Environmental Education Course Research Articles

USG matrix analysis and power interest to improve community environmental awareness: A case study of mangrove land cover to support community and environmental education

This study employed a mixed-method approach to analyze the composition of mangrove forests. The transect method and remote sensing through supervised classification using Google Earth Engine (GEE) were utilized to assess changes in mangrove areas in 2017, 2019, and 2021. The findings suggest that this study should be included in population and environmental education courses. The results revealed that Avicennia marina mangroves had the highest importance index (INP) values at three different locations. Between 2017 and 2019, mangrove areas decreased from 30.62 hectares to 27.98 hectares. However, from 2019 to 2021, the mangrove area increased from 27.98 hectares to 29.18 hectares, largely due to reforestation efforts in the Pulau Dua Nature Reserve. The NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) values indicated "bushy" criteria, ranging from 0.43 to 1.00. The Normalized Difference Mangrove Index (NDMI) values fell into the "Rare" (-1.00 to 0.32) and "Medium" (0.33 to 0.43) categories. The Urgency, Seriousness, and Growth (USG) matrix analysis and Power Interest assessment identified illegal logging, erosion, and waste as significant causes of mangrove decline. Stakeholders, including village chiefs, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and youth leaders, must focus on preserving the mangrove ecosystem in the CAPD. The study's results are vital for educational purposes, particularly in population and environmental education courses. These courses should address environmental issues, prevention strategies, and conservation activities, which can be integrated into the curriculum. This will enable youth to contribute effectively to environmental awareness programs.

USG matrix analysis and power interest to improve community environmental awareness: A case study of mangrove land cover to support community and environmental education

This study employed a mixed-method approach to analyze the composition of mangrove forests. The transect method and remote sensing through supervised classification using Google Earth Engine (GEE) were utilized to assess changes in mangrove areas in 2017, 2019, and 2021. The findings suggest that this study should be included in population and environmental education courses. The results revealed that Avicennia marina mangroves had the highest importance index (INP) values at three different locations. Between 2017 and 2019, mangrove areas decreased from 30.62 hectares to 27.98 hectares. However, from 2019 to 2021, the mangrove area increased from 27.98 hectares to 29.18 hectares, largely due to reforestation efforts in the Pulau Dua Nature Reserve. The NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) values indicated "bushy" criteria, ranging from 0.43 to 1.00. The Normalized Difference Mangrove Index (NDMI) values fell into the "Rare" (-1.00 to 0.32) and "Medium" (0.33 to 0.43) categories. The Urgency, Seriousness, and Growth (USG) matrix analysis and Power Interest assessment identified illegal logging, erosion, and waste as significant causes of mangrove decline. Stakeholders, including village chiefs, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and youth leaders, must focus on preserving the mangrove ecosystem in the CAPD. The study's results are vital for educational purposes, particularly in population and environmental education courses. These courses should address environmental issues, prevention strategies, and conservation activities, which can be integrated into the curriculum. This will enable youth to contribute effectively to environmental awareness programs.

Development of Ecology Achievement Test for Secondary School Students

This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable multiple-choice achievement test for the subject area of ecology. The study was conducted within the framework of exploratory sequential design based on mixed research methods, and the study group consisted of a total of 250 middle school students studying at the sixth and seventh grade level. In the process of preparing the question pool, the level and scope of the questions in the pool were shaped by taking into account the achievements of science, environmental education and climate change courses. A question pool consisting of questions obtained as a result of the literature review and prepared by the researcher was created. The pool of 41 questions was reduced to 29 questions in line with expert opinions. The 29-question multiple-choice test, whose language comprehensibility was examined and necessary arrangements were made, was made ready for implementation. The draft form of the achievement test, which was piloted, was applied to 250 students. Item difficulty indices and item discrimination indices of the test answers obtained from the students were calculated. After the item analysis, a total of 4 questions were removed from the test. As a result of the analyses, the average difficulty value of the test was calculated as 0.58 and the average discrimination value was calculated as 0.60. The KR-20 reliability coefficient of the developed test was 0.85 and Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient was 0.88. As a result of the research, a valid and reliable ecology achievement test was developed.

