Abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of teacher candidates about the present and future states of the environment. The sample group constituted by 37 teacher candidates who were studying at Primary Education Department of Bulent Ecevit University. Methodology of phenomenological research was adapted and ‘draw and tell’ technique was used in order to collect data accordingly. Drawings were generally preferred data collection tools in educational studies which allows participants to express their emotions and thoughts that cannot be expressed orally. In the data collection phase of this research, the participants were first handed with blank picture papers, and asked to divide the paper into two and draw the ‘current state of the environment’ on one side of the paper and ‘future state of the environment’ on the other side of the paper. In this regard, the participants were given instructions that said, "What is the environment look like today, express it by drawing" and "What do you think the environment will look like after fifty years, express it by drawing". Also, participants were asked to make written descriptions of the pictures they draw on the back page of the papers so that researchers could interpret the data correctly. They were also asked to explain the probable source of their perceptions. The data were analysed using content analysis and it was found that 11% of the teacher candidates held perceptions of clean future environment while 57 % held perceptions of polluted and 32 % held technology based future environment. According to the common perception; natural elements which were diverse and numerous in number in todays environment, would be rare or extinct and become contaminated in future. On the other hand, the future environment is believed to be conquered by technology and would be unnatural and polluted. The source of the perceptions were found to be the news about the environment on social media and their personal experiences and observations about the environment. It is concluded that, pessimistic views of teacher candidates would probably affect the way they held environmental education courses in their future classrooms.

Keywords:

Environmental Perception, Environmental Education, Draw and Tell Technique.