Τhe Impact of Training Environmental Educators: Environmental Perceptions and Attitudes of Pre-Primary and Primary School Teachers in Greece
Environmental education is an important tool for managing environmental problems, with a view to protecting the environment. Several significant factors, however, impede its implementation. Educators’ lack of knowledge and appropriate training on environmental topics results in difficulties in imple...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/6/274 |
| _version_ | 1797531710321065984 |
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| author | Dafni Petkou Veronika Andrea Katerina Anthrakopoulou |
| author_facet | Dafni Petkou Veronika Andrea Katerina Anthrakopoulou |
| author_sort | Dafni Petkou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Environmental education is an important tool for managing environmental problems, with a view to protecting the environment. Several significant factors, however, impede its implementation. Educators’ lack of knowledge and appropriate training on environmental topics results in difficulties in implementing environmental education programs. Nevertheless, environmental literacy is expected to lead to the manifestation of pro-environmental behavior. The aim of the present study was to examine the impacts of environmental training on pre-primary and primary school educators, and its influence on the formation of their environmental perceptions and attitudes. We investigated whether training triggers the implementation of environmental education programs, and its possible metacognitive effects on educators. Simple random sampling was used as a sampling method. A structured questionnaire was administered to 154 pre-primary and primary school teachers, and the data collection took place through the use of face-to-face interviews. The research findings indicated that educators were interested in environmental issues, and mainly used the media to obtain information about environmental issues. Gender and age were important characteristics influencing the performance and attitudes of environmental educators. It also became apparent that there are significant deficiencies in the capacity building of educators, and in the organization of environmental education in pre-primary and primary education, that negatively affect the implementation of environmental programs in schools. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:48:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e2028b5332044cfa42898528cf72ce9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:48:34Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e2028b5332044cfa42898528cf72ce92023-11-21T22:23:51ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022021-06-0111627410.3390/educsci11060274Τhe Impact of Training Environmental Educators: Environmental Perceptions and Attitudes of Pre-Primary and Primary School Teachers in GreeceDafni Petkou0Veronika Andrea1Katerina Anthrakopoulou2Department of Early Childhood Education and Care, International Hellenic University, 57400 Sindos, GreeceDepartment of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Recourses, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, GreeceDepartment of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, 57400 Sindos, GreeceEnvironmental education is an important tool for managing environmental problems, with a view to protecting the environment. Several significant factors, however, impede its implementation. Educators’ lack of knowledge and appropriate training on environmental topics results in difficulties in implementing environmental education programs. Nevertheless, environmental literacy is expected to lead to the manifestation of pro-environmental behavior. The aim of the present study was to examine the impacts of environmental training on pre-primary and primary school educators, and its influence on the formation of their environmental perceptions and attitudes. We investigated whether training triggers the implementation of environmental education programs, and its possible metacognitive effects on educators. Simple random sampling was used as a sampling method. A structured questionnaire was administered to 154 pre-primary and primary school teachers, and the data collection took place through the use of face-to-face interviews. The research findings indicated that educators were interested in environmental issues, and mainly used the media to obtain information about environmental issues. Gender and age were important characteristics influencing the performance and attitudes of environmental educators. It also became apparent that there are significant deficiencies in the capacity building of educators, and in the organization of environmental education in pre-primary and primary education, that negatively affect the implementation of environmental programs in schools.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/6/274environmental knowledgeeducators’ attitudesenvironmental educationenvironmental programsenvironmental literacyenvironmental educators |
| spellingShingle | Dafni Petkou Veronika Andrea Katerina Anthrakopoulou Τhe Impact of Training Environmental Educators: Environmental Perceptions and Attitudes of Pre-Primary and Primary School Teachers in Greece Education Sciences environmental knowledge educators’ attitudes environmental education environmental programs environmental literacy environmental educators |
| title | Τhe Impact of Training Environmental Educators: Environmental Perceptions and Attitudes of Pre-Primary and Primary School Teachers in Greece |
| title_full | Τhe Impact of Training Environmental Educators: Environmental Perceptions and Attitudes of Pre-Primary and Primary School Teachers in Greece |
| title_fullStr | Τhe Impact of Training Environmental Educators: Environmental Perceptions and Attitudes of Pre-Primary and Primary School Teachers in Greece |
| title_full_unstemmed | Τhe Impact of Training Environmental Educators: Environmental Perceptions and Attitudes of Pre-Primary and Primary School Teachers in Greece |
| title_short | Τhe Impact of Training Environmental Educators: Environmental Perceptions and Attitudes of Pre-Primary and Primary School Teachers in Greece |
| title_sort | τhe impact of training environmental educators environmental perceptions and attitudes of pre primary and primary school teachers in greece |
| topic | environmental knowledge educators’ attitudes environmental education environmental programs environmental literacy environmental educators |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/6/274 |
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