25-01-2013, 10:06 AM
THE UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AMONG TRAINEE TEACHERS IN BATU LINTANG TEACHERS’ COLLEGE
ABSTRACT
The introduction of environmental education in formal education is the first step in producing an environmentally literate society. Education is vital in instilling knowledge and creating a pro-environment attitude among the younger generations. Teachers are important agents in transferring the correct knowledge regarding the environment to the future generations. The questionnaire used in this study to assess the knowledge and attitude of trainee teachers consisted of two sections. The first section is in quantitative format while the second section consists of open-ended questions. 140 questionnaires were distributed and of these, 80% were returned completed. The study shows there is a significant relationship between knowledge and attitude. The finding on knowledge awareness shows that there was pro-environmental attitude among the respondents. The respondents understood the importance of environmental knowledge locally and globally. Environmental education in our country needs an action-oriented approach rather than just a knowledge-based approach.