Abstract
Environmental problems that increase day by day can only prevented with an effective environmental education. In order to carry out an effective environmental education a great deal of responsibility lies on teachers and pre-service teachers. Thus, the current study aims to determine the level of environmental knowledge of Classroom Education students and their views toward the environment. The current study adopted a mixed methods design using both qualitative and quantitative analyses. The study was conducted during the 2014-2015 academic year, spring semester. While Pamukkale University, Faculty of Education, Elementary Education Department, Department of Classroom Teaching 50 First-Year students comprised the quantitative study group 7 students comprised the qualitative study group. Firstly the multiple-choice questioned Environmental Knowledge Test was conducted and then consequently interviews were conducted with 7 students. With the scores obtained from the students independent samples t-test and One-way ANOVA analyses were done. When the findings were compared according to gender a statistically significant difference was found in favor of the female students. However, when the data was analyzed according to high school type graduated from and longest time spent living in a site were analyzed no meaningful differences were found. In the qualitative dimension of the research students had difficulties in questions involving human and environment, the ozone layer, greenhouse gas, environmental pollution reasons, the consequences of environmental pollution. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n6p159
Highlights
The environment embodies biological, physical, and chemical factors for all beings (YÕldÕz, Sipahio÷lu and YÕlmaz, 2008)
Natural environment is defined as the environment that has no human effect and exists by its own naturally whereas artificial environment is defined as the environment that has human effect and the environment created by humans using the natural resources around it (YÕldÕz, Sipahio÷lu and YÕlmaz, 2000)
The independent samples t-test findings of the Environmental Knowledge Test indicated that there is a significant difference between genders in favor of female students (t48 =2,645; p
Summary
The environment embodies biological, physical, and chemical factors for all beings (YÕldÕz, Sipahio÷lu and YÕlmaz, 2008). At the beginning pollution or similar issues disturbed the people who lived in the current regions in time they turned into bigger issues and added up to a magnitude that affects all human kind (Bozkurt and Cansüngü Koray, 2002). Scientists gathered in 1992 and declared that human behavior harm the nature irreparably and precautions should be taken immediately (Learie, 2009). In 1977 the State Planning Organization in the National Environmental Act Plan stated environmental education as making people aware of their responsibilities and provide solutions to environmental problems by raising environmental awareness (Do÷an, 1997). If academicians emphasize environmental issues and conduct research on what these issues are, how they can be resolved, and what kind of precautions can be taken the research will shed light to teachers and pre-service teachers
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