Exploring Ecological Literacy and Environmental Attitudes in Preservice Teachers for Sustainable Education

Environmental challenges, such as pollution and global warming, present significant threats to all living organisms, with humans being both the primary cause and main victims. Education plays a crucial role in fostering ecological literacy, which is essential for addressing these challenges. This study aimed to evaluate the levels of ecological literacy and environmental attitudes among preservice teachers across different academic disciplines. The study was conducted using two different scales. The results revealed that both gender and grade level had a statistically significant impact on ecological literacy and environmental attitudes. Specifically, female preservice teachers and those in higher grades showed higher levels of ecological literacy and more positive environmental attitudes compared to their male counterparts and those in lower grades. However, no significant differences were found regarding the participants' departments and ages. The findings highlight the importance of educational implementations in enhancing ecological literacy and environmental attitudes among preservice teachers. It is strongly recommended that all preservice teachers, regardless of their academic discipline, receive comprehensive education on environmental issues, enabling them to effectively incorporate these topics into their future teaching and contribute to a more sustainable future.