Evaluating effects of an exhibition visit on pre-service elementary teachers' understandings of climate change

This research aims to investigate the extent to which a visit to a climate change exhibition embedded within an environmental education course affects pre-service elementary teachers' understandings about climate change. the sample comprised 58 pre-service teachers,enrolled in the environmental education course offered as part of the elementary education program at a private university in turkey during the 2011/2012 academic year. the course lasted 13 weeks and was composed of various environmental issues as well as an exhibition visit and student reflections. pre- and post-reflections written by pre-service elementary teachers' were analyzed and coded to examine the effect of the visit on their understanding of climate change. it was found that the course,and specifically the exhibition,had a positive effect on their understanding of climate change and ways in which to ameliorate the problem.