Ecological Knowledge of Pre-Service Science Teachers: Conceptual Interrelationships and Association with Senior High School Strand

Ecological knowledge is one of the components of environmental literacy that refers to the ability of people to understand and apply acquired knowledge about ecology to achieve a grasp of how nature works and their interactions with the social system. This study aimed to determine pre-service science teachers’ level of ecological knowledge in Cebu City, Central Visayas, Philippines, and their relationship to their senior high school (SHS) strand. A validated 40-item multiple-choice Ecological Knowledge Test (Cronbach's α = 0.759) was administered to 66 pre-service science teachers selected through convenience sampling. The results were analyzed through descriptive statistics, one-sample t-test, analysis of variance, path analysis, and non-parametric correlation tested at a 95% confidence level. The study results revealed that the pre-service teachers had ‘Above Average’ knowledge of ecology and its major, related, and other concepts. These concepts did not have significant differences among them but showed a significant effect on ecological knowledge. SHS strand did not show significant association with the said knowledge. Therefore, the pre-service science teachers were ecologically and environmentally literate. To increase ecological knowledge continually, they should be exposed to ecological and environmental immersion to gain awareness and knowledge and develop an in-depth appreciation for the ecosystems.