AN INVESTIGATION INTO PRIMARY SCHOOL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND INTENTIONS RELATED TO OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Year 2021, Issue: 57, 1 - 25, 30.01.2021

Güliz Karaarslan Semiz

Abstract

This study
investigated primary school pre-service teachers’ perceptions related to
outdoor education and their intentions to teach outside the classroom. 52
pre-service teachers enrolled in an environmental education course at a public
university in Turkey were the participants of this study. Pre-service teachers
were required to read “the last child in the woods” book through the course. After
reading the book they were asked to write an essay about their childhood
outdoor experiences and their opinions related to outdoor education. Moreover,
interviews were conducted with 11 voluntary pre-service teachers among 52 after
essay writing. Qualitative data were collected through essay writing and
interviews. Data analysis indicated that pre-service teachers described
significant outdoor experiences in their childhood and positive perceptions and
intentions to teach lessons outside. During the interviews, pre-service teachers
also described several barriers to implement outdoor education. These barriers
are related to family concern, the attitude of school management and weather
conditions. It is recommended that pre-service teachers should be given more
opportunities to implement outdoor activities and develop their outdoor experiences
in teacher education programs.

Keywords

pre-service teachers, outdoor education, the last child in the woods

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