Investigation of environmental literacy of sixth grades at a private school

Date

2008

Author

İstanbullu, Rüveyde Aslı

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Purpose of this study was to investigate environmental literacy of 6th grade students at a private school. In detail of study it is also investigated that how mothers’ educational background on environmental literacy dimensions (knowledge, attitude, use and concern) and besides, relationship between environmental background characteristics and environmental literacy dimensions. The study was carried out during the fall semester of the 2007-2008 academic year. The sample of study was chosen from an accessible population and consisted of 681 sixth grades students from a private school in Ankara. “Environmental Literacy Questionnaire” (ELQ) is used to collect data. The relationship among environmental literacy dimensions i.e., knowledge, attitude, use and concern was investigated by Means of zero order correlation. Effect of mothers’ educational level on the environmental literacy of the students is analyzed by Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). Finally, canonical correlation is used in order to analyze relationship among environmental background of students, that is self-assessment about their interest in environmental problems (perception of interest), their views on the importance of environmental problems (perception of importance), their self evaluation of their environmental knowledge (perception of knowledge), their involvement in outdoor activities (activities), their perception of their parents’ interest in environmental problems (parents’ interest) and their perception of their parents’ involvement in environmental activities (parents’ involvement); and environmental literacy dimensions. Results showed that majority of students (64%) received with mean of 8.2 questions out of 11 questions. Results also revealed that they have positive attitude, aware of importance between human and environment. Moreover, students have concerns about environmental problems. Results of means of zero order correlations indicated that between knowledge - use and attitude concern are correlated positively, significantly but small. Moreover attitude-use and use concern are correlated strong and medium in that order. Effect of mothers’ educational level on EL, which is analyzed by Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), indicated that dimensions of EL do not differentiate significantly by education level of mothers. By canonical correlation, it is found that parents’ involvement in environmental activities positively related to environmental attitude, use and concern which stand for increase in parents’ environmental involvement, increase in attitude, use and concern.

Subject Keywords

Education

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12610069/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/17930

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis