Journals / Uşak Üniversitesi Eğitim Araştırmaları Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 12 Sayı: 2

Comparing Preschool and Preservice Preschool Teachers’ Climate Change Awareness and Level of Climate Change Integration into Lesson Plans

Okul Öncesi Öğretmenlerinin ve Okul Öncesi Öğretmen Adaylarının İklim Değişikliği Farkındalıklarının ve İklim Değişikliğini Ders Planlarına Entegre Etme Düzeylerinin Karşılaştırılması

Pages
140–152
Publication Date
2026-08-28
🏛️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)

The findings indicate that teachers scored significantly higher than preservice teachers in terms of uncertainty beliefs, epistemic beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Children are one of vulnerable at-risk group affected by climate change.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The aim of this study is to examine the levels of knowledge, behaviour, beliefs, attitudes and awareness regarding climate change of preschool teachers and preservice preschool teachers; and to investigate how they integrate climate change into their lesson plans.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The findings indicate that teachers scored significantly higher than preservice teachers in terms of uncertainty beliefs, epistemic beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:2014 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Okul Öncesi Eğitim · İklim Değişikliği · İklim Farkındalığı

Abstract

Children are one of vulnerable at-risk group affected by climate change. Supporting climate change in early childhood education has become important in recent curriculum updates. The aim of this study is to examine the levels of knowledge, behaviour, beliefs, attitudes and awareness regarding climate change of preschool teachers and preservice preschool teachers; and to investigate how they integrate climate change into their lesson plans. In this study, an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. Quantitative data were collected from 67 preschool teachers and 94 preservice preschool teachers using the Climate Change Awareness Scale developed by Hiğde (2014). In the qualitative phase, participants were asked to prepare a climate change lesson plan. 8 preservice preschool teachers and 14 preschool teachers agreed to prepare a lesson plan. Document analysis was conducted on the plans submitted by the 22 participants. The findings indicate that teachers scored significantly higher than preservice teachers in terms of uncertainty beliefs, epistemic beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours. Preservice teachers scored higher only in the knowledge dimension, and the mean lesson plan scores were also higher. The findings suggest that the knowledge dimension may be a determining factor for preparing lesson plans.

Özet

Çocuklar, iklim değişikliğinden en çok etkilenen gruplardan biridir. Bu nedenle, son müfredat güncellemelerinde, erken çocukluk döneminde iklim değişikliği eğitimini desteklemek önemli bir yer tutmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, okul öncesi öğretmenleri ve öğretmen adayı okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin iklim değişikliği konusundaki bilgi, davranış, inanç, tutum ve farkındalık düzeylerini incelemek; ve iklim değişikliğini etkinlik planlarına nasıl entegre ettiklerini araştırmaktır. Araştırmada açıklayıcı sıralı karma yöntem deseni kullanılmıştır. Nicel veriler, 67 okul öncesi öğretmeni ve 94 öğretmen adayından, Hiğde (2014) tarafından geliştirilen İklim Değişikliği Farkındalık Ölçeği aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Nitel aşamada ise katılımcılardan bir iklim değişikliği etkinlik planı hazırlamaları istenmiştir. 8 okul öncesi öğretmen adayı ve 14 okul öncesi öğretmeni etkinlik planı sunmuştur. 22 katılımcı tarafından sunulan planlar üzerinde doküman analizi ile incelenmiştir. Bulgular, öğretmenlerin belirsizlik inançları, epistemik inançlar, tutumlar ve davranışlar açısından öğretmen adaylarından anlamlı derecede daha yüksek puan aldığını göstermektedir. Öğretmen adayları yalnızca bilgi boyutunda daha yüksek puan almış olup, ders planı puan ortalamaları da daha yüksek bulunmuştur. Bulgular, bilgi boyutunun ders planı hazırlama performansında belirleyici bir faktör olabileceğini göstermektedir.

