Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of the Environment: Does Ethnicity or Dominant Residential Experience Matter?

Abstract

In this study, the authors used drawings and sentence completions to investigate how 118 preservice elementary teachers defined the environment. The authors also examined the influence of ethnicity and dominant residential experience on the preservice teachers' perceptions of the environment. From the results of their study, the authors suggest that these preservice elementary teachers did not possess the knowledge necessary to be considered environmentally literate according to the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE, 2004b) Guidelines for the Initial Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators. Using the data in their study, the authors suggest that, contrary to popular assumptions, neither ethnicity nor dominant residential experience had a significant influence on participants' perceptions of the environment.

Keywords:

• environment defined
• environmental literacy
• ethnic influence
• geographic influence
• preservice teachers