CHAPTER 6: ANALYSIS OF DATA FOR RESEARCH QUESTION 2 104
6.3 What are the factors that enable the teaching of EE? 108
Figure 20 Holistic Approach in teaching EE (Source: Palmer, 2002)
Some sections are difficult to teach, teachers must know what (content knowledge) to teach and how (pedagogical knowledge) to teach, they must be lifelong learners as environmental problem change all the time (FGI, 3- P3)
I feel confident to teach EE, ESD or about SD as I know my content and know which teaching strategies to use to teach the different sections, I have a positive view towards the environment and like to address environment issues, I can influence learner to do the same (FGI-2P3)
Participants in this study were of the view that the knowledge they had acquired in their teacher training (Learning about ESD and EE is good) had equipped them to teach EE (I can teach it in school). PSGTs recognised that teaching EE entails more than having content knowledge, it entails interpreting the curriculum, its requirements, use of local resources to teach learners and matching teaching to your learners’ abilities. In other words, teaching is seen as a complex process, that is facilitated by cohesion between the many interconnected aspects. Furthermore PSGTs were aware of the need for active teaching methods to be modelled for them by teacher educators at university (Field tours, seminars will make students more aware about the environment). In this regard, Summers and Childs (2000) affirm that while scientific knowledge is important, it represents only one aspect of the complex knowledge base required to teach environmental issues, with pedagogical knowledge also playing a pivotal role in good EE.
In these excerpts, the links becomes visible between having deep content knowledge (CK/SMK) (I know my content), PSGTs confidence in their ability to teach (confident to teach EE, ESD or about SD), having teaching strategies (know which teaching strategies to use to teach the different sections) and pro- environmental behaviour among PSGTs (I can influence learners to do the same). The data from the above excepts confirms that deep pedagogical content knowledge is the platform for creating awareness of and instigating strategies needed to address environmental issues while initiating pro-environmental behaviour among PSGTs. In other words, the link between pedagogical content knowledge, pro-environmental behaviour and the quality of teaching performance becomes explicit. Put differently, this means that cognitive abilities (CK) and affective-motivational characteristics as the two key components behind PSGTs’ professional competence. The cognitive aspect of content knowledge becomes the foundation of PSGTs’ abilities to understand, critique and participate rationally in the value laden issues around sustainability (teachers must know what to teach and how to teach). Ismail (2017) expresses a similar view, that the teachers’ pedagogical understanding of EE is the foundation of their teaching in this area. If a teacher is not confident in teaching a particular topic in EE she or he will overlook it or ignore it. Yenken
et al. (2000), furthermore, emphasises that developing environmental literacy (EL) among students is dependent on the teachers’ environmental cognition, which entails his or her belief systems and values as well as cognitive knowledge.
Thus, it can be inferred that a lack of EE content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge would negatively impact the teaching of EE. This would inhibit PSGTs from being drivers of EE once they qualify as practicing teachers (National Environmental Education Advisory Council, 2005). Yavetz, Goldman and Pe’er (2014) argue that teachers should have sound knowledge of ecological principles, ecological process and environmental challenges in order to promote learning of EE among their students. Furthermore, UNESCO (2015; 2017), Esa (2010), Sungur, Ertepinar and Kaplowitz (2009), as well as McKeown and Hopkins (2002) assert that knowledgeable teachers are key agents for promoting meaningful EE.
EE is central to achieving the goals of a sustainable society and an environmental literate citizenry (UNESCO, 2015). It follows, therefore, that in schools, the key to successful EE is the classroom teacher.
Teachers are therefore vital for quality education as they enact and interpret the curriculum through their use of pedagogy with learners (Cutter & Smith, 2001; Dada, Eames & Calder, 2017). Pre-service teachers do need education in both the subject matter (CK) and pedagogies (PK) appropriate to EE in order to achieve the competencies of an environmentally educator (Alvarez-Garcia, Sureda-Negre & Comas-Forgas, 2015) so that they can play a key role in developing environmental literacy in future generations (Tuncer, Boone, Tuzun & Oztekin, 2014). Therefore, subject matter knowledge of ecological principles, processes and human impact on the environment forms the basis of subject matter or CK. Thomas (2009) suggests that practical fieldwork is the signature pedagogy in outdoor education, with its key feature of providing learner- centred experiential learning. Nelson (2010) argues that for EE knowledge development to occur, teacher education programmes should engage in pedagogical or instructional approaches that use inquiry, view teachers as learners and have teachers who use, engage and reflect on appropriate pedagogical content knowledge. In summary PCK is defined by Fernandez (2014) as the transformation of content into powerful learning experiences, based on teachers’ understanding of learners and their needs in context.
