The Research of the Relationship between Environmentally Aware Prospective Teachers' Qualities and Self Efficacy Beliefs towards Environmental Education

Abstract

Environmental education plays important role in raising consciousness and awareness of individuals on environmental issues and ensuring them contribute to solutions of environmental problems. This study aims to explore relation between qualities of environment consciousness elementary school teachers and their self-efficacy in respect with environmental education. Research was conducted with 150 prospective teachers who study at Siirt University Faculty of Education Department of Elementary School Teaching. Environmental Education Self-Efficacy Scale developed by Ozdemir et al. (2009) and Scale for Qualities of Environment Conscious Teachers developed by Oren et al. (2010) were used as data collection tools. Descriptive statistical techniques such as arithmetic mean, standard deviation as well as t-test and Pearson Correlation Coefficient Analysis were used in interpretation of results. According to the findings of research there is statistically significant relation between qualities of environment consciousness elementary school teachers and their self-efficacy in respect with environmental education. Furthermore, it was found that gender and status of having environmental training course do not create significant difference in environment-conscious teacher characteristics of elementary school teacher candidates. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.