Science teacher candidates' views on climate change

Hatice Güler, Mehmet Akif Haşiloğlu and Deniz Gelturan

African Educational Research Journal
Published: October 28 2020
Volume 8, Special Issue 3
Pages S16-S21
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30918/AERJ.8S3.20.069

Abstract

This study was carried out to reveal the views of science teacher candidates about climate change. In the study, the case study method, which is among the descriptive research method, was used in order to reveal the situation that is one of the qualitative research methods. The sample group of the study consists of 10 science teachers’ candidate studying at Agri İbrahim Cecen University in the Turkey. The most important reason for pre-service teachers to be selected as a sample for the research is due to the assumption that they will teach these students in the national education program when they become teachers in the future. Within the scope of the research, a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers was used. After the interview questions were prepared, they were presented to the opinions of three experts and a pilot application was carried out with 2 teachers candidate. After the necessary corrections were made according to the course of the interview, the questions were finalized. Interview recording was carried out during the interview in the form of note-taking points. Descriptive, systematic and data analysis methods used in qualitative research were used in the analysis of the findings obtained. Some results of the research are as follows. Teacher candidates defined climate change as the air temperature rising above or below the normal value. Rather than the definition of climate change, they made predictions about the cause and outcome. Besides, teacher candidates stated that, as a result of the climate change both in Turkey and in the world, the bio-diversity decreases, ecological balance is deteriorated and drought begins, epidemic diseases will increase among people and cosmetic products and greenhouse gases cause climate change.

Keywords: Environmental education, teacher candidate, science, climate change, global warming.

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