Abstract
Biodiversity is a significant topic to understand systems that exist within, and education is one way to raise awareness or consciousness of this concept. This study investigates how pre-service Japanese elementary science teachers conceptualize biodiversity within the framework of Social Representations Theory (SRT), based on anchoring and objectification processes. A qualitative exploratory research design was conducted through an in-depth examination in Japan. With the participation of 127 pre-service elementary science teachers from four different universities, semi-structured narratives reflecting their experiences were obtained, considering educational, ethical, and practical dimensions. The data were analyzed using deductive and inductive coding approaches depending on the SRT framework. Findings revealed that pre-service teachers internalize environmental education issues by using the complementarity of the two concepts, anchoring and objectification. While anchoring is mostly contextualized with already present schemas in their social environment, objectification is seen as concrete classroom activities like posters. Additionally, teachers’ identity, life experiences, cultural values, and scientific knowledge significantly impact the construction of the concepts of biodiversity and sustainability. Moreover, the ethical dimensions highlight awareness and their responsibility toward nature. The implications emphasize the contribution of Social Representations Theory (SRT) to environmental education and sustainability research.