The TELA: A New Tool for Assessing Educator Environmental Literacy

Abstract

This paper describes the measurement and outcomes of a novel teacher environmental literacy assessment. The Teacher Environmental Literacy Assessment (TELA) uses a contextual view of environmental literacy, and includes measures of Knowledge, Self-efficacy, Environmental Identity, Behavior, Issue Identification, and Strategy Selection. A sample of formal and nonformal educators and experts were selected to take and be interviewed about TELA responses. We found demographic differences, particularly between nonformal and formal educators. In addition, experts chose different types of strategies to address environmental issues than educators. The TELA can identify gaps in educator environmental literacy, which is vital content knowledge for educators.

The development and validation of environmental literacy instrument based on spirituality for prospective science teachers

“…This study has succeeded in identifying five domains, which are similar to Szczytko et al (2019), namely ecological knowledge, environmental hope, cognitive skills, and behavior. The results of this study are in line with the first design, as the researchers have adopted into a single entity from various sources (which we call it by the term ELIS) namely environmental literacy instrument (ELI) for undergraduate college students (Lloyd-Strovas et al, 2018), environmental literacy instrument in the context of Aboriginal students (Rahman, 2019), teacher environmental literacy assessment (Hunter & Jordan, 2019), and environmental literacy instrument for adolescents (Szczytko et al, 2019).…”

“…A review of the literature was focused on the aspect of environmental literacy based on spirituality as the basis for instrument development. The researchers discovered several instruments during our investigation, including the environmental literacy instrument (ELI) for undergraduate college students (Lloyd-Strovas et al, 2018), the environmental literacy instrument in the context of Aboriginal students (Rahman, 2019), teacher environmental literacy assessment (Hunter & Jordan, 2019), and environmental literacy instrument for adolescents or ELIA (Szczytko et al, 2019). The researchers adopted four domains elucidated by Szczytko et al (2019), namely ecological knowledge, environmental hope, cognitive skills, and behavior.…”

“…Lloyd-Strovas et al (2018) also develop the instrument for undergraduate college students; meanwhile, Rahman (2019) focuses his instrument on Aboriginal students. Meantime, Hunter and Jordan (2019) develop the "TELA" for environmental literacy educators. Currently, Szczytko et al (2019) develop an instrument for adolescents.…”

A Study on Correlations between Computer-Aided Instructions Integrated Environmental Education and Students’ Learning Outcome and Environmental Literacy

“…School teachers being able to have students understand the effects of technology development on individuals, society, environment, ecology, or the entire earth through the contents of environmental issues could further have them, from the aspect of humanity concern, adopt actions to protect and cherish ecology. Environmental literacy of a nation relies on good environmental education (Goulgouti et al, 2019;Hunter & Jordan, 2019). Current environmental education aims to apply environmental issues and the opportunity of field trips to cope with the rapidly changing era (Arioder et al, 2020).…”

Socio-Scientific Issues as a Vehicle to Promote Soft Skills and Environmental Awareness

“…Various studies have assessed that environmental education programs can successfully improve students' performance and environmental awareness (Hui et al, 2017;Hunter & Jordan, 2019;Moseley et al, 2019). Environmental awareness means not only having knowledge about the environment but also relating it to a series of attitudes, behaviors, and a willingness to act to overcome problems related to the environment.…”