Science Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development via Environmental Education Programs

Paschalina-Liana Stylianou

doi:10.30935/aquademia/12489

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Paschalina-Liana Stylianou ¹ ^*

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¹ School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Western Macedonia, Kila Kozani, GREECE^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

The present research explores whether environmental education practices and methods can serve as a professional development tool and help science teachers to transform theory into educational practice. To answer this question, the perceptions of 40 experienced science teachers implementing environmental education programs were explored. Activity theory was used as an analytical tool to illuminate how teachers relate science teaching to environmental education and to highlight the contradictions and tensions that develop due to the conflict between the dominant positivist model of science teaching and the child-centered model of constructivism adopted by environmental education. The analysis showed that environmental education has the potential to lead to the desired transformation if implemented in a way that is consistent with its principles and objectives. It can also support horizontal professional development efforts as it utilizes the very strong intrinsic and personal motivations of teachers that drive them to engage in environmental education programs.

Keywords

environmental education
teaching
science teachers
professional development
activity theory

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

AQUADEMIA, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2022, Article No: ep22012

https://doi.org/10.30935/aquademia/12489

Publication date: 02 Oct 2022

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Article Downloads: 598

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How to cite this article

APA

Stylianou, P.-L. (2022). Science Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development via Environmental Education Programs. Aquademia, 6(2), ep22012. https://doi.org/10.30935/aquademia/12489

Vancouver

Stylianou PL. Science Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development via Environmental Education Programs. AQUADEMIA. 2022;6(2):ep22012. https://doi.org/10.30935/aquademia/12489

AMA

Stylianou PL. Science Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development via Environmental Education Programs. AQUADEMIA. 2022;6(2), ep22012. https://doi.org/10.30935/aquademia/12489

Chicago

Stylianou, Paschalina-Liana. "Science Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development via Environmental Education Programs". Aquademia 2022 6 no. 2 (2022): ep22012. https://doi.org/10.30935/aquademia/12489

Harvard

Stylianou, P.-L. (2022). Science Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development via Environmental Education Programs. Aquademia, 6(2), ep22012. https://doi.org/10.30935/aquademia/12489

MLA

Stylianou, Paschalina-Liana "Science Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development via Environmental Education Programs". Aquademia, vol. 6, no. 2, 2022, ep22012. https://doi.org/10.30935/aquademia/12489