Evaluation of pre-service teachers’ environmental competences: case study

Abstract

This research evaluate the Environmental Competences (EC) of students enrolled in the first and last year of preservice teachers Degree in a Spanish university. A questionnaire was designed and validated to assess six EC related to environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of the students (n = 341). The results of the study reveal that teachers enrolled in initial training programs lack sufficient EC with which environmentally educate their students and that there are no differences in the degree of acquisition of these competences among students of first and fourth year of the Degree. As a result, the role of the university and recent programs designed in the process of convergence towards the European Higher Education Area are questioned and some proposals for improvement are suggested.