The effect of the environmental education program based on the interdisciplinary approach on the professional development of teachers in the basic education

With a good education system, the proper information that will raise a country's welfare level will be transferred to individuals in the society. At this point, the best method to improve the educational system's quality is to prioritize reform in education, as in any other field. Teacher education is thought to be the most important field in the education system in today's quickly changing globe. As a result, the impact of an interdisciplinary environmental education professional development program on the professional development of pre-school and classroom teachers working at the basic education level was investigated in this study. Teachers' professional development was examined in terms of their knowledge about environmental education, their knowledge of interdisciplinary approach, in-class environmental teaching practices, and their in-class communication in environmental teaching. In order to reveal the effects of the Interdisciplinary Environmental Education Program (IEEP) in depth, the study was carried out with the case pattern of qualitative research. A total of 4 teachers, including pre-school and classroom teachers working in the same school, participated in the study group. Teachers' participation in the workshops for seven weeks was a goal in the Interdisciplinary Environmental Education Program (IEEP). Theoretical material and sample applications were presented during teacher workshops. In-class teacher practices began three weeks after the workshops were completed. The first 2 of the activities were implemented by the teacher with the support of the researcher, and the other 3 activities were implemented by the teacher without the support of the researcher. The teacher designed the final activity among the in-class activities. For each teacher, the IEEP in-class application procedure required a total of 5 weeks. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview form, researcher observation notes, and in-class video recordings in the study. The data was analyzed using content analysis and descriptive analysis methods. In the findings of the study, it was determined that there was an improvement in the teachers' environmental education knowledge, their knowledge about the interdisciplinary approach, their in-class environmental teaching practices, and their in-class communication in environmental teaching. According to the findings of the study, it is advised that the professional development programs applied to teachers in general should not be limited to seminars, but also to have an in-class application process and to monitor the development of teachers with on-the-job support. KEYWORDS:Professional development, interdisciplinary approach, basic education, pre-school education, classroom teacher.