Unprepared to Deal with Invasion: Pre-Service Teachers’ Perception, Knowledge and Attitudes toward Invasive Species

Rubén Ladrera, Beatriz Robredo, Unai Ortega-Lasuen, José Ramón Díez and Aritz Ruiz-González
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Rubén Ladrera: Area of Didactics of Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of La Rioja, 26006 Logroño, Spain
Beatriz Robredo: Area of Didactics of Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of La Rioja, 26006 Logroño, Spain
Unai Ortega-Lasuen: Department of Didactic of Mathematic, Experimental and Social Sciences, Faculty of Education of Bilbao, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
José Ramón Díez: Department of Didactic of Mathematic, Experimental and Social Sciences, Faculty of Education of Bilbao, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
Aritz Ruiz-González: Department of Didactic of Mathematic, Experimental and Social Sciences, Faculty of Education and Sport, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-17

Abstract: The serious and growing impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) on the planet make it necessary to include this issue with greater determination in educational programs, with the aim of generating citizens capable of dealing with this environmental problem in a sustainable way. Likewise, the management of IAS represents a clear socio-scientific issue (SSI), which gives greater interest to its inclusion in school. At this point, future teachers play a key role, so that their knowledge, perceptions and attitudes on the subject must be evaluated. In order to deal with this objective, a questionnaire was filled out by 400 students of the degrees in early childhood education and primary education of the Universities of La Rioja (UR) and the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain. Our results show that pre-service teachers do not perceive impacts of different types generated by IAS, and they show a clear lack of knowledge about transmission vectors. Likewise, they do not support various control measures, especially slaughter of invasive vertebrates, related to affective dimensions. These results highlight the need to work toward an appropriate integration of this issue at different educational levels, training students and educators, fostering favorable attitudes toward a sustainable management of IAS.

Keywords: invasive alien species; socio-scientific issues; pre-service teachers; impacts perception; vector knowledge; control attitudes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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