SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Anemon Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 14 Sayı: 2

An Investigation of Science Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Environmental Behaviors Regarding Global Warming in Relation to Various Variables

Fen Bilgisi Öğretmenlerinin Küresel Isınmaya İlişkin Bilgilerinin, Tutumlarının ve Çevresel Davranışlarının Çeşitli Değişkenler Açısından İncelenmesi

Pınar Uğur(YILDIZ TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-2793-9099
Oylum Çavdar(Muş Alparslan Üniveristesi)0000-0001-8405-0969
Pages
971–1018
Publication Date
2026-08-30
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

At the end of the research, it was found that teachers' knowledge and attitudes regarding global warming, as well as their levels of environmental behaviour, were influenced by their gender, professional experience, opinions on who should do more to stop global warming, how much global warming worried them, their thoughts on how long global warming would take to affect the world, whether they were willing to make restrictions in their lives to prevent global warming, how often they followed developments related to global warming and environmental issues in their daily lives, and whether they assigned projects related to environmental issues to their students.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study aims to examine science teachers' attitudes, knowledge, and environmental behaviour levels regarding global warming in terms of various variables.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The study group consisted of 201 science teachers selected using simple random sampling.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:At the end of the research, it was found that teachers' knowledge and attitudes regarding global warming, as well as their levels of environmental behaviour, were influenced by their gender, professional experience, opinions on who should do more to stop global warming, how much global warming worried them, their thoughts on how long global warming would take to affect the world, whether they were willing to make restrictions in their lives to prevent global warming, how often they followed developments related to global warming and environmental issues in their daily lives, and whether they assigned projects related to environmental issues to their students.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Fen Bilgisi Öğretmenleri · Küresel Isınma · Bilgi

Abstract

This study aims to examine science teachers' attitudes, knowledge, and environmental behaviour levels regarding global warming in terms of various variables. A correlational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, was used in the study. The study group consisted of 201 science teachers selected using simple random sampling. The “Personal Information Form”, “Global Warming Knowledge Scale”, “Global Warming Attitude Scale” and “Environmentally Friendly Behaviour Scale” were used to obtain the data for the research. The t-test for independent samples and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyse the data obtained. At the end of the research, it was found that teachers' knowledge and attitudes regarding global warming, as well as their levels of environmental behaviour, were influenced by their gender, professional experience, opinions on who should do more to stop global warming, how much global warming worried them, their thoughts on how long global warming would take to affect the world, whether they were willing to make restrictions in their lives to prevent global warming, how often they followed developments related to global warming and environmental issues in their daily lives, and whether they assigned projects related to environmental issues to their students. Recommendations were made based on the results obtained in the study.

Özet

Bu araştırmada, Fen Bilgisi öğretmenlerinin küresel ısınmaya ilişkin tutum, bilgi ve çevre dostu davranışlarının çeşitli değişkenler açısından incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmada nicel araştırma yöntemlerinden ilişkisel tarama modeli kullanılmıştır. Çalışma grubunu, basit tesadüfî örnekleme yöntemiyle belirlenen 201 fen bilgisi öğretmeni oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmadaki verilerin elde edilmesinde “Kişisel bilgi formu”, “Küresel Isınma Bilgi Ölçeği”, “Küresel Isınma Tutum Ölçeği” ve “Çevre Dostu Davranış Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Katılımcılardan elde edilen veriler, bağımsız örneklemler için t-testi ve tek yönlü varyans analizi (ANOVA) ile analiz edilmiştir. Analiz sonuçları, öğretmenlerin küresel ısınma konusundaki bilgi, tutum ve çevreci davranış puanlarının; cinsiyet, mesleki deneyim, küresel ısınmayla hangi aktörlerin mücadele etmesi gerektiğine ilişkin görüş, küresel ısınmanın kendilerinde oluşturduğu kaygı düzeyi, küresel ısınmanın etkilerini ne kadar sürede göstereceğine dair düşünce, yaşamlarında kısıtlama yapmaya gönüllülük, çevre ve iklimle ilgili gelişmeleri takip etme sıklığı ve öğrencilere çevre sorunlarına yönelik proje yaptırma durumu gibi değişkenlere bağlı olarak anlamlı şekilde farklılaştığını göstermiştir. Araştırmadan elde edilen bulgular doğrultusunda, öğretmenlerin küresel ısınma farkındalığını ve çevresel davranışlarını geliştirmeye yönelik çeşitli öneriler sunulmuştur.

