Pre-service Teachers’ Misconceptions Regarding Three Environmental Issues

Oct 15, 2026

Pre-service elementary teachers often hold misconceptions about three core environmental issues: the greenhouse effect, atmospheric ozone, and acid precipitation. A 29-statement survey was administered to 113 students to examine learners’ perceived causes, effects, and interactions, using both quantitative and qualitative response analysis. Key misconceptions include links between increased greenhouse effects and skin cancer, ozone depletion and global warming, and the belief that pollutants evaporate with water then return as acid rain. Curriculum and classroom teaching recommendations target gaps in elementary teacher education.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study purpose

Participants and method

Findings and misconceptions

Recommendations

Pre-service Teachers’ Misconceptions Regarding Three Environmental Issues Tahsin Khalid, Southeast Missouri State University, USA Abstract This study identifies and describes misconceptions held by preservice elementary teachers about three environmental issues: the greenhouse effect, atmospheric ozone, and acid precipitation. One hundred and thirteen students participated in this study. A 29-statement survey was used to probe students on the causes, effects, and interactions of the three issues. Responses were obtained both quantitatively and qualitatively. The major misconceptions found in the study include: • the increased greenhouse effect may cause skin cancer,• ozone depletion may cause global warming, • ozone is a multifunctional layer, and • pollutants evaporate with water, later come down as acid rain. Recommendations regarding the changes in the curriculum and the classroom teaching practices are made for elementary teacher education programs to address the deficiencies identified in this study. Résumé Cette étude cerne et décrit des interprétations erronées entretenues par des stagiaires en enseignement primaire à propos de trois enjeux environnementaux : l’effet de serre, l’ozone atmosphérique et les précipitations acides. Vingt-neuf énoncésont servi à sonder 113 étudiants sur les causes, les effets et les interactions de ces trois enjeux. Des réponses tant quantitatives que qualitatives ont été obtenues. D’après l’étude, les principales idées fausses sont, notamment : • l’augmentation de l’effet de serre peut causer le cancer de lapeau, 102 Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 6, Spring 2001 • l’amenuisement de la couche d’ozone est à l’origine duréchauffement planétaire, • l’ozone est une couche multifonctionnelle, et • les polluants s’évaporent avec l’eau et retombent ensuite sous forme de pluie acide. Les recommandations concernant les modifications à apporter au programme d’études et aux pratiques d’enseignement visent les programmes de formation des enseignants du primaire afinde résoudre les lacunes cernées dans cette étude. In an oft-told variation of Hindu myth of cosmology, a young boy asks his father what holds up the earth. Amused, the father assures his son that the world rests on the back of a very large turtle.“But what holds up the turtle?” the boy asks. After brief reflection, the father says,“A huge elephant”.“But,” the boy continues,“what is under the elephant?” Sensing that he is rapidly losing the control of the conversation, the father finally exclaims,“Son, it is elephants all the way down from there!”(Augustine, 1998, p.1640) . When people observe natural phenomena, they may try to interpret them using knowledge and intuition (Gallegos, Jerezano, & Flores, 1994) . On the basis of this interpretation, they develop certain understanding of these phenomena. This understanding may not be in conformity with the scientific explanation. The above quotation is one of the examples of such alternative conception or misconception. People develop these misconceptions as a result of either personal experience, from other people, or through the media (Ausubel, 1968; Driver, Guesne, & Tiberghien, 1985) . Research studies have revealed misconceptions regarding different natural phenomena held by the majority of people. These studies have concentrated on the misconceptions held by students, both before and during their school years, and at various levels of education (Wandersee, Mintzes, & Novak, 1994) . These misconceptions sometimes become a hindrance in acquiring the correct body of knowledge (Arnaudin & Mintez, 1985) . Sometimes students have such strong conceptions that even after learning the correct concepts, they resist modifying their pre-existing ideas. Instead, they try to interpret the new acquired knowledge using their preconceptions. As such, they keep their misconceptions (Driver et al., 1985; Pyramid Film & Video, 1988) . This study focuses on three

FAQs

What environmental issues does the study examine?

The study examines misconceptions about the greenhouse effect, atmospheric ozone, and acid precipitation.

How was students’ understanding assessed?

A 29-statement survey was used to probe students on causes, effects, and interactions, with both quantitative and qualitative responses analyzed.

What are examples of major misconceptions found?

Examples include beliefs that increased greenhouse effects may cause skin cancer, ozone depletion may cause global warming, and pollutants evaporate with water and later come down as acid rain.

Oct 15, 2026

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