The educational environment as a way of prospective teachers’ ecological culture formation while studying natural science courses

Currently, the problem of ecological culture is becoming generally recognized. The ecological direction in the system of higher professional education in the process of prospective teachers’ ecological culture formation is a noticeable factor. There is a need to systematize ecological and natural science pedagogical education: there is a change of axiological systems, cultural norms and values among the modern younger generation, the issues of ecological culture formation among students of pedagogical universities are not fully considered. The state educational standard of higher professional pedagogical education emphasizes the primary task – to form the teacher’s personality with a high ecological culture, striving for harmonious interaction with the natural environment, a personality that is distinguished by the presence of attitudes, beliefs, and the need for activities to preserve and improve nature. There is a need for the dominant role and responsibility of prospective teachers in solving the issues of ecological culture formation among young people who are able to form a personality that is distinguished by the presence of beliefs of a conscious, careful, responsible attitude to the natural environment. In this regard, the need to increase attention to ecological culture formation among students of pedagogical universities becomes significant at the socio-pedagogical level. Ecological culture is not a specific type, but an integral part and level of human culture as a whole. The priority role in ecological culture formation among students belongs to the natural sciences, which form the foundation of the scientific understanding of the world. At the stage of modern university education, the ecological culture of youth develops on the principles of unity of the historical relationship between the natural environment and society, the social conditionality of the individual’s relationship to nature, and the desire to harmonize these relations. The diversity of interaction between society and nature determines the complexity of environmental education, its main principles: a transdisciplinary approach to ecological culture formation, systematic and continuous study of scientific material, the unity of mental and emotional-volitional principles in the activities of students to study and improve the natural environment; the relationship of global and local environmental problems. This is emphasized by many scientists. The leading role in prospective teachers’ ecological culture formation is played by the educational environment of the university.