Opinions of Preschool Teachers on Climate Change

Year 2024, Issue: 54, 26 - 37, 26.09.2024

Feyza Belgrat Nisa Başara Baydilek

https://doi.org/10.33418/education.1556803

Abstract

Climate change is defined as alterations in climate that degrade the environment on a global scale due to human activities, in addition to natural climate changes that occur over similar time periods. Since the consequences of global climate change are being felt more and more each day, this research aims to determine the opinions of pre-school education teachers working at the first stage of education regarding climate change. The research was conducted as a case study, one of the qualitative research methods that allows in-depth description and examination of a limited system. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six preschool teachers. In the interview form, under the title 'Climate Change,' there are sections for causes, precautions, and comments on a related movie. As a result, teachers generally touched upon global warming and human activities regarding the cause and outcome of climate change and the precautions that can be taken. They emphasized that climate change awareness should be fostered during the preschool years.. In line with these results, suggestions have been made about what can be done in the preschool period in order to increase awareness about climate change.

Keywords

Climate change, preschool teachers, global warming

Okul Öncesi Öğretmenlerinin İklim Değişikliğine İlişkin Görüşleri

Abstract

İklim değişikliği, karşılaştırabilir zaman dilimlerinde oluşan doğal iklim değişikliğine ek olarak, doğrudan veya dolaylı bir şekilde küresel atmosferin oluşumunun bozulduğu, insan aktivitelerinin sonucuyla iklimde oluşan değişiklikler olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Küresel iklim değişikliğinin sonuçları gün geçtikçe daha fazla hissedildiği için bu araştırmada iklim değişikliğiyle ilgili, eğitimin ilk kademesinde görev yapan okul öncesi eğitim öğretmenlerinin görüşlerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırma sınırlandırılmış bir sistemin derinlemesine betimlenmesine ve incelenmesine olanak veren, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden durum çalışması şeklinde yürütülmüştür. Altı okul öncesi öğretmeniyle yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Görüşme formu iklim değişikliği üst başlığı altında; nedenleri, önlemler, ilgili bir filmin yorumlanması gibi başlıkları içermektedir. Sonuç olarak öğretmenler iklim değişikliğinin nedeni, sonucu ve alınabilecek önlemlerle ilgili genellikle küresel ısınma ve insan faaliyetlerine değinmişler, iklim değişikliği bilincinin okul öncesi dönemde kazandırılması gerektiğini belirtmişlerdir. Bu sonuçlar doğrultusunda iklim değişikliği konusunda bilinci artırabilmek için okul öncesi dönemde yapılabilecekleri içeren öneriler getirilmiştir.

