scholarly journals Determining the perceptions of pre-service science teachers regarding environmental problems through word association

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elif Ozata Yucel ◽  
Muhlis Ozkan
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Word Association ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Word Association Test ◽  
Key Word ◽  
Education Science

In this study, Word Association Test (WAT) was administered to 123 people in order to determine the perceptions of pre-service science teachers regarding environmental problems. “Environmental Problems” was given as a key word to the pre-service teachers, and they were asked to write what came to their minds on WAT and make one sentence about this concept. The responses concerning the key word were examined under six themes: “causes”, “effects”, “types”, “measures”, “worry/pessimism”, and “other”. The pre-service teachers were seen to have stronger cognitive structures about the causes of environmental problems in comparison to other themes. Most participants confused the concepts of environmental problem and environmental pollution. They mostly focused on the effects of environmental problems on human beings and had worry and pessimism. Emphases laid by the pre-service teachers on environmental awareness, consciousness, and love in regard to the measures that can be taken against environmental problems demonstrate that they think education is important for the solution of environmental problems. The research results reveal that perceptions regarding environmental problems are not adequate among the pre-service science teachers. This lack of perception among the pre-service science teachers, who are to play an important part in raising environmental awareness, can be eliminated only through an effective environmental education. Keywords: Perception of Environmental Problems, Environmental Education, Science, Word Association, Pre-Service Teachers

scholarly journals THE COGNITIVE STRUCTURE OF PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS ABOUT ENERGY METABOLISM

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 462-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeşim Yener ◽  
Mehmet Bahar ◽  
Naciye Somuncu Demir ◽  
Mustafa Yılmaz ◽  
Dündar Yener
Keyword(s):  
Energy Metabolism ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Word Association ◽  
Cognitive Structure ◽  
Association Test ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
Word Association Test ◽  
Respiratory Event ◽  
Key Word

In this research word association test was used to explore the cognitive structure of Pre-service science teachers about biological energy metabolism. The participant group constitutes 67 Pre-service students at a university in Black Sea Region of Turkey. Ten key concepts in General Biology course were given as a stimulating word and a mind map was established by using the frequency values of valid response words. The results showed that the total number of different response words for the key word “enzyme” is the highest with “cell” and “energy” being higher than others and for the key word “photosynthesis” is the lowest. The mind map also showed that they based their cognitive perceptions of the biological energy mechanism mostly on scientific concepts that are emphasized in the lessons and are academically acknowledged and included in the concepts used in everyday life at the least. However, they were not able to see the key concept “enzymes” as a part of branched network and they had also problems regarding the respiratory event in the plants as well as realization process of photosynthesis in the cellular level. Implications of the results in terms of understanding the subject of biological energy metabolism are also discussed. Keywords: biological energy metabolism, cognitive structure, mind map, pre-service science teacher, word association test.

scholarly journals Using the Word Association Test to Examine Life Skills Cognitive Structures of Pre-Service Science Teachers

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-79
Author(s):  
Merve Bahar Alaca ◽  
Havva Yaman ◽  
Sibel Er Nas
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
Life Skills ◽  
Conceptual Knowledge ◽  
Elementary Science ◽  
Word Association ◽  
Association Test ◽  
Elementary Science Education ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Cognitive Structures ◽  
Word Association Test

Science teachers, while teaching their students the science concepts, should also be teaching life skills. To ensure that future science teachers are competent to teach these skills, it can help assess the cognitive structures they hold as pre-service teachers. The current study aimed to reveal the cognitive structures and conceptual knowledge status of pre-service science teachers related to life skills. The participants were 165 pre-service teachers studying at the Department of Elementary Science Education at a public university in Turkey. A word association test (WAT) using six keywords (Communication, teamwork, entrepreneurship, creativity, decision making, analytical thinking) about life skills was developed. The gathered data was analyzed with the interslice distance technique and a descriptive analy­sis method. The results suggest that pre-service science teachers do not have the cognitive structures to produce enough answer words about life skills. It is suggested that elective undergraduate courses that allow students to recognize and internalize these skills can be introduced or increased in pre-service teaching programs.

scholarly journals COGNITIVE PERCEPTIONS OF PRE-SERVİCE SCIENCE TEACHER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-428
Author(s):  
Serpil Kalaycı
Keyword(s):  
Science Teacher ◽  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Word Association ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Association Test ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Word Association Test ◽  
Quantitative And Qualitative Research ◽  
Drawing Technique

This research aims to determine cognitive structures about environmental pollution of pre-service science teachers and their perceptions of the most important environmental pollution in their lives. Data have been obtained from 33 pre-service science teachers. In this research, both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used together. Data is collected with word association test, open-ended questions, and drawing technique. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive analysis and content analysis methods. According to the data obtained from the word association test, environmental pollution was put into four categories. These categories are ‘sources of pollution’, ‘types of pollution’, ‘consequences caused by pollution’ and ‘those affected by pollution’. The pre-service teachers drew mostly air pollution and then water and soil pollution in their drawings. Similarly, pre-service teachers wrote mostly air and water pollution as the most important environmental pollution. The majority of the pre-service teachers were seen to have the perception that humans cause environmental pollution. However, it was determined that some pre-service teachers hardly mentioned the extent of pollution over other living things. Keywords: cognitive perception, drawing technique, environmental pollution, pre-service science teacher, word association test.

