Determining the knowledge levels of science teachers on the effects of fossil and renewable energy sources on the environment

In this study, it was aimed to determine the knowledge level of science teacher candidates about the effects of fossil and renewable energy sources on the environment. In order to determine the level of knowledge of teacher candidates about energy sources and their effects on the environment and the level of importance they attach to the subjects, a knowledge test was applied. The research sample consists of 102 volunteer science teacher candidates studying at Mersin University in the fall semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. In order to determine the knowledge level of the Science Teacher Candidates about the effects of fossil and renewable energy sources on the environment, the easily accessible sampling method, which is one of the purposeful sampling methods, was used in the selection of the participants in the study because it gave speed and practicality to the research. According to the results of the research, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found in the independent sample t-test results of the pre-service teachers participating in the research, in the energy acquisition sub-dimension, according to the gender variable. In this dimension, while the average of male students' opinions was 6.46, the average of female students' opinions was 5.90. From the difference of these averages, it was concluded that the knowledge level of male students was statistically higher than that of female students. When the science teacher candidates were examined according to their grade level, place of residence, type of high school they graduated from, the type of fuel used by the family and their participation in scientific studies, no significant difference was found between their knowledge levels.