A Study on Environmental Literacy Levels of Social Studies Teacher Candidates

Year 2021, , 21 - 41, 30.03.2021

Mavi Akkaya Yılmaz

https://doi.org/10.33403/rigeo.840387

Abstract

This study aims to determine the environmental literacy levels of Social Studies teacher candidates. In the study, an explanatory sequential design was used, which is one of the mixed research designs. The participants of the study are Social Studies teacher candidates who are studying at two state universities in Turkey during the 2020-2021 academic year. 152 teacher candidates participated in the quantitative part of the research, while 12 teacher candidates participated in the qualitative part of the research. The data was collected using the Environmental Literacy Survey prepared by Karatekin (2011) and also a semi-structured interview developed by the researcher. Percentage, frequency, independent groups T-test, Mann-Whitney-U test, one-factor variance analysis (ANOVA) and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the teacher candidates were moderately environmentally literate, and their environmental literacy levels did not vary according to class and gender. Social Studies teacher candidates most often defined environmental literacy by providing information on the theme of heritage. In addition, teacher candidates mentioned they use resources such as articles, books, and magazines to improve their environmental literacy skills. In addition, teacher candidates mentioned they experienced a number of difficulties gaining their environmental literacy skills due to the impact of education, family and society. Considering the research results in general, it can be said that it would be useful to focus on environmental issues within educational and training activities

