Determination of ecological footprints of pre-service teachers (the case of Kırıkkale University)

Abstract

The ecological footprint is a noteworthy indicator when it is desired to ensure sustainability and make ecological assessments. The ecological footprint quantitatively reveals the relationship between human activities and the supply and demand for natural resources in the ecosystem. In particular, it is important to determine the behaviours of university students towards reducing their ecological footprint. Today, it is essential to raise awareness through sustainable practices so that university students are on a trend towards reducing their ecological footprint. For this purpose, the awareness levels of students studying in eight different departments in the faculty of education of a state university on ecological footprint were examined. The descriptive survey model was used in the study. The awareness levels of the students about ecological footprint were analysed according to variables such as gender, department, longest residence, economic income level, and parents' education level. The data were obtained with the “Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale” developed by Coşkun and Sarıkaya (2014). Data analysis was done with the SPSS 23 package program. According to the research findings, the awareness levels of the students were the highest in the “Energy” and “Water Consumption” sub-dimensions and the lowest in the “Food” sub-dimension. In addition, students' ecological footprint awareness levels show a significant difference according to gender, economic income level, and mother's education level. On the other hand, it was determined that the awareness levels of the students did not show a significant difference according to the department they studied and the place of residence where they lived for the longest time.

Keywords

• Ecological footprint
• Environmental education
• Sustainability
• Survey model
• Pre-service teachers

References

1. Appiah, M., Li, M., Naeem, M. A., & Karim, S. (2023). Greening the globe: Uncovering the impact of environmental policy, renewable energy, and innovation on ecological footprint. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 192, 122561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122561
2. Aydın Kocaeren, A. (Ed.). (2016). Çevre ve enerji [Environment and Energy]. Nobel.
3. Beccaceci, A., & Paris, E. (2024). "How much Earth is on my plate?" A challenge game about food ecological footprint. Rendiconti Online Della Società Geologica Italiana, 62, 65-70. https://doi.org/10.3301/ROL.2024.14
4. Bulut, S., Şahin, G., Kiraz, H. K., Tatlısu, S., & Coşkun, G. (2022). Identification of ecological footprint awareness of prospective teachers. Bartın University Journal of Educational Research, 6(2), 135-151. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/bujer/issue/74975/1065832
5. Büyüköztürk, Ş. (2012). Sosyal bilimler için veri analizi el kitabı [Data analysis handbook for the social sciences] Pegem.
6. Büyüköztürk, Ş., Akgün, Ö. E., Demirel, F., Karadeniz, Ş., & Çakmak, E. K. (2012). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri [Scientific research methods]. Pegem.
7. Çetin, F. A., Güven Yıldırım, E., & Aydoğdu, M. (2017). The impact of ecological footprint education on attitudes and behaviors toward environmental issues in relation to sustainable living. Journal of Theoretical Educational Science, 10(1), 68-86. http://dx.doi.org/10.5578/keg.20985
8. Çıkrık, S., & Yel, M. (2019). Biyoloji öğretmen adaylarının ekolojik ayak izi farkındalık düzeylerinin belirlenmesi [Determining the level of awareness of ecological footprints among biology teacher candidates]. Turkish Studies-Social Sciences, 14(6), 2999-3008. http://dx.doi.org/10.29228/TurkishStudies.39703

9. Coşkun, Ç. I., & Sarıkaya, R. (2014). Sınıf öğretmeni adaylarının ekolojik ayak izi farkındalık düzeylerinin belirlenmesi [Determining the level of awareness of ecological footprints among prospective classroom teachers]. Turkish Studies, 9 (5), 1761-1787. http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.6598
10. Coşkun, I. (2013). Determining the ecological footprint awareness levels of prospective classroom teachers [[Unpublished master’s thesis, Gazi University].] YÖK Tez Merkezi. https://Tez.yok.gov.tr
11. Cui, Y. J., Luc, H., Zhu, Y. G., & Zhao, J. Z. (2004). Ecological footprint of shandong, China. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 16(1), 167-172. https://doi.org/10.0000/1001-0742.20040135
12. Deniz, K. Z. (2020). Herkes için istatistikolay-renkli anlatım [Statistics made easy for everyone—colorful presentation]. Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık.
13. Doğan, Y., & Pektaş, M. (2019). Investigation of ecological footprint of academicians according to different variables. International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education, 9(2), 174-189. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/iejeegreen/issue/45317/557964
14. Eraslan, Ş., & Seçme, D. (2021). Mimarlık fakültesi öğrencilerinin ekolojik ayak izi farkındalık düzeyi [Architecture students' level of awareness of ecological footprint]. Süleyman Demirel University Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences, 25(3), 481-491. https://doi.org/10.19113/sdufenbed.801151
15. Fang, K., Heijungs, R., & de Snoo, G. R. (2014). Theoretical exploration for the combination of the ecological, energy, carbon, and water footprints: Overview of a footprint family. Ecological Indicators, 36, 508-518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.08.017
16. Freire Guerrero, A., Marrero, M., & Muoz Martin, J. (2016). The incorporation of carbon footprint and ecological footprint into construction cost databases: A case study of a development project in Ecija, Spain. Revista Habitat Sustentable, 6(1), 7-17. https://revistas.ubiobio.cl/index.php/RHS/article/view/2316
17. Gottlieb, D., Vigoda-Gadot, E., & Haim, A. (2013). Encouraging ecological behaviors among students by using the ecological footprint as an educational tool: a quasi-experimental design in a public high school in the city of Haifa. Environmental Education Research, 19(6), 844-863. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2013.768602
18. Günal, N., Yücel Işıldar, G., & Atik, A. D. (2018). Üniversite öğrencilerinin ekolojik ayak izi azaltılması konusundaki eğilimlerinin incelenmesi [Examining university students' attitudes toward reducing their ecological footprint]. TÜBAV Bilim Dergisi, 11(4), 34-46. https://dergipark.org.tr/pub/tubav/issue/42160/507066
19. Hastürk, H. G. (Ed.). (2019). Çevre eğitimi [Environmental education]. Anı Yayıncılık.
20. Kalaycı, Ş. (2010). SPSS uygulamalı çok değişkenli istatistik teknikleri [SPSS applied multivariate statistical techniques]. Asil Yayın Dağıtım.
21. Karakaş, H., Doğan, A., & Sarıkaya, R. (2016). Etkinlik temelli eğitimin üstün yetenekli öğrencilerin ekolojik ayak izi farkındalığı [Activity-based education for gifted students' ecological footprint awareness]. Journal of Turkish Studies, 11(3). http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.8960
22. Karakaş, T., & Keleş, Ö. (2023). Fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının ekolojik ayak izi farkındalık düzeylerinin belirlenmesi [Determining the level of awareness of science teacher candidates regarding their ecological footprint]. Anadolu Öğretmen Dergisi, 7(2), 116-134. https://doi.org/10.35346/aod.1380479
23. Keleş, Ö. (2007). Sürdürülebilir yaşama yönelik çevre eğitimi aracı olarak ekolojik ayak izinin uygulanması ve değerlendirilmesi [Implementation and evaluation of ecological footprint as an environmental education tool for sustainable living] [Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Gazi University]. YÖK Tez Merkezi. https://Tez.yok.gov.tr
24. Keleş, Ö., Uzun, N., & Özsoy, S. (2008). Öğretmen adaylarının ekolojik ayak izlerinin hesaplanması ve değerlendirilmesi [Calculation and evaluation of teacher candidates' ecological footprints]. Ege Journal of Education, 9(2), 1-15. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/egeefd/issue/4911/67248
25. Koç, K. (2023). Çevresel vergiler ve ekolojiik ayak izi [Environmental taxes and ecological footprint]. Gazi Kitabevi.
26. Küçükbaş Duman, F., & Atabek-Yiğit, E. (2022). Spor bilimleri fakültesi öğrencilerinin ekolojik ayak izi farkındalıkları [Ecological footprint awareness among students of the Faculty of Sports Sciences]. Gazi Journal of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, 27(4), 265-280. https://doi.org/10.53434/gbesbd.1114228
