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A research of kindergarten teachers’ perceptions about biodiversity and it’s approach in the curricula (Master thesis)

Τσολακίδου, Σοφία/ Tsolakidou, Sofia

Investigating teachers' perceptions is a main topic in educational research as it highlights many sides of understanding the issue that concerns education. The purpose of the present study is to explore and present the biodiversity perceptions of early-years school teachers. It explores the cognitive structures that are assigned to the concept of biodiversity both, as context of science and as subject of environmental education and education for sustainability. For the purpose of this research, a sample of twenty public teachers was picked up. An in-depth, semi-structured interview was chosen as research tool and the methodological approach of a qualitative method of analysis was adopted. According to the results, kindergarten teachers understand biodiversity mainly as a variety of living organisms. Both genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity are rarely mentioned. All participants, in their own way, seem to understand the importance of biodiversity for human life and ecological balance. As a school subject, they integrate biodiversity into the fields of the environmental education. According to their responses therefore, they seem to endorse a model of environmental education of the past decades.