The effectiveness of an environmental education program on increasing environmentally conscious behavior in college students
Open Access
- Author:
- Shilladay, Jessica Ann
- Graduate Program:
- Agricultural and Extension Education
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- November 14, 2013
- Committee Members:
- Patreese Donette Ingram, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
- Keywords:
- behavior
environmental education - Abstract:
- In the year 2050, the world population is projected to reach 9 billion (United States Census Bureau, 2011). As the human population increases, pro-environmental behaviors are important to practice. By practicing pro-environmental behaviors, the negative impact that humans have on the earth may decrease. The authors Robertson & Lee (2009) quote and cite the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) (2006) and state that, “We may “overshoot” the planet’s worth of natural resources by up to three planets’ worth” (WWF, 2006 (as cited in Robertson & Lee, 2009, p. 78)). Environmental education programs are a way to teach people about the world in which we live. These programs can be low-cost and can incorporate a lot of information into a short amount of time and may aid in behavior change. A descriptive case study was used to determine the impact of a one-day environmental education program on participant’s environmental behaviors, attitudes, values, worldviews, and beliefs. Forty-five college students in an environmental education program completed a survey immediately prior to the program, immediately after the program, and again six weeks later. The surveys measured participants’ environmental attitudes, beliefs, worldviews, values, and behaviors. The pre-test determined the perceived environmental beliefs and behaviors that each participant had upon entering the program. The post-test sought to determine beliefs and attitudes directly after participation in the program and to determine the likeliness of each participant to engage in environmental behaviors presented in the pre-survey. The six-week delayed post-survey sought to determine the self-reported environmental behaviors that each participant engaged in six weeks after participating in the educational program. In addition, a focus group was held to gain a greater understanding of the changes in behavior of the participants and attitudes about the environment and the environmental program. Pre program survey scores were compared with post program survey scores and analyzed for differences. Qualitative findings from the focus group were analyzed for common themes across responses. The responses indicated that the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scores were higher on the post-program survey than on the pre-program survey. The likeliness of the participants to practice environmental behaviors was also higher on the post-program responses than were on the pre-program responses. The participants responses showed six weeks later, their behaviors were also higher than their pre-program surveys indicated. The six-week responses were lower than the post-program responses. The focus group responses indicated that the environmental education program did indeed have an effect on respondent environmental behavior and that education is an important tool to communicate the importance of sustainability. Results from this study can be used to encourage others to take an environmental education course or workshop or to possibly make it a requirement for graduation or for inclusion in a freshman seminar. Every major can incorporate environmental education and sustainability in some way. As the population grows, sustainability is important. The results also indicate that a short program may be an effective way of influencing behavior. The knowledge that a short program can be effective may lead to more being developed and utilized to teach others about the world around them, how to coexist with it, and how to ensure that the resources that are present today exist for many generations. Other short courses may also be developed and utilized in other areas or even as a precursor to longer courses.