Perception of climate change in Pre-service Teachers of Primary Education (University of Valencia) based on information from the mass media

Climate change, its causes and effects represent one of the main challenges of the 21st century. Teaching about this phenomenon constitutes a challenge for the instruction of future Primary teachers due to the responsibility for understanding and possible adaptation to this global phenomenon. The objectives of this research are: 1) To explore and know the main means from which future Primary teachers receive information about climate change; and 2) Recognize the causes and consequences mentioned in these media (according to the Pre-service Teachers' perception). As a case study, a questionnaire was provided to the students of the last year of the Degree in Primary Education (University of Valencia, Spain). The results show that the main information about climate change that they acquire is from the digital media (TV, Internet and Social Networks). Regarding the same information, it should be noted that in general the causes cited are the pollution, and the consequences, extreme atmospheric phenomena (floods, droughts), resulting in a poor understanding of the climate change.

Automated summary

Future Primary teachers mainly receive information about climate change from digital media, however, they have a poor understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change.