🔖

Cite This Article

Uğur, P., Çavdar, O. (2026). An Investigation of Science Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Environmental Behaviors Regarding Global Warming in Relation to Various Variables. Anemon Muş Alparslan Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, Cilt: 14 Sayı: 2, 971–1018. https://doi.org/10.18506/anemon.1852004

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (69)

  1. Ahi, B., & Özsoy, S. (2015). Elementary school teachers’attitudes towards environment: Gender and professıonal seniority factors. Kastamonu Education Journal, 23(1), 31-56.
  2. 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. https://doi.org/10.37989/gumussagbil.700929
  3. Aksan, Z. (2011). Pre-service elementary teachers’ perceptions and opinions about global warming [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Ondokuz Mayıs University.
  4. Aksan, Z., & Çelikler, D. (2015). Pre-service elementary teachers’ perceptions and opinions about combating global warming. Journal of Turkish World Academic Perspective, (48), 207-222.
  5. Arcury, T. A., & Christianson, E. H. (1990). Environmental worldview in response to environmental problems: Kentucky 1984 and 1988 compared. Environment and behavior, 22(3), 387-407.
  6. Aslan Efe, H., & Efe, R. (2025). Science teachers' attitudes towards scientific views on global warming and their tendency to take action. Journal of Computer and Education Research, 13(26), 956-979. https://doi.org/10.18009/jcer.1660654
  7. Aslan, E., & İmamoğlu, S. (2013). The determinatıon of the science and technology and primary school teachers’ attitudes and views toward environmental issues: Sample of Burdur province. The Journal of SAU Education Faculty, (17), 59-80.
  8. Aslan-Efe, H., & Efe, R. (2025). Science teachers' attitudes towards scientific views on global warming and their tendency to take action. Journal of Computer and Education Research, 13(26), 956–979. https://doi.org/10.18009/jcer.1660654
  9. Ataç, E., & Kiloatar, H. (2025). A comparative study of environmental attitudes, climate change awareness and levels of social responsibility among physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals. NNYU Journal of Health Research, 1(1), 9–17.
  10. Atay, L., Soylu, Y., & Gökdemir, S. (2019). Effects of norms, place attachment, environmental concerns and altruism on environment friendly behavior and purchasing: the case of Cappadocia/Goreme national park. Journal of Travel and Hospitality Management, 16(3), 398–417.
  11. Atta, M. H. R., Zoromba, M. A., El-Gazar, H. E., Loutfy, A., Elsheikh, M. A., El-ayari, O. S. M., Sehsah, İ., & Elzohairy, N. W. (2024). Climate anxiety, environmental attitude, and job engagement among nursing university colleagues: A multicenter descriptive study. BMC Nursing, 23, 133. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01788-1
  12. Ay, F., & Erik, N. Y. (2020). Knowledge and perception levels of university students towards global warming and climate change. Üniversite öğrencilerinin küresel ısınma ve iklim değişikliğine yönelik bilgi ve algı düzeyleri. Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Letters Journal of Social Sciences, 44(2), 1-18.
  13. Benzer, S., & Akkaya, M.M. (2022). The knowledge and views of pre-service teachers about climate change. Journal of Anatolian Cultural Research (JANCR), 6(1), 149-167.
  14. Bilgi, K. (2021). Analysis of knowledge and atiıtude of science teachers about global warming [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Kırsehir Ahi Evran University.
  15. Bozdoğan, A. E. (2009). The development of a scale of attitudes toward global warming. Erzincan University Journal of Science and Technology, 2(1), 35-50.
  16. Büyüköztürk, Ş., (2012). Data analysis handbook. Pegem Academic Publishing.
  17. Büyüköztürk, Ş., Kılıç Çakmak, E., Akgün, Ö. E., Karadeniz, Ş., & Demirel, F. (2012). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri. Pegem Akademi.
  18. Chen, Y., & Liu, X. (2021). How Do Environmental News and the Under the Dome Documentary Influence Air-Pollution Knowledge and Risk Perception Among Beijing Residents?. Sage Open, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211015712
  19. Corner, A., Roberts, O., Chiari, S., Völler, S., Mayrhuber, E. S., Mandl, S., & Monson, K. (2015). How do young people engage with climate change? The role of knowledge, values, message framing, and trusted communicators. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 6(5), 523–534. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.353
  20. Cotton, D. R. E. (2006). Teaching controversial environmental issues: neutrality and balance in the context of sustainability. Educational Research, 48(2), 223–241.
  21. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage. Dagiliūtė, R. (2023). Environmental information: Different sources, different levels of pro-environmental behaviours?. Sustainability, 15(20), 14773. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014773
  22. Dere, İ., & Çinikaya, C. (2023). Comparison of 2015 environmental education and 2022 environmental education and climate change curricula in terms of various dimensions. International Journal of Geography and Geography Education (IGGE), 49, 80-96. https://doi.org/10.32003/igge.1255007
