Relationship Between the Attitudes of Pre School Teacher Candidates Towards Environmental Issues and Their Self Efficacy Beliefs About Environmental Education

Abstract

This stu dy aims to determine the self efficacy beliefs and attitudes of pre school teacher candidates towards
environmental education and to examine the relationship between these two variables. The research was conducted
based on an exploratory sequential mixed m ethods design. The participants of the study are 114 pre school teacher
candidates studying at a state university in the central Anatolia region during the 2019 2020 academic year. In the
study, quantitative data was collected using the attitude scale tow ards environmental issues, and a self efficacy scale
for environmental education, while qualitative data was collected through semi structured interviews with 35 teacher
candidates. Quantitative data were analyzed in the SPSS program using statistical anal yses suitable for research
problems. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. As a result, it was found that the self efficacy beliefs and
attitudes of pre school teacher candidates in environmental education were moderate. While these factors do not show
a significant difference by gender, they show a significant difference compared to the variables of self efficacy in taking
previous courses related to environmental education and giving a course related to environmental education in the
future . In addition, it has been found that there is a positive relationship between self efficacy beliefs in environmental
education and in attitudes towards environmental issues. The results obtained in the interviews are consistent with
these results. As a re sult of the research, recommendations were made such as providing courses related to
environmental education at all levels of education; and providing opportunities for pre school teacher candidates to
practice environmental education in the process of the ir university education.