Conceptions and Perceptions of Primary School Teachers on Wetlands

Wetlands are valuable ecosystems that provide essential ecological functions. Research and education are the foundation supporting the sustainable management of these vulnerable and damaged environments. The objective of this study is to identify the conceptions and perceptions of 397 teachers in initial training and continuing education from Spain, Portugal, and Belgium using an ad hoc designed questionnaire. The results reveal that teachers from the sample lack knowledge on the value and functioning of wetland ecosystems, which translates to low competence to teach their students about these ecosystems. Nevertheless, teachers perceived wetlands positively as a featured didactic subject. These results have important implications as it is required that teachers need to be trained specifically in this type of ecosystems, as general science and environmental education programs in teacher training and the mere exposure to them in their ordinary life are not enough to make them competent in teaching them in primary schools.