The determination of environmental literacy levels of pre-service teachers of social studies

The purpose of this study is to determine the environmental literacy levels of pre-service teachers of social studies and to demonstrate the effects of the several variables over the components of environmental literacy (knowledge-affect-behavior-cognitive skill). The study was carried out with 1587 pre-service teachers studying at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of the Departments of Social Studies Teaching at 6 different universities in Turkey using survey model in 2010-2011 educational year.?Environmental Literacy Survey?, which was composed of 5 parts as personal information form, scale for affective tendencies towards the environment, scale for environmental behavior, environmental knowledge test and cognitive skill test, was used in order to determine the environmental literacy levels of pre-service teachers of social studies. The effect of 18 demographic variables according to the four components forming the environmental literacy of pre-service teachers was studied. The analysis of the data was conducted using SPSS statistical software program. During the data analysis, descriptive statistics, t¬-test for independent samples, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and simple correlation were used.According to the findings of the study, it was found that the environmental knowledge and environmental behaviors were at a medium level; affective tendencies were at a high level; and cognitive skills were at a low level. When the averages of total scores that pre-service teachers obtained from four different components forming the environmental literacy were examined, it was seen that their environmental literacy levels were at a medium level.When the relationship among the components forming the environmental literacy, it was found that there was a positive, low level and significant relationship between knowledge and affective tendency; a negative low level and significant relationship between knowledge and behavior; a positive, low level and significant relationship between knowledge and skill; a positive, low level and significant relationship between affect and behavior; and a positive, low level and significant relationship between behavior and skill. There was no significant relationship between affect and skill.Key Words: Environmental literacy, pre-service teacher of social studies, environmental knowledge, environmental affect, environmental behavior, cognitive skill.