@article{article_104137, title={Exploring Pre-Service Elementary Teachers’ Mental Models of the Environment}, journal={International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education}, volume={5}, pages={21–39}, year={2015}, DOI={10.18497/iejee-green.35212}, author={Taskın-ekıcı, Fatma and Ekıcı, Erhan and Cokadar, Hulusi}, keywords={Mental model, environment, education, pre-service teachers, drawing}, abstract={

Abstract

This study aims to explore pre-service elementary teachers’ understandings of the environment. A survey method was carried out in this study. A close-ended questionnaire and Draw-An-Environment Test (DAET) are administered to pre-service teachers (N=255) after instruction of an Environmental Education course. A rubric (DAET-R) is used for assessing the mental models or images of the environment held by pre-service teachers. Results of this study suggest that the participants’ mental models of the environment are incomplete. Majority of participants’ drawings reflect biotic and abiotic environment. Few drawings include human beings as a part of the environment. The results shows that mean scores do not differ regarding to gender, environmental education background, high school type, parental education level, parental occupation, and monthly family income.

 

Key words:    Mental model, environment, education, pre-service teachers, drawing }, number={1}, publisher={Sibel ÖZSOY} }