International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education
Editors: A/Prof John Lidstone, Queensland University of Technology and Prof Joseph P. Stoltman, Western Michigan University
Book Review Editor: Dr Sarah Witham Bednarz, Texas A & M University
Editorial Assistant: Donna Bennett, Australia
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Volume: 16 Number: 2 Page: 188–198
doi:10.2167/irgee217.0
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A Comparative Study on Pre-Service Teachers' and Elementary Students' Attitudes towards the Environment
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Gaye Tuncer, Semra Sungur, Ceren Tekkaya and Hamide Ertepinar
Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Education, Department of Elementary Education, 06531-Ankara, TURKEY
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The purpose of the present study was to assess Turkish elementary school students' and pre-service teachers' environmental attitudes, and to explore whether there was a significant difference in the attitudes towards the environment of the above mentioned two groups. Data was gathered by circulating a 45-item ‘Environmental Attitude Questionnaire’ to a total of 1235 6th, 7th and 8th grade students, and 334 pre-service teachers. The results indicated that participants of this study accepted that environmental pollution is a serious problem of our times and it will not diminish in the future. Also they are aware of individual responsibilities in finding solutions for environmental problems. A similar conclusion, however, cannot be drawn when the attitudes towards solutions for the environmental problems are of concern. The findings also demonstrated that pre-service teachers and elementary school students significantly differed in their attitude towards the environment.
Keywords: elementary school students, environmental attitudes, environmental education, pre-service teachers
Copyright © 2007 G. Tuncer et al.
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