Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.8, No.17, 2017 49 Geographic Consciousness in Sustainable Education: Students' Views Taner ÇIFÇI 1* Fatma KÖYBAŞI 2 1.Primary Education Program, Faculty of Education, Cumhuriyet University, PO box 58140, Sivas, Turkey 2.Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Education. Turkey This study was presented as an oral presentation at the 6th International Social Studies Education Symposium. Abstract The aim of this study is to find out effectiveness of the education given on this study by means of the mediating role of geographic consciousness for the management dimension of natural resources. The study is a qualitative research designed as a case study. Study participants consist of a total of 50 students attending the 11th and 12th grades in Sivas province. Participants were selected with sampling method. Study data were collected with a semi-structured interview form. The data collected in the interviews with the students were analyzed using content analysis and descriptive analysis techniques. It was found out that students associate the concept of geographic consciousness with geographical knowledge; whereas other associated expressions including understanding and prediction of the universe and consciousness were seen to receive far less emphasis. The resources referred to by students to increase geographic consciousness were listed in an order of importance starting with subject teacher followed by geography lesson. In this connection, effective teaching of geography by teachers can play a role in increasing geographic awareness. As another sub-topic of study, benefits of geographic consciousness were reported by students as having knowledge of geography, increasing the general knowledge and developing environmental consciousness. Keywords: geography education, geographic consciousness, sustainable education 1. Introduction Sustainable education is a type of education which makes it possible to bring up students who are able to face the risk, uncertainty and astonishing conditions in future, integrate and internalize the necessary mediators and able to cope with challenges in a changing social-ecological system (Sterling, 2010). Lenz (2013) thinks that education has an impact on the cohabitation conditions of our society as well as next generations and it is an investment in the future of the society. Sustainable education can be referred to as a new transformative education that determines the educational system and learning experiences that match the changing world truths. Towards ensuring sustainable education, educational philosophy brings with it different applications of content and method. Wheeler and Bijur (2000) investigated the content and needed mediating characteristics including gaining the ability to think about things that affect the future regarding sustainable education; gaining knowledge, skills and values in creating sustainable society; the ability to deal with management of natural resources; and interpreting the awareness of balanced economic and globalization towards sustainable economy. In ensuring sustainable education; various disciplines such as economics, sociology, education and geography and other interdisciplinary sciences are thought to have an mediating role for sustainable education. Management of natural resources is directly related to geographic consciousness, and this consciousness is naturally realized through education because geography science provides people with the necessary information to keep their lives in peace with nature and the content changes according to the needs (Demirci, Sekin and Ünlü, 2002). Geography education reveals knowledge, skills and concepts to better understand our being, our universe and our relationships with other people (Haas, 1989). In the scope of educating individuals who can overcome uncertainty, possible threats and irregularity as a part of sustainable education; geographic awareness is too important and indispensable to be denied for management of natural resources. Girgin (2001) states that it is possible to predict order, uncertainties, crisis and chaos beforehand thanks to geographical data. Therefore, it can be suggested that geographic consciousness can play a positive role in sustainable education. It is also clearly associated with management of natural resources more than any other dimension of sustainable education. Stringer's (2010) criticism 'we have generally been educated for consumption and competition rather than conservation and preservation (care)' aiming to attract attention onto sustainable education reveals itself in geography in certain aspects. For example, some of the freshwater resources have become polluted and thus unusable. Overuse of fossil fuels has increased the rates of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the ozone layer has been depleted, global air temperature has increased, natural vegetation has been extensively destroyed mainly including tropical forests, a lot of plant and animal species have been extinct, and fertile agricultural areas as well as water resources have become unusable because of various chemical substances and nuclear wastes (Demirci, Sekin and Ünlü, 2002). Classical economists' assumption that natural resources have a self-generating and unlimited availability has caused insensitivity to environmental problems for a long time (Kaypak, 2011). Mankind has always interacted directly with the environment in every phase of