Young People and the Environment in Australia: Beliefs, Knowledge, Commitment and Educational Implications
Author(s)
Connell, Sharon
Fien, John
Sykes, Helen
Yencken, David
Year published
2014
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
There is a paucity of research in Australia on the nature of young people's attitudes, knowledge and actions. This paper reports on the findings from one such study of Australian high school students. The research was based on a survey of 5,688 students from Melbourne and Brisbane. These young people identified protection of the environment as the most Important problem in Australia and strongly supported the belie! systems characteristic of an 'environmental paradigm'. Despite this, the majority displayed relatively low levels of knowledge of key environmental concepts, and were involved In little environmental action-taking ...
View more >There is a paucity of research in Australia on the nature of young people's attitudes, knowledge and actions. This paper reports on the findings from one such study of Australian high school students. The research was based on a survey of 5,688 students from Melbourne and Brisbane. These young people identified protection of the environment as the most Important problem in Australia and strongly supported the belie! systems characteristic of an 'environmental paradigm'. Despite this, the majority displayed relatively low levels of knowledge of key environmental concepts, and were involved In little environmental action-taking outside of household activities. Differences are reported between; students from Melbourne and Brisbane; girls and boys; high performing and general schools; and teachers and students. The paper concludes with a discussion of some implications for environmental education In Australia.
View less >
View more >There is a paucity of research in Australia on the nature of young people's attitudes, knowledge and actions. This paper reports on the findings from one such study of Australian high school students. The research was based on a survey of 5,688 students from Melbourne and Brisbane. These young people identified protection of the environment as the most Important problem in Australia and strongly supported the belie! systems characteristic of an 'environmental paradigm'. Despite this, the majority displayed relatively low levels of knowledge of key environmental concepts, and were involved In little environmental action-taking outside of household activities. Differences are reported between; students from Melbourne and Brisbane; girls and boys; high performing and general schools; and teachers and students. The paper concludes with a discussion of some implications for environmental education In Australia.
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Journal Title
Australian Journal of Environmental Education
Volume
30
Issue
1
Subject
Environmental Education and Extension
Environmental Sciences
Education
Studies in Human Society