Keywords

environment, environmental litertacy, Social Studies Teacher Candicate

References

• Akıllı, M. ve Genç, M. (2015). Examination of middle school students’ sub-dimensions of environmental literacy in terms of various variables. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 5(2), 81-97.
• Archie, M. L. (2003). Advancing Education through Environmental Literacy. Alexandria, VA: The Harbinger Institute, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
• Artun, H., Uzunöz, A. ve Akbaş, Y. (2013). The evaluation of the factors affecting the levels of environmental literacy of social science prospective teachers. Pamukkale University Journal of Education, 34, 1-14.
• Altınöz, N. (2010). Environmental literacy levels of prospective science teachers, (Unpublished master's thesis). Sakarya Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Sakarya.
• Balkan Kıyıcı, F., Atabek Yiğit, E., ve Darçın, E. S. (2014). Investigation of pre-service teacher’s opinion and environmental literacy level change with nature education. Trakya University Journal of Education, 4(1), 17-27.
• Bilim, İ. (2012). Sustainable environment perspective faculty of education students’ determination of levels of environmental literacy (Unpublished master's thesis). Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Afyonkarahisar.
• Büyüköztürk, Ş. (2020). Sosyal Bilimler İçin Veri Analizi El Kitabı. Ankara: Pegem Akademi.
• Daudi, S. Sabiha (2000). Exploring environmental literacy in low-literate communities of Pakistan: a descriptive study to recommend strategies for planning environmental education programs, (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Ohio State, U.S.
• Delice, A. (2015). Karma Yöntem Desen Seçimi, Y. Dede ve S.B. Demir (Çeviri Editörleri). Karma Yöntem Araştırmaları Tasarımı ve Yürütülmesi. İkinci Baskı. Ankara: Anı Yayıncılık, ss. 61-116.
• Ergün, M. (2019). Eğitim Felsefesi. Ankara: Pegem Akademi.
• Erten, S. (2004). Çevre eğitimi ve çevre bilinci nedir, çevre eğitimi nasıl olmalıdır? Çevre ve İnsan Dergisi, Çevre ve Orman Bakanlığı Yayın Organı. Sayı 65-66.
• Fettahlıoğlu, P. (2018). Analysis of the percieved environmental problems according to environmental literacy levels. Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 14(1), 404-425.
• Gürbüz, H., Kışoğlu, M., Alaş, A. Ve Sülün, A. (2011). Biyoloji öğretmeni adaylarının çevre okuryazarlıklarının farklı değişkenler açısından incelenmesi. E-International Journal of Educational Research, 2(1), 1-14. Güler, Ç. ve Vaizoğlu, S.A. (2011). Turizm ve Çevre. Ankara: Yazıt Yayıncılık.
• Hares, M., Eskonheimo, A., Myllyntaus, T. and Luukkanen, O. (2006). Environmental literacy in interpreting endangered sustainability case studies from Thailand and the Sudan. Geoforum. 37, 128-144.
• Karatekin, K. ve Aksoy, B. (2012). Examination of teacher candidates of social studies’ environmental literacy level in terms of various variables, Turkish Studies International Periodical For The Languages, Literature and History of Turkish or Turkic, 7(1), 1423- 1438.
• Karatekin K. (2011). The determination of environmental literacy levels of pre- service teachers of social studies, (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Gazi Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Ankara.
• Karatekin, K. ve Yılmaz, A. (2019). Çevre Okuryazarlığı. Aksoy, A., Akbaba, B., ve Kılcan, B., (Editörler), Sosyal Bilgilerde Beceri Eğitimi içinde (25-52). Ankara: Pegem Akademi.
• Kışoğlu, M., Gürbüz, H., Sülün, A., Alaş, A., ve Erkol, M. (2010). Environmental literacy and evaluation of studies conducted on environmental literacy in Turkey. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 2(3), 772-791.
• Kocalar, A.O. ve Balcı, A. (2013). The environment literacy levels of prospective geography teachers, International Journal Social Science Research, 2 (2), 15-49.
• Koç, A., Çorapçıgil, A., ve Doğru, M. (2018). Fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının çevre okuryazarlık düzeylerinin incelenmesi. Eğitim ve Yeni Yaklaşımlar Dergisi, 1(1), 39-52
• Koç. H. ve Karatekin, K. (2013). An investigation into geography teacher trainees’ environmental literacy levels with respect to various variables, Marmara Coğrafya Dergisi, (28), 139-174
• Kışoğlu, M. (2009). Investigation the effect of student centered instruction on prospective teachers’ environmental literacy, (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Atatürk Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Erzurum.
• MEB. (2018). Sosyal Bilgiler Dersi Öğretim Programı İlkokul ve Ortaokul 4,5,6, ve 7. Sınıflar. Ankara.
• Miles, M. & Huberman M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook, (2nd Edition),California: Sage Press.
• Owens, M.A. (2000). The environmental literacy of urban middle school teachers, (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Faculty of the Graduate School of Emory University, USA.
• Özey, R. (2009). Çevre Sorunları. Aktif Yayınevi: İstanbul.
• Özyürek, C., Demirci, F., Güler, H., Sarıgöl, J., Tepe, B. ve Çetinkaya, M. (2019). Investigation of pre-service teachers’ environment literacy componenets by diffrent variables, Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, (50), 227-253.
• Yılmaz, B. (1989). Okuryazarlık ve okuma alışkanlığı üzerine. Türk Kütüphaneciliği 3(1), 48-53.
• Roth, C. E. (1968). Curriculum owerwiev for developing environmentally literate citizens. (ERIC Reproduction Service No. ED 032982).
• Roth, C.E. (1992). Environmental literacy: Its roots, evolution and directions in the 1990 s. (ERIC Reproduction Service No. ED 348 235).
• Şahin, S., Ünlü, E., ve Ünlü, S. (2016). Investigation of teacher candidates’environmental literacy awareness level. Education Sciences, 11(2), 82-95.
• Şenyuva, E., ve Bodur, G. (2016 Views of university students regarding nuclear plants and their levels of environmental literacy. Journal of Kirsehir Education Faculty, 17(1), 19-37.
• Timur, S. (2011). Determining environmental literacy levels of preservice science teachers, (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Gazi Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Ankara.
• Uyanık, G. (2016). Investigation of the attitudes towards environmental issues and knowledge levels of prospective teachers. Online Fen Eğitimi Dergisi, 1(1), 30-41.