The Impact of Teacher Beliefs on Teaching Practices in Environmental Issues: The Expectations of Vietnamese Elementary Teachers in the New Curriculum

Teachers are key factors in students’ understanding of environmental issues in elementary schools. This study used mixed-methods design to investigate the impact of teacher beliefs on teaching practices. The Beliefs about Environmental Issues and Education (B-EIE) and the Teaching Practice of Environmental Issues (TP-EI) surveys were distributed to 159 elementary teachers, and interviews were conducted with ten participants to understand their expectations in teaching environmental topics. The findings revealed that novice teachers have significantly stronger beliefs about environmental issues compared to their experienced counterparts. However, they struggle with limited resources, emphasizing the need for training and support systems. Conversely, experienced teachers demonstrate excellence in teaching practices but encounter difficulties adapting to new methods and evolving environmental issues, underscoring the necessity for ongoing professional development. Regression models revealed that Beliefs about Environmental Education (BEE) account for 46% of the variance in teaching practices, while Beliefs about Environmental Issues (BEI) account for an additional 4%. BEE notably influences all dimensions of teaching practices, with variance explained ranging from 29 to 40%, while BEI contributes additional but smaller variance. The study concludes with recommendations for enhancing professional development and policy adjustments to align with teachers’ beliefs, thereby improving the effectiveness of environmental education.