Investigation of primary school teacher candidates' environmental identities and value orientations

The aim of this study is to examine the primary school teacher candidates' environmental identities and value orientations. The research was conducted with relational screening model using quantitative method. The sample of the study consisted of 267 primary school teacher candidates who were accessed from the population using conformity sampling method. ''Environmental Identity Scale'' consisting of 24 items and ''Brief Values Scale'' consisting of 12 items were used as data collection tools. Data were collected through online forms. According to the results of the study, analyses based on the mean scores showed that primary school teacher candidates' environmental identities were at the level of "True" among the 7-point Likert scales and that they had a strong environmental identity. The environmental identities of teacher candidates did not differ according to gender and grade level variables. According to the sub-dimensions of value orientations of teacher candidates, biospheric values were at the level of ''It is important at the highest level'', altruistic values were at the level of ''It is important at the highest level'' and egoistic values were at the level of ''Neither important nor not important'' in 7-point Likert scale. According to the gender variable, it was seen that biospheric and altruistic values differed significantly in favour of women and there was no significant difference in egoistic values according to gender. The value orientations of primary school teacher candidates did not differ significantly according to their grade levels. It was observed that there was a weak positive significant relationship between the environmental identities of prospective teacher candidates and their biospheric and altruistic values, and a very weak positive significant relationship between their egoistic values. Various suggestions were made based on the results obtained from the research. Keywords: Environment, Environmental Identity, Value Orientations, Teacher Candidates