  23. Divarcı, Ö. F., & Kaya, H. (2019). Science teachers’ views on global warming. Journal of Research in Education and Teaching, 8(2), 31-44.
  24. Dopelt, K., Davidovitch, N., Loren, O., & Gapich, G. (2020). Does climate change matter to us? Knowledge, attitudes, and environmental behavior. European Journal of Public Health, 30(5), ckaa166.079.
  25. Elsharkawy, S. A., Elsheikh, A. A., & Refaat, L. A. R. (2024). Knowledge, perception, and practices regarding climate change among students of Al-Azhar University for Girls in Cairo, Egypt. Journal of Public Health, 32, 1251–1260.
  26. Erbasan, Ö., & Erkol, M. (2019). Examination of primary school teachers’ environmental literacy levels. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 6(2), 311–324. https://doi.org/10.33200/ijcer.566198
  27. Eroğlu, B., & Aydoğdu, M. (2016) Determination of pre-service science teachers’ knowledge level about global warming. Journal of Uludag University Faculty of Education, 29 (2), 345-374.
  28. Erol, G. H., & Gezer, K. (2006). Prospective of elementary school teachers’ attitudes toward environment and environmental problems. The International Journal of Environmental and Science Education 1(1), 65-77.
  29. Erten, S. (2005). Investigation of preservice preschool teachers’ behaviors related to environmental awareness. Okul öncesi öğretmen adaylarında çevre dostu davranışların araştırılması. Hacettepe Üniversity Journal of Education, 28(28), 91-100.
  30. Garg, A., Dhaliwal, R. S., & Gupta, S. (2021). Prioritizing factors determining environmental responsibility using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process: evidence from India. International Journal of Social Economics, 48(7), 999-1020.
  31. Gökmen, A. (2021). The effect of gender on environmental attitude: A meta-analysis study. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 5(1), 243-257. http://dx.doi.org/10.33902/JPR.2021167799
  32. Hiğde, E. (2014). Identifying determinants of pro-environmental behaviors: a case for climate change [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Middle East Technical University.
  33. Hunter, L. M., Hatch, A., & Johnson, A. (2004). Cross‐national gender variation in environmental behaviors. Social science quarterly, 85(3), 677-694.
  34. Ibtissem, M. H. (2010). Application of value beliefs norms theory to the energy conservation behaviour. Journal of Sustainable Development, 3(2), 129.
  35. Işık Mercan, S., Mercan, Y., & Pehlivan, E. (2022). Evulating the relationship between adult’s climate change anxiety levels and ecological life approach from an environmental education perspective. Int J Educ Cult, 7(18), 1794-1808.
  36. Karasar, N. (2013). Scientific research method: concepts principles techniques. Nobel Academic Publishing.
  37. Kavak, Ş., & Deretarla Gül, E. D. (2023). Examination of Preschool Teachers' Environmental Attitudes in Terms of Different Variables. Bartın University Journal of Faculty of Education, 12(4), 813-819.
  38. Keleş, Ö., Uzun, N., & Uzun, F. V. (2010). The change of teacher candidates’ environmental consciousness, attitude, thought and behaviors with nature training project and the assessment of its permanence. Electronic Journal of Social Sciences, 9(32), 384-401.
  39. Keller E., Marsh J. E., Richardson B. H., & Ball, L. J. (2022). A systematic review of the psychological distance of climate change: Towards the development of an evidence-based construct. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 81, 101822.
  40. Kılıç, S. (2016). Cronbach's Alpha Reliability Coefficient. Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 6(1), 47.
  41. Kılınç, A. (2010). Can project-based learning close the gap? Turkish student teachers and proenvironmental behaviours. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 5(4), 495-509.
  42. Kırbağ Zengin, F., & Yucasu, Ş. (2017). The effects of project based learning method on the preservice scıence teachers’ environmental literacy. International Journal of Eurasia Social Sciences, 8(28), DCXVIII–DCXXXIII.
  43. Koca, K. (2019). Opinions of eight class students and science teachers about global warming [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Erciyes University.
  44. Kollmuss, A., & Agyeman, J. (2002). Mind the Gap: Why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior. Environmental Education Research, 8(3), 239–260.
  45. Korkmaz, M. (2018). Public awareness and perceptions of climate change: Differences in concern about climate change in the West Mediterranean Region of Turkey. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 16(4), 4039– 4050. https://doi.org/10.15666/aeer/1604_40394050
  46. Lee, L. J., Tung, S. E. H., Gan, W. Y., & Kaur, S. (2022). Knowledge, attitude and perception on climate change and dietary choices in a predomınantly chinese universıty students populatıon in klang valley. Malaysian Applied Biology, 51(3), 37–45. https://doi.org/10.55230/mabjournal.v51i3.2275
