Research Article
Inspecting primary school students’ environmental attitudes based on ecocentric and anthropocentric perspectives
Abstract
This study aimed at (i) identifying primary school students’ attitudes toward environmental issues based on the perspectives of ecocentrism and anthropocentrism and (ii) inspecting students’ attitudes (i.e., ecocentric and anthropocentric) toward environmental issues in relation to gender and grade level. Data were gathered from 40 students through the administration of an interview questionnaire along with pictures concerning questions in the questionnaire. Results demonstrated that most of the participants who held positive attitudes reflected anthropocentric attitudes toward water, paper, and electricity consumption, reusing, and playground preferences whereas ecocentric attitudes toward plants, bugs, and other animals. Besides, half and slightly more than half of the participants with positive attitudes expressed ecocentric attitudes toward residence preferences and environmental pollution, respectively while nearly half of the participants with positive attitudes expressed anthropocentric attitudes toward the mentioned issues. It was also found that with the exception of one environmental issue, participants’ attitudes toward environmental issues were not significantly associated with their gender. Additionally, no relation was found between participants’ environmental attitudes and their grade level.
References
- Alp, E., Ertepinar, H., Tekkaya C., & Yilmaz, A. (2006). A statistical analysis of children’s environmental knowledge and attitudes in Turkey. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 15(3), 210-223. https://doi.org/10.2167/irgee193.0
- Amiri, A., Geravandi, S., & Rostami, F. (2021). Potential effects of school garden on students' knowledge, attitude and experience: A pilot project on sixth grade students in Iran. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127174
- Choe, J. H., Kim, C. H., & Ri, G. H. (2020). An investigation on the environmental knowledge and attitudes of senior middle school students in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 29(2), 146-162. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2019.1678276
- Domingues, R. B., & Gonçalves, G. (2020). Assessing environmental attitudes in Portugal using a new short version of the environmental attitudes inventory. Current Psychology, 39, 629-639. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9786-x
- Eagles, P. F. J., & Demare, R. (1999). Factors influencing children’s environmental attitudes. The Journal of Environmental Education, 30(4), 33-37. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958969909601882
- Erdaş Kartal, E., & Mesci, G. (2022). Faculty members’ attitude towards environment: A Q method study. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 37(1), 140-154. https://doi.org/10.16986/HUJE.2020062804
- Ertürk Kara, G., Aydos, E. H., & Aydın, Ö. (2015). Changing preschool children’s attitudes into behavior towards selected environmental issues: An action research study. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 3(1), 46-63.
- Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2012). How to design and evaluate research in education. (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
- Gustafson, A., Pace, A., Singh, S., & Goldberg, M. H. (2022). What do people say is the most important reason to protect nature? An analysis of pro-environmental motives across 11 countries. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 80, 101762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101762
- Higde, E., Oztekin, C., & Sahin, E. (2017) Turkish pre-service science teachers' awareness, beliefs, values, and behaviours pertinent to climate change. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 26(3), 253-263. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2017.1330040
- Kahriman-Öztürk, D. (2010). Preschool Children’s Attitudes Towards Selected Environmental Issues. [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Middle East Technical University.
- Kahriman-Ozturk, D., Olgan, R., & Tuncer, G. (2012). A qualitative study on Turkish preschool children's environmental attitudes through ecocentrism and anthropocentrism. International Journal of Science Education, 34(4), 629-650. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2011.596228
- Milfont, T. L., & Duckitt, J. (2010). The environmental attitudes inventory: A valid and reliable measure to assess the structure of environmental attitudes. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(1), 80-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2009.09.001
- Ministry of National Education (MoNE). (2018a). Fen bilimleri dersi öğretim programı (İlkokul ve ortaokul 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ve 8. sınıflar)[Science course curriculum (primary and middle school 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8th grades)]. Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education Board of Education.
- Ministry of National Education (MoNE). (2018b). Hayat bilgisi dersi öğretim programı (İlkokul 1, 2 ve 3. sınıflar) [Life science course curriculum (primary school 1, 2, and 3rd grades)]. Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education Board of Education.
- Mónus, F. (2022). Environmental education policy of schools and socioeconomic background affect environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behavior of secondary school students. Environmental Education Research, 28(2), 169-196. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2021.2023106
- Musser, L. M., & Diamond, K. E. (1999). The children's attitudes toward the environment scale for preschool children. The Journal of Environmental Education, 30(2), 23-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00958969909601867
- Musser, L. M., & Malkus, A. J. (1994). The children's attitudes toward the environment scale. The Journal of Environmental Education, 25(3), 22-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00958964.1994.9941954
- Nyberg, E., Castéra, J., Mc Ewen, B., Gericke, N., & Clément, P. (2020) Teachers’ and student teachers’ attitudes towards nature and the environment- A comparative study between Sweden and France. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 64(7), 1090-1104. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2019.1649717
- Onur, A., Sahin, E., & Tekkaya, C. (2012). An investigation on value orientations, attitudes and concern towards the environment: The case of Turkish elementary school students. Environmental Education Research, 18(2), 271-297. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2011.614690
- Pallant, J. (2007). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using SPSS. Open University Press.