27. Lee, Y. J. (2015). Land, carbon and water footprints in Taiwan. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 54, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2015.04.004
28. Lee, Y. J., & Peng, L. P. (2014). Taiwan’s ecological footprint (1994–2011). Sustainability, 6(9), 6170-6187. https://doi.org/10.3390/su6096170
29. Liu, J., Wang, H., & Zhao, Z. (2024). Improvement and application of the ecological footprint calculation Method—A case study of a Chinese university. Journal of Cleaner Production, 450, 141893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.141893
30. Mancini, M. S., Galli, A., Niccolucci, V., Lin, D., Bastianoni, S., Wackernagel, M., & Marchettini, N. (2016). Ecological footprint: refining the carbon footprint calculation. Ecological Indicators, 61, 390-403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.09.040
31. Marquart-Pyatt, S. T. (2015). Environmental sustainability: the ecological footprint in West Africa. Human Ecology Review, 22(1), 73-92. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24875149
32. McAusland, C., & Najjar, N. (2015). Carbon footprint taxes. Environmental and Resource Economics, 61, 37-70, http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10640-013-9749-5
33. Mızık, E. T., & Yiğit Avdan, Z. (2020). Sürdürülebilirliğin temel taşı: Ekolojik ayak izi [The cornerstone of sustainability: Ecological footprint]. Journal of Natural Hazards and Environment, 6(2), 451-467. https://doi.org/10.21324/dacd.630825
34. Odum, P. E., & Barrett, W. G. (2008). Ekolojinin temel ilkeleri [Fundamentals of ecology] (K. Işık, Trans. Ed.). Palme.
35. Özbaş, E. E., Hunce, S. Y., Özcan, H. K., & Öngen, A. (2019). Ecological footprint calculation. In: Balkaya, N., Guneysu, S. (eds) Recycling and Reuse Approaches for Better Sustainability, 179-186. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95888-0_15
36. Özyürek, C., Demirci, F., Sarıgöl, J., Tepe, B., & Güler, H. (2022). Öğretmen adaylarının bireysel ekolojik ayak izinin bazı değişkenlere göre değerlendirilmesi [Evaluation of prospective teachers' individual ecological footprints according to certain variables]. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University Social Sciences Journal, 19(1), 390-402. https://doi.org/10.33437/ksusbd.407082
37. Pedersen, S., & Lui, M. (2003). Teachers' beliefs about issues in the implementation of a student centered learning environment. Educational Technology Research and Development, 51 (2). 57-76.
38. Perez-Lopez, J. B., Orro, A., & Novales, M. (2021). Environmental impact of mobility in higher-education institutions: The case of the ecological footprint at the University of a Coruña (Spain). Sustainability, 13(11), 6190. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116190
39. Pisleaga, M., Girbaciu, A., & Girbaciu, C. (2015). Water footprint, carbon footprint, energy footprint general aspects and their influence on society. In 15th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2015 (pp. 1039-1046). SGEM. https://doi.org/10.5593/SGEM2015/B51/S20.138
40. Rees, W. E. (1992). Ecological footprints and appropriated carrying capacity: what urban economics leaves out. Environment and Urbanization, 4(2), 121-130. https://doi.org/10.1177/095624789200400212
41. Senthil Kumar, P., & Janet Joshiba, G. (2019). Energy footprints of textile products. Energy Footprints of the Food and Textile Sectors, 45-61. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2956-2_3
42. Sivrikaya, Ş. (2018). Fen bilgisi ve Türkçe öğretmen adaylarının ekolojik ayak izi farkındalık düzeylerinin belirlenmesi [Determining the level of awareness of science and Turkish language teacher candidates regarding their ecological footprint ]. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Akdeniz University], YÖK Tez Merkezi.
43. Tosunoğlu, B. (2014). Sürdürülebilir küresel refah göstergesi olarak ekolojik ayak izi [Ecological footprint as an indicator of sustainable global prosperity]. Hak İş Uluslararası Emek ve Toplum Dergisi, 3 (5), 132-149. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/hakisderg/issue/7577/99504
44. Ünal, M., & Ünal, F. (2022). Ecological footprint reduction behaviors of individuals in Turkey in the context of ecological sustainability. Sustainability, 15(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010063
45. Uyanık, G. (2020). Investigation of the ecological footprint awareness levels of classroom teacher candidates. International Electronic Journal of Environmental Education, 10(1), 32-43. https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57208033113
46. Wackernagel, M. & Rees, B. (1996). Our ecological footprint: Reducing human impact on the Earth. New Society Publishers.
47. Xu, M., & Li, C. (2020). The concepts of virtual water and water footprint. Application of the Water Footprint: Water Stress Analysis and Allocation, 9-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0234-7_2