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This study aims to find higher education studentsí perceptions about environmental issues and how the perceptions are related to perceptions of media coverage. This study investigates higher education studentsí perceptions of the seriousness of environmental issues and their relation to perceptions of media coverage. Higher education students perceived a global problem, lack of clean water, as most serious environmental problem. Media has had an effect on studentsí perceptions on environmental issues: when students perceived the problem as serious they also perceived the information in media concerning it appropriate. Students perceived that the media underestimate and obscure some environmental problems such as biological diversity and global warming. It was concluded that higher education educators need more knowledge of studentsí, future decision makersí concerns and perceptions about environmental issues to develop more effective teaching practices in higher education. Through education environmental issues literacy, which is a precursor for engaged protection of the environment, can be fostered. This study offers some insights into higher education studentsí perceptions of the mediaís role in environmental issues.

The media, as a source of information, is supposed to have a significant role in effecting peopleís environmental knowledge and attitudes. The purpose of this study was to find studentsí perceptions of environmental issues as presented in the media and how students in Finland, Lithuania and Sweden used these media sources in the matters related to environmental issues. The most important source of environmental knowledge was found to be the Internet, followed by newspapers, television, school and education. In their own lives, students discussed environmental issues every day and, to some extent, in social media, discussion forums and blogs. In Finland, newspapers represented the most important source of environmental knowledge; in Lithuania, environmental organisations were the most prevalent, and, in Sweden, it was in a school or educational context. Based on these results, it was concluded that, in order to reach both genders of students in different countries and to more greatly benefit from all sources of information, a variety of media should be used in education for sustainability.

The article presents results of the empirical research revealing readiness of adults to participate in the lifelong learning process using e-learning, m-learning and t-learning technologies. The research has been carried out in the framework of the international project eBig3 aiming at development a new distance learning platform blending virtual learning environments, television and mobile technologies. Readiness to learn in a distance mode using e-learning, m-learning and t-learning technologies has been analysed on the ground of self-assessment of adults' computer literacy, usage of e-services including e-learning in a distance mode, experience in and attitude towards the choice of the mode of learning.

Many researches of last years specify necessity of perfection of natural science education at all levels of an education system. For more than the last two decades, Western countries have tried to advance teaching techniques of natural sciences and suggest using a constructive system instead of didactical one (Zoller, Tsaparlis, 1997). However, in general, there is little research on the secondary school learners’, university students` would-be teachers achievements, motivation for learning chemistry/physics and the peculiarities of concept and phenomenon perception. The object of research is the university students would-be teachers ability to perceive physical/chemical phenomena. This pilot research focuses on how students would-be teachers understand such everyday phenomena as the impact of temperature on the flow of particles (diffusion), evaporation and condensation, material solution, combustion, air expansion and reduction caused by the fluctuation in temperature conditions. Research was carried out in February-March, 2007. The students would-be teachers of Siauliai university participated in the survey. Concerning the format of the pilot research, the survey sample was limited. 87 students representing Faculty of Education were involved in research. Such sample complies with capacity requirements for the pilot research. The five tasks (phenomena: diffusion, air expansion and reduction, combustion, evaporation and condensation, solution) have been evaluated applying the proportion scale (no comments made - 0 points, a wrong option is chosen – 0.25 points, the phenomenon is perceived but failed to be fully explained – 0.5 points, the task is almost correctly completed – 0.75 points, the task is successfully accomplished – 1 point). Three experts have individually evaluated the tasks by general agreement. We can state that a total general evaluation of the accomplishment of all tasks correlates with an individual task. The high correlation coefficients show that all the tasks are basically of a similar complexity and none of them can be singled out from the whole system of 5 tasks. Research is of a local character and the reached conclusions are not applied for the whole population. The examination and evaluation of the respondents’ results disclosed that the tasks were rather complicated and the surveyed participants' knowledge was insufficient to explain the introduced phenomena. The most unfavourable comments are made interpreting nature phenomenon 4, which is the air qualities. The respondents have failed to explain why the heated air expands and the iced air – reduces. The best results are obtained describing situation 2 which is the evaporation of heated water and condensation of cooled water vapour. Key words: natural phenomena, science education, would-be teachers, pilot research.