Pre-Service Teachers' Perception Toward Environmental Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours

Abstract

Purpose – The study investigated the environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviours exhibited by the pre-service teachers and determined if there was any significant relationship between environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. Method – This descriptive study adopted a quantitative approach using questionnaires to obtain information on environmental knowledge (53 items with true/false responses), environmental attitudes (11 items with a 4-point Likert scale) and environmental behaviours (11 items with a 4-point Likert scale) of 173 3rd-year students enrolled in the Chemistry Teaching Methods course. Data were analysed using both descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (correlation coefficient). Findings – The low total mean score on the environmental knowledge component indicated the respondents’ lack of knowledge on environmental issues especially in climate change, However, the respondents exhibited high positive environmental attitudes based on their responses to the relevant attitude items especially on items that related to adopting significant actions. Most of the items in the environmental behaviours component yielded considerably high mean scores which indicated a strong willingness on the part of the pre-service teachers to take pro-environmental behaviours. The findings also showed that there was no significant relationship between knowledge, attitudes and behaviours.

Preservice English Language Teacher Education in the Anthropocene

“…The findings of the present study have indicated that the new ELTEP of Turkey includes environmental education through the community services and sustainable development and education courses, unlike the teacher education programs in which several studies revealed that preservice teachers receive little or no training on environmental education (Álvarez-García et al, 2015;Boon, 2010;Borhan & Ismail, 2011;Campigotto & Barrett, 2017;Demir & Avgın, 2016;Doğan, 2018). According to the findings of the study, the new ELTEP of Turkey can help preservice EL teachers to learn more about environmental issues in the sustainable development and education course because its content presents and studies sustainability in terms of environment, ecology, environmental issues, the future of humanity, population, technological developments, the relationship between people and the environment, and consumption habits as Abramovich and Loria (2015) stated about the content of environmental education.…”

“…Thus, receiving this education, teachers, especially preservice teachers can become environmentally educated people and environmental educators (Álvarez-García, Sureda-Negre, & Comas-Forgas, 2015), become environmentally literate (Dada, Eames, & Calder, 2017), and address environmental problems and act in favor of the environment (Abramovich & Loria, 2015). They can also have the adequate preparation (Yavetz, Goldman, & Pe'er, 2009), the knowledge on environmental issues (Borhan & Ismail, 2011;Candan & Erten, 2015;Çakır, İraz, & Doğan, 2010;Esa, 2010), and environmental awareness (Candan & Erten, 2015). Therefore, they can be confident and competent enough (Dada et al, 2017) to design environmental education (Yavetz et al, 2009), to introduce it (Álvarez-García et al, 2015), to deliver it (Dada et al, 2017) in their schools, and to integrate it into their teaching (Esa, 2010).…”

“…The role of teachers in educating future citizens to protect and sustain the environment makes their preservice and continuing professional development training in environmental education important. Despite a few studies which have found out that preservice teachers have a high or moderate level of knowledge on environmental issues to introduce, deliver and integrate environmental education in their teaching (Çokçalışkan & Çelik, 2017;Esa, 2010;Goulgouti, Plakitsi, & Stylos, 2019), many studies have revealed that preservice teachers do not have enough knowledge on environmental issues to teach environmental education in their schools (Álvarez-García et al, 2015;Boon, 2010;Borhan & Ismail, 2011;Campigotto & Barrett, 2017;Çakır et al, 2010;Demir & Avgın, 2016;Doğan, 2018;Gürsoy & Sağlam, 2011;Tuncer Teksoz, Boone, Yilmaz Tuzun, & Oztekin, 2014;Yavetz et al, 2009). In addition, according to the studies that have focused on inservice teachers, inservice teachers may not have the desired knowledge on environmental issues to teach it in their schools and/or may need further training in environmental education (Abramovich & Loria, 2015;Borg, Gericke, Höglund, & Bergman, 2014;Campbell, Medina-Jerez, Erdogan, & Zhang, 2010;Garcia & Cobar-Garcia, 2018;Okur-Berberoglu, Ozdilek, & Yalcin-Ozdilek, 2014).…”

“…In addition, according to the studies that have focused on inservice teachers, inservice teachers may not have the desired knowledge on environmental issues to teach it in their schools and/or may need further training in environmental education (Abramovich & Loria, 2015;Borg, Gericke, Höglund, & Bergman, 2014;Campbell, Medina-Jerez, Erdogan, & Zhang, 2010;Garcia & Cobar-Garcia, 2018;Okur-Berberoglu, Ozdilek, & Yalcin-Ozdilek, 2014). According to several studies, the main reason for the lack of enough knowledge on environmental issues to teach them in schools is the lack of environmental education or inadequate environmental education in preservice teacher training (Álvarez-García et al, 2015;Boon, 2010;Borhan & Ismail, 2011;Campigotto & Barrett, 2017;Demir & Avgın, 2016;Doğan, 2018). Yet, several studies have shown that when preservice and inservice teachers receive environmental education, they can improve their knowledge on environmental issues, have environmental awareness, and become environmentally literate (Álvarez-García et al, 2015;Anderson et al, 2013;Bertiz, Doğan, & Erten, 2017;Candan & Erten, 2015;Cebrián & Junyent, 2015;Dada et al, 2017;Fettahlıoğlu, 2018;Genc, 2015;Hamalosmanoğlu, Kızılay, & Kırmızıgül, 2020;Okur-Berberoglu et al, 2014;Putri, 2018).…”

Teachers’ Professional Action Competence in Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review from the Perspective of Physical Education

“…More literature from the USA, Australia and the Asian-Pacific area was detected through a database search but the respective papers did not meet the eligibility criteria. Most papers were excluded from further analysis because they focused on environmental education, without explicitly referring to the multidimensional nature of ESD and often disregarded sociocultural and economic aspects or the concepts of inter-and intragenerational justice (e.g., [71][72][73][74]).…”