  47. Leite, Â., Lopes, D., & Pereira, L. (2023). Pro-environmental behavior and climate change anxiety, perception, hope, and despair according to political orientation. Behavioral Sciences, 13(12), 966. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13120966
  48. Levine D. S., & Strube M. J. (2012). Environmental attitudes, knowledge, intentions and behaviors among college students. J Soc Psychol, 152(3), 308-26. 10.1080/00224545.2011.604363
  49. Liu, Y., & Li, X. (2021). Pro-Environmental Behavior Predicted by Media Exposure, SNS Involvement, and Cognitive and Normative Factors. Environmental Communication, 15(7), 954–968. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2021.1922479
  50. Maiella, R., La Malva, P., Marchetti, D., Pomarico, E., Di Crosta, A., Palumbo, R. Cetara, L., Di Domenico, A., & Verrocchio, M. C. (2020). The psychological distance and climate change: A systematic review on the mitigation and adaptation behaviors. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 568899.
  51. Malka, A., Krosnick, J. A., & Langer, G. (2009). The association of knowledge with concern about global warming: Trusted information sources shape public thinking. Risk Analysis: An International Journal, 29(5), 633-647.
  52. Milfont, T. L. (2012). The interplay between knowledge, perceived efficacy, and concern about global warming and climate change: a one‐year longitudinal study. Risk Analysis: An International Journal, 32(6), 1003-1020.
  53. O’Donnell, N. H., & Guidry, J.P.D. (2022). Beyond personal responsibility: analyzing how attributing responsibility for environmental protection can hinder action. Sustainability, 14, 13503.https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013503
  54. Ojala, M. (2012). Regulating worry, promoting hope: How do children, adolescents and young adults cope with climate change ?. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 7(4), 537–561.
  55. Özden, M. (2008). Environmental awareness and attitudes of student teachers: An empirical research. International research in geographical and environmental education, 17(1), 40-55.
  56. Risco Torres, M., & Cebrián, G. (2018). Análisis de la percepción de la educación para la sostenibilidad por parte del profesorado de Educación Secundaria y Bachillerato. Enseñanza De Las Ciencias. Revista De investigación Y Experiencias didácticas, 36(3), 141–162. https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/ensciencias.2204
  57. Seroussi, D. E., Rothschild, N., Kurzbaum, E., Yaffe, Y., & Hemo, T. (2019). Teachers’ knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about climate change. International Education Studies, 12(8), 33–45.
  58. Steg, L., & Vlek, C. (2009). Encouraging proenvironmental behaviour: An integrative review and research agenda. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 29(3), 309–317.
  59. Şahin, E. (2013). Predictors of Turkish Elementary Teacher Candidates' Energy Conservation Behaviors: An Approach on Value-Belief-Norm Theory. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 8(2), 269-283.
  60. Temelli, A., Kurt, M., & Keçeci Kurt, S. (2011). Opinions of primary education teachers on global warming. Journal of Theoretical Educational Sciences, 4(2), 208-220.
  61. Thaller, A., Fleiß, E., & Brudermann, T. (2020). No glory without sacrifice—Drivers of climate (in)action in the general population. Environmental Science & Policy, 114, 7–13.
  62. Tok, G. Cebesoy, Ü. B., & Bilican, K. (2017). Investigating pre-service primary teachers’ climate change awareness. Western Anatolia Journal of Educational Sciences, 8(2), 23-36.
  63. Tuncer, G., Tekkaya, C., Sungur, S., Cakiroglu, J., Ertepinar, H., & Kaplowitz, M. (2009). Assessing pre‐service teachers’ environmental literacy in Turkey as a mean to develop teacher education programs. International Journal of Educational Development, 29(4), 426–436.
  64. Umurhan, F. (2022). Investıgatıon of pre-servıce teachers' knowledge, attıtudes and behavıors on global clımate change [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University.
  65. Wong, C. A., Afandi, S. H. M., Ramachandran, S., Kunasekaran, P., & Chan, J. K. L. (2018). Conceptualizing environmental literacy and factors affecting pro-environmental behaviour. International Journal of Business and Society, 19(S1), 128-139.
  66. Yılmaz, V., Can, Y., & Şen, H. (2018). The effect on anxiety and awareness of the information on global warming with climate change: a structural equation model suggestion. Researcher: Social Science Studies, 6(1), 434–450.
  67. Yilmaz, V., & Can, Y. (2020). Impact of knowledge, concern and awareness about global warming and global climatic change on environmental behavior. Environment, Development & Sustainability, 22(7), 6245-6260.
  68. Zelezny, L. C., Chua, P. P., & Aldrich, C. (2000). New ways of thinking about environmentalism: Elaborating on gender differences in environmentalism. Journal of Social issues, 56(3), 443-457.
  69. Zhao, Y., Liu, X., & Han, X. (2024). Enhancing pro-environmental behavior through nature-contact environmental education: an empirical analysis based on randomized controlled experiment design. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 12, 1491780.