Level of Ecological Literacy of Elementary Teachers: Basis for Environmental Education Framework

Abstract

This study investigates the ecological literacy of elementary teachers in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, highlighting the level of environmental knowledge, behavior, and attitude. As educators play a vital role in promoting sustainability, their level of ecological literacy directly impacts the effectiveness of environmental education. The study aimed to gather the demographic information of the participants, assess their ecological literacy in the three indicators, explore potential differences in these indicators based on teacher profiles, and determine factors affecting their level of ecological literacy. A mixed-method research approach was utilized, with both quantitative and qualitative methods. Questionnaires and focus group discussion are administered to gather data from the population of 40 teachers. Statistical tools like frequency, relative frequency, mean, standard deviation, and one-way ANOVA are used for quantitative data analyzation.  Furthermore, thematic analysis is used in analyzing the qualitative data. Overall, the study concluded that educators possess high level of ecological literacy in all three indicators. No significant differences in environmental knowledge and behavior were seen across the teachers’ demographic variables. However, when grouped according to their age, their environmental attitude varies and the other variables does not. Additionally, findings suggest multiple factors influencing the ecological literacy of teachers including media, personal experiences, institutional policies and mandates, and modelling environmental values. These findings aim to provide information to reinforce the enhancement of environmental education framework in the curriculum. This framework will empower teachers in shaping young learners to be environmentally responsible citizens.