Page 225 - Razvoj kompetenc prihodnosti v pedagoških študijskih programih

Podnebna pismenost študentov razrednega pouka

Climate Literacy of Prospective Primary School Teachers
The study investigates climate literacy among prospective primary school
teachers and its relevance for integrating sustainability into education. The
research focused on students’ understanding of the core concepts of climate
change, their perceptions of its consequences, and their identification of ef-
fective mitigation strategies. The sample consisted of 161 students enrolled
in the primary education programme at the Faculty of Education, University
of Primorska. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire com-
prising closed-ended items and Likert-type scales. Results indicate that stu-
dents possess a basic understanding of climate change and express concern
for climate issues, yet notable knowledge gaps and misconceptions persist,
particularly regarding the greenhouse effect, climate tipping points, the car-
bon footprint, and the hierarchy of mitigation measures. These findings high-
light the importance of comprehensive climate education in teacher training
that goes beyond factual knowledge. Such education should foster climate
literacy and sustainability competences, including critical and systemic think-
ing, responsible decision-making, action competence, empathy, and solidar-
ity. To achieve this, teacher education programmes should integrate content
on climate change causes, impacts, mitigation measures, sustainable mobil-
ity, carbon footprint, and climate justice, while incorporating active teaching
methods and ensuring that misconceptions are effectively addressed.
Keywords: climate change, climate literacy, sustainability competences, pre-
service teachers, primary education

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