Singapore University of Social Sciences

ECE370e Introduction to Edible Education for Children focuses on the development and evolution of edible education, especially for young children. Since food is in children’s everyday lives, consensus is growing in support of the study of food or edible education as a way for learners of all ages to engage their senses and learn about the history, sustainability, economics, bio-ecological relationships and cultures that surround the food that we eat. The course aims to include discussions that are relevant for adults working with infants, toddlers and preschoolers, although much of the curricular design component of this course targets toddlers and pre-schoolers. The course examines how food can be used as a medium to support learning across developmental domains and curricular areas. Besides the theory-based foundations for edible education, the course also emphasises concrete and practical strategies to support learning in classrooms, gardens, kitchens and cafeterias. Guidance is provided on how to set up safe kitchens and gardens for children as well as how to capitalize on existing community resources to create successful food-based programmes that go beyond instructing children the facts about healthy eating. The ultimate aim is for teachers to be able to apply the edible education learnings to their constructivist classroom practice no matter their work environment or context, to nurture in young children a healthy disposition towards eating, being independent, and responsible food-wise.