Developing the Zero Waste Awareness Scale and determining the zero waste awareness levels of the pre-service science teacher

Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to develop a Zero Waste Awareness Scale (ZWAS) with appropriate psychometric properties. Another aim of the study is to reveal the zero waste awareness levels of pre-service science teacher. The study was designed according to the survey method. The study group for this research was determined by a convenient sampling method. The study group in the scale development phase of the research consisted of 203 teacher candidates. In the phase of determining the zero waste awareness levels of the pre-service science teachers, the research study group consisted of 40 pre-service science teachers. With this research, a 3-dimensional, 27-item ZWAS was developed. During the scale development process, the draft scale was applied to 203 pre-service teachers, and the obtained data were subjected to validity and reliability analysis. According to the explanatory factor analysis, the scale explains 42% of the total variance. When the results of the explanatory factor analysis are examined, it is seen that the factor loads of the 27 items in the scale vary between.33 and.80. The internal consistency coefficient of the scale was found to be Cronbach Alpha .86. The developed scale was applied to pre-service science teachers in the next stage. As a result of the study, it was found that when the maximum score that can be obtained from the scale (54 points) is taken into account, it is noteworthy that the pre-service science teachers' average scores from the scale are low. As a result of this study, a valid and reliable Zero Waste Awareness Scale has been brought to the relevant literature.