Performing yoga postures in an environmental education course: The potential of creating pedagogical places of contemplation for the empowerment of ecological consciousness

The present study attempts to answer if yoga practice belongs to environmental education and how it can contribute to the development of ecological consciousness in the framework of a holistic pedagogical paradigm. Twenty-three post-graduate students participated in an environmental education activity based on performing yoga postures inspired by nonhuman creatures and entities. The participants reflected on their experiences by recording their ideas and feelings. The results of the survey revealed that the participants experienced embodied environmental learning, highlighted a healing dimension of the educational process, and experienced a connection with creatures and entities of nonhuman nature at different levels. Yoga philosophy and practice as a contemplative learning method deserve to be explored more widely in the field of environmental education, and especially regarding the development of ecological consciousness.

Experiential environmental learning together with the trees in the Antropocene

The study reflects on the encounter of young people with trees, focusing on a holistic and ecocentric approach to ecological knowledge and awareness. A small group of students of an environmental education course at a university pedagogical department participated in experiential activities that took place at a treescape, where different kinds and ages of trees grow. The participants interacted with trees through a pedagogical methodology of three stages (silent walk among trees, holistic approach to a tree, and exercising empathy for trees) and reflected on their experiences. The study’s findings capture the different ways that young people experienced trees: (a) trees as friends, (b) trees as self, and (c) the mindfulness of connecting with trees. Encounters among humans and trees have the potential to create places for contemplation on human-nature organic bond and communities for ecocentric learning and action for environmental change.

DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVE THINKING SKILL INSTRUMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

This study aims to describe the item analysis of creative science thinking skills instruments in environmental education courses. The characteristics of creativity in the context of higher education are the benchmark for this study, namely fluency, originality, elaboration, and flexibility. The method of research was research and development. The validity study of the instrument was carried out by two experts, and the instrument was tested on 26 students. According to the First Expert, the instrument can be used with little revision and the Second Expert states that the instrument can be used without revision. Therefore, the researchers concluded that the instrument can be used with little revision. Based on the trial data on the 12 questions developed, it was found that 5 of the questions needed to be revised before data collection, 6 questions had to be corrected, and 1 question item was not used/discarded. The revision includes the affirmation of question sentences or commands for questions with a status of accepted but needing to be corrected. Indicators of creativity that concern this study are fluency, originality, elaboration, and flexibility. Therefore, from the 5 question items, one question was chosen for each that represented the four indicators of creativity.

Design and pilot of an inclusive environmental education course for a community living under the unprecedented environmental emergencies in Pakistan- a case study

ABSTRACT This study presents the design and pilot of the environmental education course with one of the communities, living under environmental emergencies in Pakistan. The study employs the case study as a research approach. Community-based participatory research is used as a method. Forty participants are selected from one of the communities in Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. First, I gathered pre-intervention data through an online survey followed by focus group discussions. Next, together with participants, I designed and piloted a contextual environmental education course. Finally, I collected post-intervention data through an online survey and conducted focus group discussions. Data is analyzed using line graphs and narrative analysis. The course enhanced participants’ environmental literacy and equipped them with relevant strategies and contextual skills pertinent to supporting their communities during environmental catastrophes. Peace-building approaches, such as collaborative problem-solving case studies and development of conflict management skills, specifically enabled participants to understand the complexities of challenges and propose innovative solutions. Participants suggested the inclusion of models and standards of environmental education, and research components in the future course. They further recommended translating the course into a regional language, preparing local trainers, and introducing the same course via face-to-face mode to the illiterate population within their communities.

Reflection of Water Literacy in the Environmental Education and Climate Change Course Teaching Program

In this research, in the Environmental Education and Climate Change Course (6th, 7th or 8th grades) Curriculum; What specific goals, skills, achievements, topics/concepts related to water literacy are included and their place in the program are investigated. Document review, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the research. The research was based on the Environmental Education and Climate Change Curriculum revised in 2022. The document examined in the context of the research was analyzed with descriptive analysis. As a result of the research, water literacy is indirectly included in the special purpose dimension of the Environmental Education and Climate Change Course Curriculum; directly in the skill dimension; It has been determined that it is included directly and indirectly in the dimension of achievement and subject/concepts. It is seen that the achievements and topics/concepts that may be important for the reflection of water literacy in the curriculum are included in the "Environmental Problems" and "Sustainable Development and Environmentally Friendly Technologies" units. Within the scope of the results obtained, it can be said that the 2022 Environmental Education and Climate Change Course Curriculum includes content aimed at raising awareness and awareness about water literacy. The inclusion of water literacy in different teaching programs can be determined.

