INVESTIGATING OF PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ BELIEFS ON EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIORS

Year 2018, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 105 - 122, 28.05.2018

Hüseyin Ates Kibar Sungur Gul

Abstract

Sustainability
problems such as hunger, obesity, unhealthiness, clean water, and the
destruction of biological diversity in nature etc. has increased in this century.
All over the world, meetings, panels and summits are arranged; researchers who
are experts in the field are investigating ways to overcome these problems. Recently,
especially after importance of education in sustainable development was pointed
out in some reports such as Panel for Education for Sustainable Development
arranged in Rio in 1992 or Thessaloniki Decleration, studies has focused on
this area. To cope with these problems, in many researches it was stated that
identifying the underlying causes should be first aim. However, Teachers
generally acknowledge that sustainable development is abstract and difficult to
conceptualize. Especially, in science education, awareness of sustainable
development plays an important role. Science teachers or pre-service science teachers
who will be teacher in near future should be equipped with the necessary
competence through professional support to get over the difficulties.
Consequently, this research focused on investigating of pre-service science
teachers’ beliefs on education for sustainable development and sustainable behaviors.
The results of the study showed that pre-service science teachers are aware of
importance of ESD and considering results of awareness stage of them, their
sustainable behaviors are at good level. Additionally, it was found that
relationship between their beliefs and behaviors is moderate level. In the next
studies, from the results of this research, studies may
be elaborated. Especially, if it is supported with semi-structured interviews
better results can be obtained to contribute related literature. One more
suggestion is that even though relationship between two variables is examined
directly, this study can be extended using some behavioral theories such as
value belief norm theory or theory of planned behavior and this indirectly
relationship can be investigated.

Keywords

Education for Sustainable Development, Sustainable Behavior, science education

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