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Asia-Pacific Forum
on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 9, Issue 1, Article 9
(June, 2008) |
The views of the classroom teacher candidates related to the environmental science course and the environmental sensibility
Nilgün YENICE
Adnan Menderes University, Education Faculty, Department of Primary Science Education, Aydin, TURKEY
A. Seda SARACALOGLU
Adnan Menderes University, Education Faculty, Department of Educational Programs, Aydin, TURKEY
Ö. Cem KARACAOGLU
Ankara University, Education Faculty, Department of Educational Programs, Ankara, TURKEY
Email: nyenice@gmail.com, sedasaracal@gmail.com
Received 9 Jul., 2007
Revised 2 Feb., 2008
This research has been performed to determine the effects of the “Environmental Science Course” within the curriculum of Classroom Teacher Program in Education Faculty on the environmental sensibilities of the students, and the ideas of the students related to the effectiveness of their environmental education. The research has been performed on subjects of a 100-person group, who are sophomore students in Classroom Teacher Program, Education Faculty in Adnan Menderes University, Turkey and enrolled in the “Environmental Science Course”. As data collection tool, the scale developed by Çabuk and Karacaoglu (2003), having a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.81 has been used. The research has a semi-experimental model since “the before-and-after-design” existing within the experimental method has been used in the study so as to assess the target accomplishment level of “the Environmental Science Course”. The scale has been applied at the beginning and at the end of the course in order to appraise the sufficiency of the “Environmental Science Course”.
In order to examine whether some certain personal characteristics of the students lead to any difference in their environmental sensibilities, the independent t-test has been applied. In order to pinpoint the behaviors of the students related to environmental sensibility, and whether their environmental (air, soil, water pollution, population increase and ecological balance) education was sufficient, dependent t-test has been applied to the data at the beginning and at the end of the “Environmental Science Course” in the light of students’ ideas.
The environmental sensibilities of the students differ according to their follow-up status for the programs and articles about environment on media (TV, radio, newspaper, magazine etc.); however, do not differ meaningfully regarding the following variables such as gender, age, having a membership in an institution related to environment, having relatives interested in environment, or participating in activities / meetings related to environment. In addition, it has been stated that the students having “the Environmental Science Course” are more sensitive to environment, and develop positive ideas about the sufficiency of the environmental education which they have at the faculty.
Key words: Environment, Environmental Sensibility, Environmental Science Course, University Students.