Fostering environmental personal norms: the role of environmental education in Nigerian pre-service teachers’ environmental knowledge, pro-environmental beliefs and behaviours

This research investigated the role of environmental education (EE) in acquiring environmental knowledge, pro-environmental beliefs and pro-environmental behaviours among a sample of pre-service teachers who undertook an EE course (n = 177) and those who did not undertake an EE course (n = 203) in a Nigerian university. Results showed that pre-service teachers who received the EE course had higher environmental knowledge and pro-environmental behaviour than their counterparts who did not take the EE course. Moreover, pre-service teachers who did not take the EE course had higher pro-environmental beliefs than their counterparts who received the EE course. However, the recorded mean differences were minor and not statistically significant. Also, the relationships between environmental knowledge, pro-environmental beliefs and pro-environmental behaviours were not significant. The implications of these findings call for EE policies and practices anchored on promoting personal environmental norms and citizenship and updated capacity building for EE educators.

Assessment of Changes in Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions of the Concept of the Environment

Higher education institutions are responsible for producing individuals with the knowledge, skills, and values to contribute to the improvement of society’s quality of life. Environmental education is also one of the leading permanent solutions for environmental problems. The aim of this research is to understand teacher candidates’ perceptions of the concept of “environment.” In this context, a case study, as one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The participants consisted of 36 students enrolled in the primary school teaching department at a state university. The data collection tools included a word association test, metaphor, and drawing techniques. These data collection tools were applied before and after an environmental education course that participants attended for 14 weeks. From the research findings, it is understood that the participants’ mental structures for the concept of “environment” shifted from being living creature-oriented to being pollution-oriented by the end of the environmental education course.

The Effect Of Cognitive Apprenticeship Enriched Argument-Driven Inquiry Method On Pre-Service Teachers' Academic Achievement And Scientific Research Skills

This study aimed to determine the effect of cognitive apprenticeship enriched argument-driven inquiry method on pre-service primary teachers’ academic achievement and scientific research skills about environmental issues/problems. The study was conducted with 24 1st-grade pre-service primary teachers from the Primary Teacher Department of a private university in Northern Cyprus. The study is conducted mixed-methods research design. The data collection tool used in this research is an academic achievement test, open-ended question form for transferring knowledge to daily life, and students' video/photo, reflective diary protocol, scientific research proposal-article-poster, and Moodle discussion contents. The research found that pre-service teachers' academic achievement and scientific research skills improved. According to this result, it can be said that cognitive apprenticeship enriched argument-driven inquiry improved pre-service teachers' academic achievement related to the Environmental Education Course and their scientific research skills related to environmental topics and concepts.

Impact of Environmental Education on Tertiary Level Students’ Knowledge, Attitude and Perception

This research discussed the status of environmental knowledge, attitude and perceptions of university students and the relationship between environmental knowledge and attitudes among them. A mixed-method design was adopted to examine tertiary level students’ environmental knowledge and attitudes by employing a pre-test and a post-test conducted before and after an Environmental Education (EE) course. Those tests consisted of 15 multiple choice questions and 18 attitude measuring items rated on a five-point Likert scale. For supporting the quantitative data, a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was also conducted for the purpose of exploring students’ perceptions on EE. A total of 88 students (72 for tests and 16 for FGD) participated in this study. The findings showed a significant improvement of the students in terms of knowledge and favorable environmental attitudes. The participants also expressed a positive perception of the EE course. Finding ways of implementing EE for students of all levels can be the next subject for further research. Teacher’s World: Journal of Education and Research, Vol. 48(2), Dec 2022, p.54-66

Implementation Process of the Activities Developed for the Environmental Education and Climate Change Course

