A sample of microteaching in environmental education and its effect on pre-service teachers’ presenting effective lessons

Microteaching is a technique aiming to prepare teacher candidates to the real classroom setting (Brent & Thomson, 1996). Microteaching can also defined as a teaching technique especially used in teachers’ pre-service education to train them systematically by allowing them to experiment main teacher behaviors. By the help of this technique, teacher candidates can experiment and learn each of the teaching skills by breaking them into smaller parts and without encountering chaotic environment of the crowded classes. While instilling teaching skills in students during microteaching, reciprocal negotiation of the students actively presenting and watching about the performances can make great contribution to the acquisition of the skills (Taşdemir, 2006). Wilkinson (1996), emphasizes that teacher candidates can experience real teaching and teaching rules with the help of this method. This method offers teachers opportunities for discovering and reflecting on both their own and others’ teaching styles and enables them to learn about new teaching techniques (Wahba, 1999). Pre-service teacher can benefit to a great extent from microteaching applications. Firstly, they reveal teaching facts; and roles of the teacher (Amobi, 2005; Hawkey, 1995; Kpanja, 2001; Wilkinson, 1996); help pre-service teachers to see the importance of planning and taking decisions (Gess-Newsome & Lederman, 1990); enable them to develop and improve their teaching skills (Benton-Kupper, 2001).

Microteaching technique is an application in which video recordings have been made possible as a result of developing technology. Audio and visual technology is an effective and reflective tool in preparing pre-service teachers to the profession of teaching. Video recordings provide pre-service teachers with the chance of evaluating themselves by engaging them in more experiences and configurations (Jensen et al., 1994). Sherin (2000) indicates that video recordings affect the perspectives of teachers in education process. Cunningham & Benedetto (2002) emphasize that video tools support the reflective learning, and Spurgeon & Bowen (2002) stress that by the help of these tools, the problems that may occur in education process can be observed and defined. Farris (1991) states that this method increases the confidence and raises the awareness of personal skills. Selçuk (2001) indicates that video recordings can not only be used for demonstrating model teacher behaviours but can also be used for the analysis of microteaching. Using video recording method in microteaching applications contributes to the professional development of pre-service teachers by identifying strengths and weaknesses and improves their competencies (Tok, 2007).

When the relevant literature established on the use of microteaching technique in teacher education is reviewed, it is seen that the studies mostly focus on the efficiency of microteaching (Pauline, 1993), microteaching technique in different subject areas of teacher education (Çakır & Aksan, 1992; Peker, 2003; Akalın, 2005; Karçkay & Sanlı, 2009); the effects of video recordings on pre-service teachers’ microteaching performances (Ceyhun & Karagölge, 2002; Lee & Wu, 2006); the efficiency of microteaching use for determining and solving the problems in teaching applications (Gürses et al., 2005; Erökten & Durkan, 2009); pre-service teachers’ views about lecturing in the class (Görgen, 2003); microteaching applications in developing pre-service teachers’ presentation skills (Higgins & Nicholl, 2003).

The literature review reveals that though microteaching applications are widely used in the courses such as teaching practice, special teaching methods and teaching technologies and materials development, they are not much drawn on in environment education courses. When the research on environmental education is examined, it is seen that there is no application in which TV programs are used to bring real life to the class.

In the prevention of environmental pollution not only at the local level but also at the global level and rearing individuals with positive attitudes and behaviors towards environment, teachers should assume an important role. To do so, during their pre-service education, teachers themselves should be exposed to experiences to make them more environmentally conscious. Changing behaviors about environment positively necessitates the alteration of attitudes, information, value judgments and accordingly consciousness. In order to realize these changes in environmental education, during the learning process different teaching methods and techniques should be used. Environment education is important in terms of shaping the new generations’ environment-related attitudes, beliefs and values. However, it is clear that we have some difficulties in combining theory with practice. In this regard, microteaching seems to have great potential because it can provide pre-service teachers with opportunities to try their theoretical information in practical settings, so their confidence in their ability to teach environment-related topics can increase. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to develop a sample model in the form of microteaching where a TV program is used for environmental education purposes. Moreover, it aims to determine the effects of a TV programs designed as a microteaching application on pre-service teachers’ perceptions of lecturing.