Keywords

İklim değişikliği, okul öncesi öğretmenleri, küresel ısınma

References

• Akbulut, M., & Kaya, A.A. (2020). The investigation of global climate change as a disaster and the global climate change awareness of primary school teachers: Sample of Gümüşhane Province. Gümüşhane University Journal of Health Sciences, 9(2), 112-124.
• Akbulut, M. (2019). The investigation of global climate change as a disaster and the global climate change awareness of primary school teachers: sample of Gümüşhane Province. (Publication no. 557387). [Master Thesis, Gumushane University]. YÖK. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
• Albayrak, A. N., & Atasayan, Ö. (2017). The analysis of climate change awareness at local level: Gebze case. Journal of TUBAV Science, 10(4), 1-10.
• Alegria Activity S. L. (n.d.). Award-winning short film access link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T-A3s_DPO4
• Altınsoy, F. (2018). Comparison of traditional teaching and technology assisted methods in creating awareness of environmental pollution in pre-school children. (Publication no. 493107) [Master Thesis, Necmettin Erbakan University]. YÖK. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
• Anderson, A. (2010). Combating climate change through quality education. Brookings Global Economy and Development. (https://www.preventionweb.net/files/15415_15415brookingspolicybriefclimatecha.pdf)
• Atik, A. D., & Doğan, Y. (2019). High school students’ views on global climate change. Academy Journal of Educational Sciences, 3(1), 84-100.
• Ay, F. & Erik, N. Y. (2020). Knowledge and perception levels of university students towards global warming - and climate change. Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 44(2), 1-18.
• Aydın, Ö., & Aykaç, N. (2016). The effect of the education implemented by the creative drama method on the environmental awareness of pre-school students. Yaratıcı Drama Dergisi, 11(1), 1-16. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ydrama/issue/34693/383501
• Buhan, B. (2006). Investigation of environmental awareness of preschool teachers and environmental education in these schools. (Publication no. 192635) [Master Thesis, Marmara University]. YÖK. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
• Cengizoğlu, S. (2013). Investigating potential of education for sustainable development program on preschool children's perceptions about human-environment interrelationship. (Publication no. 347220) [Master Thesis, Middle East Technical University]. YÖK TEZ, https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
• Demircioğlu, C. M. (2019). Effect of the climate change program of five age children on the concepts of children on climate change. (Publication no. 559671) [Master Thesis, Kastamonu University]. YÖK. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
• Duran, M. (2023). Climate change in early childhood education. Igdir University Social Science Journal, 32, 100-114.
• Gençer, R. (2018). Investigation of the results of the study on the current situation in the context of media and child relations. (Publication no. 515641) [Master Thesis, Sakarya University]. YÖK. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
• Gezgin, D., & Kılıç, D. (2015). Determination of Pre-school Teachers’ Preferred Acquisitions and Methods for Science Activities. Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education,11(3), 620-630.
• Gülay, H. (2011). You cannot teach an old dog new tricks: the importance of environmental education in the early years of life. Journal of TUBAV Science, 4(3), 240-245.
• Gülersoy, A. E. (2022). Global climate change education in sustainable development perspective. K. Özcan (Edt), In Sustainable development and education, pp. 185-234. Anı.
• Gülsoy, E. (2018). Knowledge and perceptions on global warming and climate change of university students. (Publication no. 517505) [Master Thesis, Süleyman Demirel University]. YÖK. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp
• Güzelyurt, T., & Özkan, Ö. (2017). Environmental education practice in pre-school period: hello pinecone and sound of pinecone activities. Electronic Turkish Studies, 12(28), 409-428.
• IPCC. (2014). Working Groups of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr/, 2 May 2022)
• IPCC. (2022). Working group 2 contribution to the sixth assessment report of the international panel on climate change (https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGII_FinalDraft_FullReport.pdf 2 May 2022)
• Karabulut, N. (2023). The Evaluation of Teachers' Awareness of Global Climate Change. National Education Journal, 3(2), 265-294. Ministry of Education. (2013). Preschool education program. MoE.
• Merriam, S. B. (2013). Qualitative research: a guide to design and implementation. S. Turan (Trns. Ed.). Nobel. (Original work publication date 2009)
• Oluk, E. A., & Oluk, S. (2007). Analysis of Higher Education Students' Perceptions of Greenhouse Effect, Global Warming and Climate Change. Dokuz Eylul University The Journal of Buca Faculty of Education, 22, 45-53.
• Oluk, S., & Özalp, I. (2007). Teaching Global Environmental Problems According to Constructivist Theory. Usability of Cartoons as the Focus of the Problem. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 7(2), 859-896.
• Özdemir, M. (2010). Qualitative data analysis: A study on methodology problem in social sciences. Eskişehir Osmangazi University Journal of Social Sciences, 11(1), 323-343.
• Özkan, B. (2017). Investigating views of preschool teachers about environmental education. Akademik Bakış, 62, 80-87.
• Saraç, S., Yurtseven, N., Güneş, H., & Serttaş-Franzin, C. (2022). Evaluation of Understanding-Based Design-Based Climate Change Education Program. Edu Congress, November 2022/Antalya.
• Seguido, Á. F. M., & Moreno, J. R. (2023). Influye la formación disciplinar en la formación docente sobre el cambio climático? Una aproximación desde la didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales: Does disciplinary education influence teacher training on climate change? An approach from the didactics of Social Sciences. ENSAYOS. Revista de la Facultad de Educación de Albacete, 38(1), 98-112.
• Siron, Y., Fajriyah, S., & Rahmani, N. F. (2021). How to Raise Climate Change Awareness to Early Childhood? Perception of In-Service Teacher and Pre-Service Teacher in Indonesia. Asia-Pacific Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, 15(1), 91-117.
• Tetik, N., & Acun, A. (2015). The perceptions and views of tourism students on global warming and climate change. Journal of International Social Research, 8(41), 1459-1476.
• UN. (1992). United Nations framework convention on climate change. (https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf 12 May 2022)
• UNESCO. (2009). Education for sustainable development and climate change. (ED–2009/WS) (http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0017/001791/179122e.pdf 12 May 2022)
• UNESCO. (2015). Not just hot air. Putting climate change education into practice. (http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002330/233083e.pdf. 12 May 2022)
• UNEP. (2006). Raising awareness of climate change: A handbook for government focal points.(https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/8617/unep_cc_handbook.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y 2 May 2022)
• Yağlıkara, S. (2006). The teachers’ opinions about the effects of science and nature activities on the preschool children’s acquisition of environmental awareness. (Publication no. 257114) [Master Thesis, Anadolu University]. YÖK. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezSorguSonucYeni.jsp