Çevre eğitimi ve iklim değişikliği dersi öğrencilerin çevreye karşı duyarlı ve sorumluluk sahibi bireyler olarak yetişmesini sağlamak amacıyla 2022-2023 eğitim-öğretim döneminde ilköğretim programına eklenmiş seçmeli bir derstir. Ancak ilgili derste hedeflenen kazanımların nasıl kazandırılması gerektiğine ilişkin örnek etkinliklerin öğretim programı ve ders kitaplarında yeterince olmadığı görülmektedir. Bu araştırmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden durum çalışması deseni kullanılmıştır. Bundan dolayı çevre eğitimi ve iklim değişikliği dersi için geliştirilen etkinliklerin uygulanması sonucunda elde edilen öğrenci çalışmalarının, öğrenci görüşlerinin ve araştırmacı günlüklerinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu Sakarya ilinde bir devlet okulunda öğrenim gören 28 ilköğretim 8. sınıf öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Çalışma grubunda haftalık iki saat olmak üzere üç hafta boyunca üç etkinlik yürütülmüştür. Veri toplama aracı olarak öğrenci çalışmaları, yarı yapılandırılmış bireysel görüşme formu ve araştırmacı günlükleri kullanılmıştır. Bireysel görüşmelerden, araştırmacı günlüklerinden ve öğrenci ürünlerinden elde edilen veriler içerik analiziyle analiz edilmiştir. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre “Nereden çıktı bu balon balıkları?” etkinliğinde öğrencilerin daha çok doğal denge, ekosistem ve besin zinciri kavramını yansıttığı, “Yapay et” etkinliğinde ikilemlerin tartışıldığı ve öğrencilerin doğal dengeyi göz önünde bulundurarak argümanlar geliştirdiği, “Proje yapıyorum” etkinliğinde toplumsal farkındalık oluşturacak projelerin geliştirildiği görülmüştür. Genel olarak öğrencilerin etkinlikleri sevdiği, ilginç buldukları, doğal dengeye ait bilgilerinin arttığı, çevre duyarlılıklarının geliştiği, ekosistem kavramını anladıkları, ikilem oluşturan konular için argüman geliştirebildikleri ve doğal denge için proje geliştirebildikleri sonuçlarına ulaşılmıştır.

Nilai Pengetahuan dan Sikap Peduli Lingkungan Mahasiswa Pendidikan Geografi di Universitas Prof. Dr. Hazairin, SH Bengkulu

This study aims to determine the value of the knowledge and attitude of caring for the environment for students of geography education at the University of Prof. Dr. Hazairin, S.H. Bengkulu. This research was conducted after implementing the Population and Environmental Education course which had the outcome of planting mangroves on the coast of Bengkulu. The sample of the study population was 75 respondents with 20 questionnaire items. The time of the research starts from May 2023 to August 2023. The measurement scale in this study is the Likert scale. Data collection through literature study, interviews, questionnaires, and documentation. This research was conducted by distributing questionnaires and interviews. Based on the results of questionnaire data processing, the knowledge value of university geography education students Prof. Dr. Hazairin, SH has a very high frequency with a total score of 86%. Furthermore, the environmental care attitude of university geography education students, Prof. Dr. Hazairin, SH also has a high frequency with a total score of 89%. It can be concluded that the value of the knowledge and attitude of caring for the environment in geography education students at the University of Prof. Dr. Hazairin, SH is very kind
 Keywords: Knowledge, Environmental Care Attitude, Students

The Effect of Environmental Education Open Inquiry Learning Kits on the Environmental Literacy of Pre-service Biology Teachers

Abstract Pre-service biology teachers’ environmental literacy is still generally low. It is necessary to improve their environmental literacy through the innovation of open inquiry learning kits. There are two primary aims of this study: (1) to develop appropriate open inquiry learning kits that can foster pre-service biology teachers’ environmental literacy in environmental education courses, (2) to examine the effectiveness of open inquiry learning kits in improving environmental literacy. This study used the procedure of the 4-D Thiagarajan model, i.e., four stages: (1) define, (2) design, (3) develop, and (4) disseminate. The products produced are open inquiry lesson plans, student worksheets, and environmental literacy test instruments. The product validation was carried out by experts in the field of environmental education and biology teaching and learning. The preliminary field testing and the main field testing were carried out in environmental education courses. The data were collected through observation, questionnaires, and written tests. The data were analyzed in a quantitative descriptive way through the calculation of the gain score. The results obtained from the research and development are open inquiry learning kits to improve the environmental literacy of students, which as a whole are suitable to use in environmental education lectures based on expert judgment. These open inquiry learning kits are not very effective in improving students’ environmental literacy based on the calculations of the gain score due to various shortcomings.

