"An Innovative and Interdisciplinary Perspective on Environmental Issues Through Ecological Art Projects: A Mixed Methods Study"

Abstract

"This study investigated the effect of ecological art (eco-art) projects on preservice classroom teachers’ attitudes towards and views on environmental issues. Ecological art is an art-oriented teaching model. The study adopted a mixed embedded research design and integrated ecological art into the “Environmental Education” course. The sample consisted of 78 first-year students from the department of classroom education of Ondokuz Mayıs University in the spring semester of the 2020-2021 academic year. Data were collected using student logs and a semi-structured interview questionnaire developed by the researchers, and the Environmental Problems Attitude Scale developed by Güven (2013). We developed a 14-week project and integrated visual arts education into the “Environmental Education” course. The project aimed to raise awareness through artistic expression. Each participant chose an ecological problem. The quantitative data were analysed using the Wilcoxon test. There was a significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores (p= 0.001). The qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The results showed that the eco-art projects had cognitive, affective, and behavioural effects on participants. In other words, the eco-art projects raised their awareness of environmental issues. Participants stated that eco-art projects should be integrated into environmental education classes because they believed that art conveyed universal messages. We can conclude that eco-art projects bring an innovative and interdisciplinary perspective to environmental education and help preservice classroom teachers develop positive attitudes and views on environmental issues."