Teacher Education: A Diluted Environmental Education Experience

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a small-scale research project about student teachers' perceptions and experiences of environmental education. The context of this study is a pre-service teacher education faculty in rural New South Wales, Australia. A combined methods approach was applied, with a survey designed from rich data elicited through focus group interviews. The focus of this paper is on the findings of the survey, revealing that prospective teachers' preparedness in environmental education is diluted by their teacher education experience and that such experiences are not providing a stimulus for novice teachers to practice environmental education.

Creating Web-based Environmental Education Resources through Community and University Partnerships

“…Exposure to environmental education in preservice education through assignment choice in core degree/ postgraduate diploma subjects, without an environmental focus, is limited (Miles, Harrison & Cutter-Mackenzie, 2006). The initiative reported here has used this avenue, While the competition did tend to attract those already passionate about environmental education consistent with findings from prior research Jenkins (1999Jenkins ( /2000.…”

“…Assessment was also an avenue for encountering environmental education for some in that they selected an environment topic as the focus of an assessment in a unit (hence coverage had been voluntary and dependent on personal interest, as in the Gondwana Rainforests competition); this was also the case for three of the entrants in the competition-making the Gondwana Rainforests Website was the first time they had the opportunity to learn more about environmental education. These sources and their impact are similar to those reported by Miles, Harrison and Cutter-Mackenzie (2006). Three students did refer to the specific environmental education elective but none had undertaken that unit.…”

Environmental Education in Pre-Service Teacher Training: A Literature Review of Existing Evidence

“…Miles, Harrison and Cutter-Mackenzie (2006) analysed the perceptions and experiences regarding EE of students enrolled in the second and third year of a teacher training faculty of an Australian university. This involved conducting a focus group on a sample of seven students to determine the encounters those future teachers had with EE during their training courses.…”

Investigation of Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Attitudes towards Sustainable Environmental Education

“…However, to date, few teacher education institutions have incorporated sustainability education into pre-service teacher training courses. As a result, many new teachers are graduating with limited understanding, capacity and confidence to implement environmental and sustainability education (Miles et al, 2006).…”