Using project-based learning in an environmental education course and revealing students’ experiences: A case study

Effective environmental education can contribute to the preservation of the natural world. It is difficult to give effective environmental education to students who are passive in the lessons. The traditional method of teaching boring too many students, which results in passive learning. Project-Based Learning (PjBL) presents students with a more pertinent and efficient learning environment that provides hands-on, practical, and interesting possibilities. This study is aimed to understand the student experiences in the course of environmental education using PjBL. Data about students’ PjBL experiences were collected from undergraduate prospective elementary education students through an end-of-semester survey consisting of open-ended questions. Students’ responses were examined using qualitative content analysis. Student responses revealed that PjBL creates an active learning environment and fosters students’ cognitive outcomes (knowledge) and behavioral outcomes (awareness). The findings offer insights into the course of environmental education which is using PjBL.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTER OF PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS IN RIAU PROVINCE

This study aims to describe the differences in the character of caring for the environment between student-teacher candidates who have never taken Environmental Education Courses and have never taken them. The population in this study were prospective teacher students at the Faculty of Teaching and Education, University of Riau, totaling 5,013. The research sample used was 640 people spread over 16 study programs. Data collection techniques used were interviews, questionnaires, documentation, and observation. Then, the data were analyzed using different tests and frequency distributions. The results showed that: (1) the character of caring for the environment for prospective teacher students who had not taken Environmental Education Courses was in the medium category; (2) the character of caring for the environment of prospective students who have taken Environmental Education Courses is in the moderate category. The study concludes that there is no difference in the character of caring for the environment for prospective teacher students who have not taken and have taken Environmental Education Courses.

A Study on the Influence of Recreational Activities Intervening in Natural Science Courses on Learning Motivation and Learning Outcomes—The Case of Tabletop Games

This study explored the effects of the integration of tabletop games in natural science and environmental education courses on students’ learning motivation and learning effectiveness. Four tabletop games were designed and integrated in educational programs, and 100 fifth-grade students at an elementary school in Taiwan participated in the study. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups. The former received an instructional program with tabletop games; the latter was the original program. Both groups had received the instructions for the two units of the natural science course for eight weeks. Furthermore, participants’ academic performance results were collected to investigate the effects of tabletop games on their learning effectiveness. This study has shown that integration of tabletop game in the natural science course significantly improved students’ learning attention. While the academic performance of the experimental group improved, the standard deviation decreased. In addition, qualitative data indicated the high acceptability of tabletop games integration in courses. Tabletop games integration in courses might also enhance different learning motivational dimensions. The findings of the integration of tabletop games might be beneficial to educational curriculum-specific pedagogy.

Norms and principles of international environmental law as a national environmental education element

The objective of the study is to substantiate the necessity of studying the basics of international environmental law within the framework of national environmental education courses at all levels and profiles of the educational system, including school. The research methodology is based on the use of such methods as abstraction and concretisation, analysis and synthesis, induction, and deduction. The acquisition by students of knowledge of the basics of international environmental law, as it seems, will allow them to get an idea in a concise and capacious form about the most important achievements of mankind in the sphere of legal regulation of relations formed in the process of environmental protection and nature use, about the main environmental challenges facing mankind, about the key terms of environmental law, a universal legal language understandable to lawyers of all countries of the world, about the mechanism of implementation of the norms of international environmental law. The inclusion of information on international environmental law in educational courses will help to form a developed environmental legal consciousness among the younger generation and promote responsible environmental behaviour in the future.

Preschool Pre-service Teachers’ Metaphoric Perceptions of the Concept of “Environment”: A Longitudinal Study

The study attempts to identify the perceptions of preschool pre-service teachers who take the environmental education in early childhood course about the concept of the environment through metaphor analysis. A phenomenological design, one of the most common qualitative designs, was employed in the study. The study group consists of 70 pre-service teachers in the first measurement and 49 pre-service teachers in the final measurement, who took the environmental education in early childhood course in the third year of the education faculty of a public university in the Turkey in the 2021-2022 academic year. The study was designed as a longitudinal study since the data was administrated to the participants in two stages: before they began the early childhood environmental education course (first measurement) and after they completed it (second measurement). To assess the participants' metaphors for the concept of "environment", participants were asked to complete the sentence “I think the environment...... like, because.......”. Content analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used to analyze the data. As a result of the research, it was determined that pre-school teacher candidates produced 48 metaphors in the first measurement and 34 metaphors in the second measurement for the concept of "environment". In the research, it was determined that the metaphors produced in the first measurement and the second measurement formed 19 categories and 12 of them were common. In the second measurement, different from the first measurement, the new categories created are 7 categories: obscurity, valuable, sensitivity, inclusive, coordination, guidance and responsibility.