Developing Environmental Culture in Future Teachers during Professional Training

Abstract

The paper focuses on the issue of developing an environmental culture in future teachers in higher education institutions. The analysis of relevant findings shows that the issue of developing an environmental culture in future science teachers during professional training is an insufficiently examined segment of pedagogy. This research has attempted to specify and clarify such fundamental concepts as environmental education, environmental culture and development of environmental culture in the context of professional training of future science teachers. The environmental culture of future teachers is seen as an integral personal quality developed during professional training in higher education institutions and based on environmental knowledge and skills, environmental awareness, thinking and behavior which are projected into their professional activities. The process of developing an environmental culture in future science teachers is interpreted as a purposeful educational process, built with regard to general pedagogical patterns and didactic principles, substantiated pedagogical actions and measures (conditions), whose effective implementation leads to qualitative changes in the components of an environmental culture of future science teachers which they need to achieve environmental educational productivity in professional activities. The paper defines the components, criteria, indicators and levels of an environmental culture in future science teachers during professional training. Due to the analysis of scientific literature and practical experience, the paper defines and justifies pedagogical conditions which may contribute to developing an environmental culture in future science teachers. Besides, it presents the author‟s model for developing an environmental culture in future science teachers during professional training. This model consists of four interrelated blocks: the target block, the theory and methodology block, the pedagogical organization and the results block. Also, the paper reveals the organization and the course of experimental work. Finally, it concludes about the effectiveness of the proposed pedagogical conditions for developing an environmental culture in future science teachers and shows the levels of its development.