Examination of the relationship between the environmental education self-efficacy perceptions of preservice elemantary teachers' and their responsible environmental behaviors

In this study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between the environmental education self-efficacy perceptions of primary school teacher candidates and their responsible environmental behaviors. The study, which was carried out with the relational survey technique, one of the quantitative research methods, was carried out with 231 teacher candidates studying in classroom education in the 2020-2021 academic year. Environmental education self-efficacy scale, environmental behavior scale and personal information form were used as data collection tools in the research. According to the findings obtained from the research data, it was seen that the pre-service teachers' self-efficacy and responsible environmental behaviors towards environmental education were at a moderate level. It has been observed that some variables have an effect on the total scores of primary school teacher candidates from the environmental education self-efficacy scale and environmental behavior scale. According to the results of the study, a moderate positive relationship was found between the environmental behavior of teacher candidates and their self-efficacy, sense of responsibility, and instructive competency towards environmental education, and a low-level positive relationship between their perception of directing. As a result of the research, it was determined that the model established for the effect of the total score of the environmental behavior scale on the total score of self-efficacy for environmental education was significant. Likewise, it was concluded that the model established for the effect of the environmental behavior scale total score on the perception score of academic competence, responsibility and instructional competence was also significant. These results show that as the responsible environmental behaviors of teacher candidates increase, their environmental education self-efficacy beliefs also get stronger.