אפיון האוריינות הסביבתית של סטודנטים להוראה לקראת סיום לימודיהם: השלכות להכשרת מורים בישראל

Teachers play a key role in developing the environmental literacy (EL) of future generations. Adequate preparation of students in teacher education programs in the field of environmental education (EE) is a prerequisite for their future ability to design and implement effective EE. Using a questionnaire, this study characterized the EL (environmental attitudes, knowledge, and behavior) of 454 students in the final stages of their studies at three colleges of education in Israel. The study investigated the relationship between these variables and background factors (disciplinary major, ethnic group). Students' environmental knowledge was found to be very limited. Although they maintain overall positive attitudes toward the environment, these are not translated into responsible environmental behavior. Students who majored in environment-related subjects demonstrated greater knowledge and reported more environmentally responsible behavior as compared to other students. While ethnic groups differed significantly in all EL variables, the differences were inconsistent: Jewish students demonstrated greater environmental knowledge and more pro-environmental attitudes, while Arab students reported more environmentally responsible behavior. Most of the students acknowledged a limited influence of studies on their EL and identified personal maturation as the major factor influencing the development of a personal environmental world-view. The EL characteristics of graduates found in this study highlight the urgency to integrate EL instruction within teacher education programs so that all graduates will be equipped to function as leaders of environmental change in schools.