scholarly journals Investigating Preservice Science Teachers’ Cognitive Structures on Environmental Issues

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 244-256
Author(s):  
Zeynep KIRYAK ◽  
Bahar CANDAŞ ◽  
Haluk ÖZMEN
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
Word Association ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Association Test ◽  
Alternative Conceptions ◽  
Depth Information ◽  
Cognitive Structures ◽  
Word Association Test ◽  
Preservice Science Teachers

Environmental knowledge and awareness of individuals affect their attitudes and behavior toward the environment. In this regard, it is essential to specify how environmental issues are interpreted in individuals’ cognitive structures. This study aims to investigate preservice science teachers’ cognitive structures on environmental issues. The study was conducted with 78 third-year preservice science teachers. The data were collected through a word association test that contains eight stimulus words about environmental problems and protecting the environment. Global warming, greenhouse effect, radiation, and acid rain were chosen for environmental problems; recycling, waste disposal, sustainability, and solar energy were selected for protecting the environment. Besides, preservice science teachers were asked to write a sentence for each stimulus word. Two concept networks were created based on the cut-off point method for the word association test, and content analysis was used for sentences. Besides, by comparing the data obtained from the concept networks and sentence analysis, an attempt was made to obtain more in-depth information. It is concluded that preservice science teachers focused on daily life rather than scientific facts about environmental issues. In this respect, new courses such as Green Chemistry may effectively eliminate alternative conceptions and raise awareness on environmental issues.

STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN RELATION TO THEIR GENDER AND ACADEMIC STREAM

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 262-265
Author(s):  
Dr.Navdeep Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
School Students ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Stages Of Learning ◽  
The Masses

Since its evolution environment has remained both a matter of awe and concern to man. The frontier attitude of the industrialized society towards nature has not only endangered the survival of all other life forms but also threatened the very existence of human life. The realization of such potential danger has necessitated the dissemination of knowledge and skill vis-a-vis environment protection at all stages of learning. Therefore, learners of all stages of learning need to be sensitized with a missionary zeal. This may ensure transformation of students into committed citizens for averting global environment crisis. The advancement of science and technology made the life more and more relaxed and man also became more and more ambitious. With such development, human dependence on environment increased. He consumed more resources and the effect of his activities on the environment became more and more detectable. Environment covers all the things present around the living beings and above the land, on the surface of the earth and under the earth. Environment indicates, in total, all of peripheral forces, pressures and circumstances, which affect the life, nature, behaviour, growth, development and maturation of living beings. Irrational exploitation (not utilization) of natural resources for our greed (not need) has endangered our survival, and incurred incalculable harm. Environmental Education is a science, a well-thought, permanent, lasting and integrated process of equipping learning experiences for getting awareness, knowledge, understanding, skills, values, technical expertise and involvement of learners with desirable attitudinal changes about their relationship with their natural and biophysical environment. Environmental Education is an organized effort to educate the masses about environment, its functions, need, importance, and especially how human beings can manage their behaviour in order to live in a sustainable manner.  The term 'environmental awareness' refers to creating general awareness of environmental issues, their causes by bringing about changes in perception, attitude, values and necessary skills to solve environment related problems. Moreover, it is the first step leading to the formation of responsible environmental behaviour (Stern, 2000). With the ever increasing development by modern man, large scale degradation of natural resources have been occurred, the public has to be educated about the fact that if we are degrading our environment we are actually harming ourselves. To encourage meaningful public participation and environment, it is necessary to create awareness about environment pollution and related adverse effects. This is the crucial time that environmental awareness and environmental sensitivity should be cultivated among the masses particularly among youths. For the awareness of society it is essential to work at a gross root level. So the whole society can work to save the environment.

scholarly journals Trends of secondary students in Aqla Sakkur governorate towards environmental problems

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulrahman bin Attallah Faraj Harbi
Keyword(s):  
Public Education ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Descriptive Method

The aim of this study was to measure the attitudes of students and secondary students in Aqla falcon towards environmental problems. And whether there are statistically significant differences in trends towards environmental problems due to gender variable (student, student). To achieve the objective of the study, the researcher used the descriptive method. A questionnaire (25) was designed to measure trends towards environmental problems. Was applied to a sample of (126) students. After data collection and processing, the results showed that the attitudes of students and students are positive. The results of the study revealed no statistically significant differences in trends towards all environmental problems according to gender variable (student, student). The results also showed no statistically significant differences in the attitudes of male and female students towards all environmental problems according to the educational level of the father and the educational level of the mother. In light of the results, the researcher presented a number of recommendations, most notably: the need to maintain environmental awareness among students to include environmental education in the curriculum at all stages of public education, and the preparation of scientific programs calling for protecting the environment from all sources of pollutants and conservation.