🔖

Cite This Article

Zurba, D. K., Delen, İ. (2026). Comparing Preschool and Preservice Preschool Teachers’ Climate Change Awareness and Level of Climate Change Integration into Lesson Plans. Uşak Üniversitesi Eğitim Araştırmaları Dergisi, Cilt: 12 Sayı: 2, 140–152. https://doi.org/10.29065/usakead.1878790

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (52)

  1. Akbulut, M. (2019). Global climate change as a disaster and examination of primary school teachers’ awareness of climate change: The case of Gümüşhane. (Unpublished master’s thesis). Gümüşhane University.
  2. Ar, G. A., & Delen, İ. (2023). Examination of early childhood teachers’ creative thinking tendencies and critical thinking in design based activities. Uşak University Journal of Social Sciences, 16(1), 84-102.
  3. Ardoin, N. M., & Bowers, A. W. (2020). Early childhood environmental education: A systematic review of the research literature. Educational Research Review, 31, 100353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2020.100353
  4. Arokanto, C. (2020). Climate education in early childhood. (Unpublished master’s thesis). University of Helsinki.
  5. Avcı, A. (2021). Investigation of preschool teacher candidates’ teaching practices in terms of their lesson plans, pedagogical beliefs, and pedagogical content knowledge. (Unpublished master’s thesis). Istanbul Aydın University.
  6. Beaver, B. C., & Borgerding, L. A. (2023). Climate change education in early childhood classrooms: A nature-based approach. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 11(1), 3–19.
  7. Carr, V., Ernst, J. A., & Ridge, S. W. (2025). Connection, curiosity, and care: An ESTEM approach to climate change education in early childhood. YC Young Children, 80(4), 18–28.
  8. Chen, Y. C., Benus, M. J., & Hernandez, J. (2019). Managing uncertainty in scientific argumentation. Science Education, 103(5), 1235-1276.
  9. Çiçek-Apaydın, S., Sarı-Uğurlu, B., Öztürk-Çalıkoğlu, H., Aktan, E., Sönmez, Ö., & Vardar, E. (2025). Early childhood educators to raise young children’s awareness on climate change. In W. Leal Filho, M. Sima, A. Lange Salvia, M. Kovaleva, & E. Manolas (Eds.), University initiatives on climate change education and research (pp. 1-26). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25960-9_122-1
  10. Constantin, F. V., Oprea, T. M., Opricescu, C., Ștefan, I., & Vechiu, T. M. (2024). Teachers’ attitudes towards the implementation and involvement in GREEN activities at preschool level. Journal of Education, Society and Multiculturalism, 5(1), 164–184.
  11. Creswell, J. W. (2006). Understanding mixed methods research. SAGE Publications.
  12. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. SAGE.
  13. Demirbaş, Ç. Ö. (2015). Preservice teachers’ awareness levels of sustainable development. Marmara Journal of Geography, 31, 300–316.
  14. Duran, M. (2023). Climate change in early childhood education. Iğdır University Journal of Social Sciences, 32, 100–114.
  15. El-Sharkawy, A. S. (2023). Developing kindergarten children's awareness of climate change (Exploratory Analytical Study). International Journal of Instructional Technology and Educational Studies, 4(2), 35-43.
  16. Fetting, C. (2020). The European Green Deal (ESDN Report, December 2020). ESDN Office
  17. Güner, Z. (2013). Environmental education in early childhood teacher training programs: Perceptions and beliefs of preservice teachers. (Unpublished master’s thesis). Middle East Technical University.
  18. Gürçam, S. (2023). Examination of private sector activities in the framework of Türkiye’s climate policies. In S. Durar & M. E. A. Abdelli (Eds.), Academic research & reviews in social, human and administrative sciences-I (pp. 139–163). Global Academy Press.
  19. Guzey, S. S., Harwell, M., Moreno, M., Peralta, Y., & Moore, T. J. (2017). The impact of design-based STEM integration curricula on student achievement in engineering, science, and mathematics. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 26(2), 207-222.
  20. Hadfield, K., Sulowska, M., Rasolomalala, N., Solomon, S., Ramaroson, S., & Mareschal, I. (2025). There is no hope; only strong wind: How climate change impacts adolescent mental health in southern Madagascar. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 23, 100438.
  21. Halady, I. R. ve Rao, P. H. (2010). Does awareness to climate change lead to behavioural change? International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 2(1), 6–22.
  22. Hiğde, E. (2014). Determining preservice science teachers’ environmentally friendly behaviours: The case of climate change. (Unpublished master’s thesis). Middle East Technical University, Türkiye.
  23. Hilander, M., Romi, C., & Tani, S. (2023). Climate education in early childhood education: Finnish early childhood educators’ views. Journal of Research and Didactics in Geography, 12(2), 5–20.
  24. Jõgi, K., Kikkas, A., & Kiisk, M. (2024). Preschool teachers’ assessment of their knowledge and opinions on climate change and related teaching opportunities. Estonian Journal of Educational Sciences, 12(2), 109–131.
  25. Karasar, N. (2005). Scientific research method. Nobel Publishing.