- Pointon, P. (2014). ‘The city snuffs out nature’: young people’s conceptions of and relationship with nature. Environmental Education Research, 20(6), 776-794. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2013.833595
- Sahin, E., Alper, U., & Oztekin, C. (2020): Modelling pre-service science teachers’ pro-environmental behaviours in relation to psychological and cognitive variables. Environmental Education Research, 27(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2020.1812538
- Simsar, A., Doğan, Y., & Sezer, G. (2021). The ecocentric and anthropocentric attitudes towards different environmental phenomena: A sample of Syrian refugee children. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2021.101005
- Thompson, S. C. G., & Barton, M. A. (1994). Ecocentric and anthropocentric attitudes toward the environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 14, 149-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(05)80168-9
- Tuncay Yüksel, B., Yılmaz Tüzün, Ö., & Teksöz, G. (2015). Effects of gender and grade level on environmental moral reasoning patterns. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi [Hacettepe University Journal of Education], 30(2), 137-150.
- Yaşaroğlu, C., & Akdağ, M. (2013). İlköğretim birinci kademe (ilkokul) öğrencilerinin çevreye yönelik tutumlarının değerlendirilmesi. Elektronik Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 2(4), 50-65.
- Yilmaz, O., Boone, W. J., & Andersen, H. O. (2004) Views of elementary and middle school Turkish students toward environmental issues. International Journal of Science Education, 26(12), 1527-1546. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0950069042000177280
İlkokul öğrencilerinin çevresel tutumlarının ekosentrik ve antroposentrik bakış açılarına göre incelenmesi
Abstract
Bu çalışma (i) ilkokul öğrencilerinin çevresel konulara yönelik tutumlarını ekosentrizm ve antroposentrizm bakış açılarına dayalı olarak belirlemeyi ve (ii) öğrencilerin çevresel konulara yönelik tutumlarını (yani, ekosentrik ve antroposentrik) cinsiyet ve sınıf düzeyine ilişkin olarak incelemeyi amaçlamıştır. Veriler, bir görüşme formu ve formda yer alan sorularla ilgili resimler uygulanarak 40 öğrenciden toplanmıştır. Sonuçlar, olumlu tutuma sahip katılımcıların çoğunun su, kağıt ve elektrik tüketimi, yeniden kullanım ve oyun alanı tercihlerine yönelik antroposentrik tutumları yansıtırken bitkiler, böcekler ve diğer hayvanlara yönelik ekosentrik tutumları yansıttığını göstermiştir. Bununla birlikte, olumlu tutum sergileyen katılımcıların yarısı ve yarısından biraz fazlası sırasıyla konut tercihleri ve çevre kirliliğine yönelik ekosentrik tutumlar açıklarken, olumlu tutum sergileyen katılımcıların yaklaşık yarısı, bahsedilen konulara karşı antroposentrik tutumlar ifade etmiştir. Ayrıca, bir çevresel konu dışında, katılımcıların çevresel konulara yönelik tutumlarının cinsiyetleriyle anlamlı olarak ilişkili olmadığı da bulunmuştur. İlaveten, katılımcıların çevresel tutumları ile sınıf düzeyleri arasında bir ilişki bulunmamıştır.
References
- Alp, E., Ertepinar, H., Tekkaya C., & Yilmaz, A. (2006). A statistical analysis of children’s environmental knowledge and attitudes in Turkey. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 15(3), 210-223. https://doi.org/10.2167/irgee193.0
- Amiri, A., Geravandi, S., & Rostami, F. (2021). Potential effects of school garden on students' knowledge, attitude and experience: A pilot project on sixth grade students in Iran. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127174
- Choe, J. H., Kim, C. H., & Ri, G. H. (2020). An investigation on the environmental knowledge and attitudes of senior middle school students in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 29(2), 146-162. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2019.1678276
- Domingues, R. B., & Gonçalves, G. (2020). Assessing environmental attitudes in Portugal using a new short version of the environmental attitudes inventory. Current Psychology, 39, 629-639. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9786-x
- Eagles, P. F. J., & Demare, R. (1999). Factors influencing children’s environmental attitudes. The Journal of Environmental Education, 30(4), 33-37. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958969909601882
- Erdaş Kartal, E., & Mesci, G. (2022). Faculty members’ attitude towards environment: A Q method study. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 37(1), 140-154. https://doi.org/10.16986/HUJE.2020062804
- Ertürk Kara, G., Aydos, E. H., & Aydın, Ö. (2015). Changing preschool children’s attitudes into behavior towards selected environmental issues: An action research study. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 3(1), 46-63.
- Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2012). How to design and evaluate research in education. (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
- Gustafson, A., Pace, A., Singh, S., & Goldberg, M. H. (2022). What do people say is the most important reason to protect nature? An analysis of pro-environmental motives across 11 countries. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 80, 101762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101762
- Higde, E., Oztekin, C., & Sahin, E. (2017) Turkish pre-service science teachers' awareness, beliefs, values, and behaviours pertinent to climate change. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 26(3), 253-263. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2017.1330040
- Kahriman-Öztürk, D. (2010). Preschool Children’s Attitudes Towards Selected Environmental Issues. [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Middle East Technical University.
- Kahriman-Ozturk, D., Olgan, R., & Tuncer, G. (2012). A qualitative study on Turkish preschool children's environmental attitudes through ecocentrism and anthropocentrism. International Journal of Science Education, 34(4), 629-650. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2011.596228
- Milfont, T. L., & Duckitt, J. (2010). The environmental attitudes inventory: A valid and reliable measure to assess the structure of environmental attitudes. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(1), 80-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2009.09.001
- Ministry of National Education (MoNE). (2018a). Fen bilimleri dersi öğretim programı (İlkokul ve ortaokul 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ve 8. sınıflar)[Science course curriculum (primary and middle school 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8th grades)]. Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education Board of Education.
- Ministry of National Education (MoNE). (2018b). Hayat bilgisi dersi öğretim programı (İlkokul 1, 2 ve 3. sınıflar) [Life science course curriculum (primary school 1, 2, and 3rd grades)]. Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education Board of Education.
- Mónus, F. (2022). Environmental education policy of schools and socioeconomic background affect environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behavior of secondary school students. Environmental Education Research, 28(2), 169-196. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2021.2023106
- Musser, L. M., & Diamond, K. E. (1999). The children's attitudes toward the environment scale for preschool children. The Journal of Environmental Education, 30(2), 23-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00958969909601867
- Musser, L. M., & Malkus, A. J. (1994). The children's attitudes toward the environment scale. The Journal of Environmental Education, 25(3), 22-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00958964.1994.9941954
- Nyberg, E., Castéra, J., Mc Ewen, B., Gericke, N., & Clément, P. (2020) Teachers’ and student teachers’ attitudes towards nature and the environment- A comparative study between Sweden and France. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 64(7), 1090-1104. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2019.1649717
- Onur, A., Sahin, E., & Tekkaya, C. (2012). An investigation on value orientations, attitudes and concern towards the environment: The case of Turkish elementary school students. Environmental Education Research, 18(2), 271-297. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2011.614690
- Pallant, J. (2007). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using SPSS. Open University Press.
- Pointon, P. (2014). ‘The city snuffs out nature’: young people’s conceptions of and relationship with nature. Environmental Education Research, 20(6), 776-794. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2013.833595
- Sahin, E., Alper, U., & Oztekin, C. (2020): Modelling pre-service science teachers’ pro-environmental behaviours in relation to psychological and cognitive variables. Environmental Education Research, 27(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2020.1812538
- Simsar, A., Doğan, Y., & Sezer, G. (2021). The ecocentric and anthropocentric attitudes towards different environmental phenomena: A sample of Syrian refugee children. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2021.101005
- Thompson, S. C. G., & Barton, M. A. (1994). Ecocentric and anthropocentric attitudes toward the environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 14, 149-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(05)80168-9
- Tuncay Yüksel, B., Yılmaz Tüzün, Ö., & Teksöz, G. (2015). Effects of gender and grade level on environmental moral reasoning patterns. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi [Hacettepe University Journal of Education], 30(2), 137-150.
- Yaşaroğlu, C., & Akdağ, M. (2013). İlköğretim birinci kademe (ilkokul) öğrencilerinin çevreye yönelik tutumlarının değerlendirilmesi. Elektronik Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 2(4), 50-65.
- Yilmaz, O., Boone, W. J., & Andersen, H. O. (2004) Views of elementary and middle school Turkish students toward environmental issues. International Journal of Science Education, 26(12), 1527-1546. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0950069042000177280
There are 28 citations in total.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Other Fields of Education |
| Journal Section | Research Articles |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | July 31, 2023 |
| Acceptance Date | May 4, 2023 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2023 Volume: 12 Issue: 3 |
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