INVESTIGATION OF KNOWLEDGE LEVELS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING AND GREENHOUSE EFFECT OF PRESERVICE TEACHERS

Abstract

This research was conducted to determine how change of preservice teachers' knowledge levels related to global warming and greenhouse effect. The survey method was used in the study. 383 preservice teachers constitute the sample. In the collection of data, the Environmental Education Research Questionnaire was used. The change of conceptual knowledge levels of greenhouse effect and global warming according to branch, gender, class level, taking course related the environment was investigated. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS. In the evaluation of qualitative data, frequency and percentage were used. On the findings of the study, preservice teachers have indicated the over consumption of natural resources firstly and global warming as the secondly most important environmental problem in the world. The level of knowledge about global warming does not differ according to variables of gender, class and environment lesson; but it was found that there is a significant difference between global warming and department variable in favor of preservice teachers in the 4th grade mathematics branch. There is a significant difference between greenhouse effect and the mathematics section as the branch variable. However, there is no significant difference in the level of knowledge about greenhouse effect according to the variables of the classroom variables and the environment lesson. In the findings of qualitative data, definition rates were examined and 8,1% of teacher candidates were able to express the definition of global warming and 5,2% of greenhouse effect. As a result, the knowledge levels of preservice teachers on global warming and greenhouse effect are not in sufficient level. It is recommended that future research should be prepared to address environmental education issues.