Assessment of Changes in Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions of the Concept of the Environment

Abstract

Higher education institutions are responsible for producing individuals with the knowledge, skills, and values to contribute to the improvement of society’s quality of life. Environmental education is also one of the leading permanent solutions for environmental problems. The aim of this research is to understand teacher candidates’ perceptions of the concept of “environment.” In this context, a case study, as one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The participants consisted of 36 students enrolled in the primary school teaching department at a state university. The data collection tools included a word association test, metaphor, and drawing techniques. These data collection tools were applied before and after an environmental education course that participants attended for 14 weeks. From the research findings, it is understood that the participants’ mental structures for the concept of “environment” shifted from being living creature-oriented to being pollution-oriented by the end of the environmental education course.