scholarly journals Investigation of Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Attitudes towards Sustainable Environmental Education

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozgul Keles
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Medium Level ◽  
Faculty Of Education ◽  
Teachers Attitudes

The purpose of the current study is to investigate pre-service science teachers’ sustainable environmental education attitudes and the factors affecting them in terms of some variables (gender and grade level). The study group of the current research is comprised of 154 pre-service teachers attending the Department of Science Education in the Faculty of Education of Aksaray University. The study employed the descriptive survey method, one of the qualitative research methods. As the data collection tool, “The Sustainable Environmental Education Attitude Scale” developed by Afacan and Demirci Güler (2011) was used in the study. The Cronbach alpha reliability of the scale was calculated to be α=.93. In the statistical analysis of the data, SPSS was used. In the analysis of the data, Independent Samples t-Test and One Way ANOVA were run. The analysis results revealed that sustainable environmental education attitudes frequency of the pre-service teachers is at the medium level. It was also found that the sustainable environmental education attitudes of the pre-service teachers do not vary significantly by gender; yet, they were found to be varying significantly depending on the grade level variable. It can be suggested that further research can attempt to determine the attitudes of pre-service teachers from different branches and to analyze different factors affecting sustainable environmental education attitude.

ACHIEVEMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN RELATION TO MENTAL HEALTH OF THE STUDENTS AT UNDER GRADUATE LEVEL

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Sambasivarao
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Earth Science ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Over Exploitation

Environment is a global concept today. Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions. Environmental Education is an approach to learning. Environmental education refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, earth science, atmospheric science, mathematics, and geography. Today our environment is being destructed due to various factors. One of the major causes of environmental destruction is human activities. Man with his great skill and adaptive power has brought lot of changes. It is time to realize that our Earth has limited resources. Educators and environment specialists are stressing that solution to the environment crises will require environmental awareness and understanding. Environmental awareness means to help social groups and individuals to acquire an awareness and sensitivity to the total environment and its allied problems. The importance of environmental awareness cannot be overemphasized. We must understand that to improve the environment is to improve the quality of life. Environmental education programs need to be planned nationally as there is difference in the environmental priorities. Fast growing populations, high .intensity agriculture, human settlements and slum improvement, introduction of modern transport systems, increasing demands for energy and industrialization are the environmental priorities for developing countries whereas over exploitation of resources, industrial pollution and waste disposal are the main environmental priorities for developed countries. The present paper discusses about achievement in Environmental Education in relation to Mental Health, Environmental Awareness and streams at students of under graduation level

scholarly journals Comparison of Interdisciplinary History and Science Concepts from the Cognitive Aspect with Word Association Test

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Sefa Yıldırım ◽  
Mehmet Akif Haşıloğlu
Keyword(s):  
Word Association ◽  
Association Test ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Word Association Test ◽  
Descriptive Research ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
History Department ◽  
Faculty Of Education ◽  
Education Science ◽  
Compare And Contrast

This study aims to compare and contrast the connotations of the concepts of "science" and "history" that were formedin the minds of students attending both Faculty of Science and Letters, History Department and Faculty of Education,Science Education Department at Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University. The participants of the study are 173 students fromthe History Department, including the whole education level of the department and 71 students from ScienceEducation Department including all classes. The participants were asked what they mean by the concepts of"science" and "history" and what connotations they made. Survey method is used in a descriptive research model.The Word Association Test (WAT) related to history and science has been utilized as a data collection tool.According to findings received after the analysis, it is found that there was no significant difference betweencognitive sentence structures of the students, who are attending different disciplines, towards both the concept ofhistory and science. As a result of the Word Association Test, although there are some differences according to thedepartments of education, many concepts in general are similar. When examining the cognitive sentence structuresfor the concepts, there is a need for research on the interrelationship of basic concepts with special areas. Thus, thisresearch gains more importance.

scholarly journals From the environmental identity to the behavior: The status of pre-service science teachers

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 271
Author(s):  
Esra Kızılay ◽  
Nagihan Tanık Önal
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Environmental Identity ◽  
Average Behavior ◽  
Path Diagram ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Status

<span>In this research, the environmental identity of pre-service science teachers and their behaviors towards environmental problems were examined according to gender and grade. In the study, a path diagram is formed by evaluating the relationship between the variables. 215 pre-service science teachers of a university in Turkey, have participated in the study. The Environmental Identity Scale and the Environmental Problems Behaviour Scale were used as data collection tools. In the research, it was found that female students' averages environmental identity score was higher than males’ average score. There was no significant difference between pre-service teachers' environmental identity according to grade. It was found that female students’ average behavior score towards environmental problems was significantly higher than the average score of males. In the study, it was found that the average behavior scores towards environmental problems of the pre-service science teachers who are in the third and fourth grade were significantly higher than the average scores of the first and second-grade students. The research revealed a moderate relationship between pre-service science teachers' environmental identity and their behaviors towards environmental problems. 18% of the change in the behaviors of pre-service teachers towards environmental problems can be explained by their environmental identity</span>

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