6.3.2 Positive teacher attitude
As alluded to in the previous section, PSGTs’ deep pedagogical content knowledge increases their confidence in teaching EE because they know ‘how and what to teach’. This confidence influences PSGTs’
attitudes towards teaching EE positively. The excerpts below illustrate this:
There would be no challenges because in our day-to-day life we experience some environmental challenges at home so learning about it, like deforestation and erosion helps me to know how to address the challenges. I’m sure I can teach this at school and also get learners to develop the right positive attitude and care for the environment (FGI-P-A5)
I won’t experience problems teaching EE, because I appreciate and value of the environment. This is due to studying about EE therefore I care deeply about how our actions effects the Earth (FGI- P-B3)
Similar views were expressed by PSGTs in the questionnaires:
If you have a positive attitude towards a task you can do it, it’s the same with teaching, if you like teaching, you enjoy it, it will be easy, then only will you have a positive attitude to it and will be passionate about the topic (Q, P19)
The above excerpts illuminate the intrinsically intertwined connection between teacher attitude to teaching (no challenges, won’t experience problems teaching) and teaching ability (you enjoy it, it will be easy).
They reveal that PSGTs embrace the idea that from having learnt about EE they have the knowledge needed (learning about it, like deforestation and erosion) to address environmental issues (helps me to known how to address the challenges) and consequently develop positive predispositions to teaching EE (you enjoy it, it will be easy, then only will you have a positive attitude to it and will be passionate about the topic). Put simply, it means for PSGTs that because they have learnt about EE, they possess the cognitive (knowledge), affective (emotional, motivational) and performance (behaviour or action tendencies) components needed to teach EE. In this regard, Frazen and Vogl. (2013) argues that positive environmental attitudes and values among teachers are important in teaching ESD and further argues that negative social attitudes, values and lifestyles are often obstacles to improving environmental quality. Similarly, many scholars are of the view that the implementation of EE depends initially on the attitudes or receptivity of teachers (Cheng & Monroe, 2010: Skanavis, Petreniti & Giannopoulou, 2004; Taylor, Doff, Jenkins & Kennelly, 2007; Cutter- Mackenzie& Smith, 2003). A study by Kaplowitz and Levine (2005) confirms the significance of individuals having appropriate environmental attitudes for positive contributions to environmental knowledge. These scholars assert that positive attitudes towards EE and caring for the environment are a panacea for improving environmental education efforts.
A study by Nguyen (2001) reported that the quality of EE in primary schools depends on the teachers’
awareness and attitudes. Teachers who had awareness or knowledge of environmental processes and issues displayed a willingness to teach about these environmental issues and involve learners in activities to address these environmental challenges The converse was also evident (Nyugen, 2001). Many studies, such as those by Lim (2005), Sharifah, Laily and Nurizan (2005), Aini, Falhrul, Lily and Jariah (2003), Tuncer, Sungur, Tekkaya and Ertepinar (2007), Antonakaki, Kontaxaki and Bouras (2007) and Pe’er, Goldman and Yavetz (2007), confirm that when teachers’ understanding of environmental issues was shallow, they did not display pro-environmental behaviour, instead, it resulted in their students having a superficial understanding of these issues. IsmaiI (2017) argues that if teachers lack sufficient knowledge, desire to implement EE in schools, it is improbable that environmentally literate students will graduate from the school system. In order for students to have sound knowledge and develop good values towards the environment, teachers’ knowledge base is of great importance, because good knowledge (SCK and PCK) is essential for effective teaching (Summers, 1994).Thus, it is imperative for PSGTs to be equipped with good environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.