Environmental attitude and knowledge of preservice teachers

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess preservice teachers' environmental literacy. Two instruments were administered to 160 preservice teachers in four Teacher Training Colleges in the Ashanti Region of Ghana for the purpose of collecting data regarding the IeveIs of: (i) knowledge related to Environmental Education (EE) and (ii) environmental attitude, which measures the degree of preference for. or objection to EE. The sample for the study comprised 17% of the target pop u1at ion. Purposive sampling was used to select the pre service teachers who were involved in the study. Split-half reliability coefficients showing the internal consistencies of the items were 0.75 for Environmental Knowledge Test (EKT), 0.84 for the attitude test and 0.90 for the two scales. The data collected were analysed using both parametric and n o nparametric methods. Specific statistical tools used to test the h y pot he s e s were "X2, ANOVA, Z-test and Fisher-t-test at significance level of 0.05. The findings of the study include the following: 1. Pre service Teachers have positive attitude and substantial environmental knowledge; 2. Female Preservice Teachers possessed not only a hi g h environmental knowledge but also a more positive attitude towards EE than their male counterparts; and 3. Lastly, the study revealed that there was a positive correlation between preservice teachers' environmental attitude and knowledge. In order 10 improve or maintain the standard recommended that. teacher education must respond appropriate course work and models for both preservice teachers.