Japanese Preservice Elementary Science Teachers’ Perspectives on Environmental Education: Knowledge, Values, and Social Aspects

The purpose of this study is to investigate Japanese preservice elementary science teachers’ perceptions of environmental education through the theme of biodiversity. The investigation interpreted the array of meanings pre-service teachers construct for environmental phenomena as part of a curriculum addressing the environment. Participants’ experiences, perceptual differences, and intellectual representations regarding environmental education were epistemologically disclosed by a phenomenographic approach. Research was implemented as part of a curriculum that combined environmental education and biodiversity themes with storytelling activities. The data from a structured questionnaire with open-ended questions were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The results suggest that the multilayered nature of environmental education can be better understood through the lens of complex environmental issues, such as biodiversity. Findings indicate that preservice teachers highly valued cognitive and belief aspects of values, while having a less comprehensive understanding of both the social and civic engagement and the cultural dimensions of values.