Assessing in-service chemistry teachers’ environmental literacy on hydrosphere pollution

Vinko, Luka (author), Bavcon Kralj, Mojca (author), Matjašič, Miha (author), Devetak, Iztok (author)

Effective environmental education depends on teachers who possess both scientific understanding and the ability to translate it into meaningful classroom practice. In this study, the environmental literacy (EL) of in-service chemistry teachers regarding hydrosphere pollution was investigated. An online instrument assessed environmental knowledge, competencies,dispositions, and environmentally responsible behaviour across five critical topics: agricultural runoff, ocean acidification, microplastics, e-waste, and persistent organic pollutants. Data from 66 in-service teachers revealed a moderately low overall EL, with limited knowledge, varied competencies, and frequent misconceptions, especially on newer issues. Teachers demonstrated strong pro-environmental dispositions but exhibited inconsistent behaviour. Neither participation in in-service education nor the educational level at which teachers teach showed significant differences in their EL. The results highlight the discrepancy between positive dispositions andactionable knowledge and competencies. These findings indicate the need to reconsider and strengthen the design of in-service education programmes and the curricular integration of hydrosphere pollution issues.

• Language: English
• Keywords: environmental education, environmental literacy, chemistry teachers, hydrospherepollution, professional development
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education; ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 14 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 22, iss.1, art. em2754
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185949
• UDC: 37.091:54
• ISSN on article: 1305-8223
• DOI: 10.29333/ejmste/17558
• COBISS.SI-ID: 261797379
• Publication date in RUL: 24.08.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Eurasia journal of mathematics, science and technology education
• Publisher: Modestum
• ISSN: 1305-8223
• COBISS.SI-ID: 17061128

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: okoljska pismenost, onesnaževanje hidrosfere, poklicni razvoj, kemija, učitelji

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0451
• Name: Strategije vzgoje in izobraževanja za trajnostni razvoj ob uporabi inovativnih na učečega osredinjenih izobraževalnih pristopov

• Funder: University of Ljubljana
• Project number: 802-12/2024-5
• Name: Nanostrukturom