Analyzing the Energy Awareness of Pre-Service Teachers Using the Word Association Method

Energy awareness education as part of sustainability education is the joint task of schools and society as a whole. However, only teachers who themselves possess this competence can educate students in energy awareness. Accordingly, the aim of the research was to examine the energy awareness of pre-service teachers. To achieve the aim, the research attempted to find answers to the questions of what kind of knowledge about energy awareness the pre-service teachers in the sample had, whether students showed the interdisciplinary characteristics of sustainability in their knowledge, and what relationships could be observed in this knowledge system. The research was conducted in the autumn of 2021 at three universities in the North-East region of Hungary with 272 pre-service teachers participating voluntarily. The word association method was used for the study. Greatest association frequency was measured. The analysis of association fields proved the interdisciplinary nature of the students’ knowledge of energy awareness. The highest association frequency was measured in the area of renewable energy sources and their use, while the least association frequency was measured in the area of empathy. The association graphs showed no meaningful difference in relationships between the studied student groups. The results showed definitive, unrelated knowledge.