Pre-service High School Teachers' Perceptions of Three Environmental Phenomena

Abstract The focus of the study was to identify and describe misconceptions held by pre-service high school science teachers regarding three environmental issues: the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, and acid rain. Twenty-seven senior-level secondary science education majors, enrolled in a high school science teaching methods course at a large midwestern university, participated in this study. The instrument consisted of a 30-statement survey questionnaire. The statements focused on the causes, effects, and interactions of three environmental issues: the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, and acid rain. Students responded to the statements on a Likert scale. Students were invited to explain their responses in the space provided below each question. An analysis of the survey data indicates that the many pre-service high school teachers possess an array of misconceptions about the causes and effects of the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, and acid rain. Recommendations are made for changes in the preparation of pre-service high school teachers to address the deficiencies identified in this study.