Climate Change Education: Evaluation of Science Teachers’ Knowledge and Approaches

Öz

The purpose of this study is to investigate science teachers' knowledge and awareness about climate change and their approaches to teaching climate change thus, to determine how ready they are to provide climate change education. In line with this purpose, a basic qualitative research design was used. The sample of the study consisted of 10 science teachers working in İstanbul and with at least 5 years of professional experience, selected according to the purposeful sampling method. Semi-structured interview questions developed by the researchers according to the relevant literature were used to examine teachers' climate change knowledge levels and their approaches to climate change teaching. According to results, science teachers have various knowledge about the causes and effects of climate change and relevant solutions but, their knowledge remains at a more superficial level. Although they thought that teaching climate change should be based on interdisciplinary, active learning methods, they stated that they actually used classic teaching methods due to various obstacles. It is recommended that a comprehensive climate change education program should be prepared to deepen teachers' content knowledge on climate change and to improve their knowledge and skills in teaching climate change.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• climate change education
• climate change knowledge
• science teachers

İklim Değişikliği Eğitimi: Fen Bilimleri Öğretmenlerinin Bilgi ve Yaklaşımlarının Değerlendirilmesi

Öz

Bu çalışmada fen bilimleri öğretmenlerinin iklim değişikliği ile ilgili bilgi ve farkındalıkları ile iklim değişikliği öğretimine yönelik yaklaşımlarını araştırarak iklim değişikliği eğitimi vermeye ne kadar hazır olduklarının belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaçla temel nitel araştırma deseni kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın örneklemini amaçlı örnekleme yöntemine göre seçilmiş, İstanbul’da görev yapan en az beş yıl mesleki deneyime sahip 10 fen bilimleri öğretmeni oluşturmaktadır. Öğretmenlerin iklim değişikliği bilgi düzeyleri ile iklim değişikliği öğretimine yönelik yaklaşımlarını incelemek için araştırmacılar tarafından ilgili literatüre göre geliştirilmiş yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme soruları kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın sonuçları incelendiğinde fen bilimleri öğretmenlerinin iklim değişikliğinin nedenleri, etkileri ve çözüm yolları ile ilgili çeşitli bilgilerinin olduğu ancak bu bilgilerini yeteri kadar detaylandıramadıkları saptanmıştır. İklim değişikliği öğretiminin disiplinler arası, aktif öğrenme yöntemlerine dayalı olarak yapılması gerektiğini düşünseler de gerçekte çeşitli engellerden dolayı klasik öğretim yöntem ve tekniklerini kullandıklarını ifade etmişlerdir. Öğretmenlerin iklim değişikliği konusunda alan bilgilerinin derinleştirilmesi ve iklim değişikliği öğretimine yönelik bilgi ve becerilerinin geliştirilmesi için kapsamlı iklim değişikliği eğitimi programının hazırlanması önerilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• iklim değişikliği eğitimi
• iklim değişikliği bilgisi
• fen bilimleri öğretmenleri

Kaynakça

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