  26. König, J., & Pflanzl, B. (2016). Is teacher knowledge associated with performance? On the relationship between teachers’ general pedagogical knowledge and instructional quality. European Journal of Teacher Education, 39(4), 419-436.
  27. Léger-Goodes, T., Malboeuf-Hurtubise, C., Mastine, T., Généreux, M., Paradis, P. O., & Camden, C. (2022). Eco-anxiety in children: A scoping review of the mental health impacts of the awareness of climate change. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 872544. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.872544
  28. Mapolelo, D. C., & Akinsola, M. K. (2015). Preparation of mathematics teachers: Lessons from review of literature on teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and teacher education. American Journal of Educational Research, 3(4), 505-513.
  29. Maviş Demircioğlu, C. (2019). The effect of a climate change program on 5-year-old children’s understanding of climate change. (Unpublished master’s thesis). Kastamonu University.
  30. Ministry of National Education (2015). Ten-year results report for education for sustainable development. Ministry of National Education.
  31. Ministry of National Education (2018). Science education curriculum (Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8). Ministry of National Education.
  32. Ministry of National Education (2022). Kindergarten teaching curriculum. Ministry of National Education.
  33. Ministry of National Education (2024a). Science education curriculum (Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8). Ministry of National Education.
  34. Ministry of National Education (2024b). Turkish Century Maarif Model: Common Text for Curriculum. Ministry of National Education.
  35. Nirkko, R. (2021). Drama education as a method for climate education in early childhood: Perspectives of early childhood experts [in Finnish]. Helda.
  36. OECD. (2024). Trust in global cooperation: The vision for the OECD for the next decade [Conference presentation]. Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level, Paris.
  37. Öztürk, E. (2023). Scientific studies on climate change, children, and education: Current situation and suggestions. Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health (JESEH), 9(1), 16–28.
  38. Park, S., Jang, J. Y., Chen, Y. C., & Jung, J. (2011). Is pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) necessary for reformed science teaching? Evidence from an empirical study. Research in Science Education, 41(2), 245-260.
  39. Rees, N. (2021). The climate crisis is a child rights crisis: introducing the children's climate risk index. UNICEF.
  40. Saeed, A., Alam, H., & Farhad, A. (2024). Understanding early childhood educators’ perspectives on climate change education: A case study from Karachi, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Educational Research, 7(1), 100–118.
  41. Sawada, D., Piburn, M. D., Judson, E., Turley, J., Falconer, K., Benford, R., & Bloom, I. (2002). Measuring reform practices in science and mathematics classrooms: The reformed teaching observation protocol. School Science and Mathematics, 102(6), 245-253.
  42. Siron, Y., Fajriyah, S., and Rahmani, N. F. (2021). How to raise climate change awareness in early childhood? Perceptions of in-service and preservice teachers in Indonesia. Asia-Pacific Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, 15(1), 91–117.
  43. Sohn, W. S. (2026). Towards a sustainable future: addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development. Sustainable Development, 34, 226-247.
  44. Stern, N. (2008). The economics of climate change. American Economic Review, 98(2), 1–37. Stevenson, R. B., Nicholls, J., & Whitehouse, H. (2017). What is climate change education? Curriculum Perspectives, 37(1), 67–71.
  45. Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.; M. Baloğlu, Trans.). Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık.
  46. Tan-Soo, J. S., Li, J., & Qin, P. (2023). Individuals' and households' climate adaptation and mitigation behaviors: A systematic review. China Economic Review, 77, 101879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2022.101879
  47. Tolppanen, S., & Kärkkäinen, S. (2022). Limits of caring: preservice teachers’ reasons for not taking high-impact actions to mitigate climate change. Environmental Education Research, 28(7), 986-1002.
  48. Tolppanen, S., Claudelin, A., & Kang, J. (2021). Preservice teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of the impact of mitigative climate actions and their willingness to act. Research in Science Education, 51(6), 1629-1649.
  49. Trenberth, K. E. (2018). Climate change caused by human activities is happening and it already has major consequences. Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law, 36(4), 463-481.
  50. Türkoğlu, B. (2019). Opinions of preschool teachers and preservice teachers on environmental education and environmental awareness for sustainable development in the preschool period. Sustainability, 11(18), 4925. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11184925
  51. UNESCO. (2020). Education for sustainable development: A roadmap. UNESCO.
  52. Vidal, S., & Kuckuck, M. (2025). Preservice teacher action competence in education for sustainable development: A scoping review. Sustainability, 17(9), 3856. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17093856