation, Bronfenbrenner argued we must study the "ecology of a phenomenon"—the complex interplay between multiple systems that collectively shape development .
Building on Bronfenbrenner's work, contemporary educators discuss STEM learning ecologies—the physical, social, and cultural contexts in which learning takes place over time and across multiple settings 7 . Like natural ecosystems, robust learning ecologies share three key characteristics:
Multiple pathways and opportunities for engaging with content
Overlapping supports that ensure key developmental needs are met
Customized approaches that respect specific community needs and resources
This perspective helps educators recognize that learning doesn't occur in isolated classroom moments but develops across the entire lifespan through countless interactions within an individual's learning ecosystem.
In one of the most compelling recent demonstrations of educational ecology principles, Finnish scientists conducted a novel experiment across 43 daycare centers 1 . The research team, led by scientists from the Natural Resources Institute Finland, hypothesized that increasing children's exposure to natural biodiversity would positively impact their health and development.
The experimental design was both simple and revolutionary:
Daycare centers transformed sterile playgrounds into "forest floors" with specific biodiversity enhancements
Daycare centers maintained traditional playgrounds with asphalt, sand, gravel, and plastic mats
75 children aged 3-5 across 10 urban daycare centers
Researchers monitored changes through biological samples, blood tests, and health questionnaires
| Intervention Type | Specific Elements | Educational Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Forest floor installation | 10m² carpet, 20-40cm deep soil with blueberries, lingonberries, moss | Encourage foraging, bug hunting, nature connection |
| Vegetable gardens | Beetroots, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, courgettes, chillies | Teach food origins, responsibility through care |
| Natural play materials | Soil, sand, leaves, decaying wood, rocks | Sensory development, creative play |
| Wetland area | Rocks for balancing, water plants | Physical challenge, ecosystem exploration |
The findings from the Finnish experiment revealed profound ecological connections between environment and development. Within just 28 days, children in the green daycare centers showed significant biological changes compared to the control group 1 :
The implications extend far beyond physical health. The study demonstrated a causal relationship between environmental biodiversity and children's developmental outcomes—what researchers call the "old friends hypothesis." This suggests humans evolved alongside beneficial microbes in natural environments, and our bodies actually require these microscopic "old friends" to develop properly functioning immune systems 1 .
| Health Marker | Intervention Group Results | Control Group Results | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| T regulatory cells | Significant increase | No significant change | Protection against autoimmune diseases |
| Skin microbiota | Reduced Streptococcus | No change | Fewer disease-causing bacteria |
| Gut microbiota | Reduced Clostridium | No change | Lower inflammatory bowel disease risk |
| Infectious diseases | Fewer reported cases | No significant reduction | Improved overall health |
Educational ecologies share distinctive properties that differentiate them from traditional learning environments. Drawing from both the Finnish experiment and broader ecological research, we can identify four fundamental characteristics:
| Property | Definition | Example from Research |
|---|---|---|
| Contextual Validity | Research and learning occur in actual life situations rather than artificial laboratories | Finnish study conducted in actual daycare centers, not lab settings |
| Reciprocal Processes | Recognition that learners both influence and are influenced by their environments | Children's play activities shaped the microbial environment while being shaped by it |
| Temporal Dimension | Understanding that learning develops across time—throughout the day and across the lifespan 7 | Immune changes observed over 28 days, but learning continues through lifetime |
| Cross-Setting Integration | Intentional connections between different learning environments (school, home, community) 7 | HIVE NYC network linking museums, schools, libraries for coordinated learning |
These properties highlight why ecological approaches often produce more meaningful and lasting educational outcomes than traditional methods. By working with, rather than against, natural developmental processes, educational ecologies create self-reinforcing cycles of engagement and growth.
Educators can apply ecological principles immediately through these evidence-based strategies:
Build bridges between classroom content and students' out-of-school experiences and interests. "Teachers who are aware of a young person's interest in animal life can let that child and her parents know about summer camps or internships at local zoos or nature centers," suggests research from NSTA 7 .
Value the cultural resources, languages, and social practices students bring from their homes and communities. For instance, children's video-gaming skills can support project-based learning, while their experiences with family activities might inform scientific inquiries 7 .
Whether through biodiversity-rich playgrounds or flexible classroom layouts, design spaces that encourage interaction, exploration, and different types of engagement.
Building robust educational ecologies requires systemic thinking and cross-sector collaboration:
Programs like HIVE NYC (linking 56 informal learning organizations) create infrastructure for learning pathways across entire communities 7 .
Support studies that examine learning across multiple contexts and over extended timeframes, rather than short-term isolated interventions.
Create mechanisms that help educators connect students with relevant learning opportunities beyond school walls, matching youth interests to community resources.
The evidence from educational ecology is clear: learning never occurs in a vacuum. From the microscopic bacteria that train our immune systems to the broad cultural contexts that shape our understandings, we are deeply interconnected with our educational environments. The Finnish experiment demonstrates this profound connection literally at a biological level—our bodies are healthier, and potentially our minds more receptive, when learning occurs in rich, diverse, natural settings.
As educational ecologist Urie Bronfenbrenner proposed decades ago, we must restructure prevailing educational systems "by redefining goals, roles, and activities, and by providing interconnections between systems" . This means breaking down barriers between schools and communities, between disciplines, and between learners and their environments. The future of education depends not on better textbooks or standardized tests, but on cultivating more vibrant, diverse, and interconnected learning ecosystems where every learner can find multiple pathways to growth.
The challenge ahead is to apply these ecological principles more intentionally and consistently—to design learning environments that work with, rather than against, the natural processes of human development. Whether you're a teacher arranging a classroom, a parent choosing activities, or a policy maker allocating resources, we all share responsibility for tending the educational ecosystems that shape our collective future.