Cultivating environmental citizenship in teacher education. Issue 2 (2nd April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Green, Carie; Medina-Jerez, William; Bryant, Carol
• Is Part Of: Teaching education. Volume 27:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 117
• Page End: 135
• Publication Date: 2016-04-02
• Subjects: pre-service teachers -- environmental citizenship -- political engagement -- Project Citizen; Teachers -- Training of -- Periodicals; 370.11
• DOI: 10.1080/10476210.2015.1043121
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1047-6210

Abstract

Abstract : Research on environmental action projects in teacher education is limited. Furthermore, projects that emphasize the role of citizens and governments in environmental problem-solving are scarce. The purpose of this study was to explore how participating in a political environmental action project influenced pre-service teachers' environmental citizenship. Following the steps of Project Citizen, an international civic education program, pre-service teachers learned about and proposed policy solutions to address excessive energy usage at their university. Analysis revealed growth in the pre-service teachers' environmental citizenry, including their self-efficacy, values awareness, and ecological and civics literacy. Through critical appraisal of their local energy-yielding system, the pre-service teachers recognized energy conservation as a cultural problem with local and global implications, furthering their commitment to action-oriented environmental education.