IMPLEMENTING ENERGY EDUCATION FOCUSING ON ATTITUDES AND CONCERNS

The objectives of this study were to: (1) measure student and teacher attitudes and behaviors toward energy conservation; (2) measure the teacher\u27s stage of concern about energy education as an innovation; and (3) use student energy attitude scores as part of an intervention strategy designed to increase teacher search behavior for alternatives to existing curriculum materials. Forty-two secondary science and social studies teachers from 11 high schools in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska administered the Youth Energy Survey (Michigan Energy Extension Service) to their classes (N = 3,129), received survey results and interpretive data and were invited to request innovative energy education materials from the Nebraska State Energy Office. Control group teachers did not have the chance to administer the survey prior to the opportunity they had to request energy education materials from the state energy office. All teachers completed a modified form of the Youth Energy Survey (Adult Energy Survey) and the Stages of Concern Questionnaire. (1) Comparison of 1981 student energy attitude scores with 1979 scores showed more positive scores on five scales, more negative scores for one scale (nuclear energy), and no change on three scales. (2) With no exceptions, mean teacher attitude scores were more positive than were student attitude scores. Teachers classified in the impact concern stage had consistently more positive attitude scores than did teachers in either the self or task concern groups. (3) There appears to be little or no relationship between teacher and student energy attitudes. One of ten student/teacher correlations was significant. (4) Teachers with impact concerns about energy education had the most positive attitudes; teachers with self concerns about energy education had the most negative energy attitudes. (5) The ratio of request/no request responses for energy education materials was uniformly consistent across all teacher concern states. Three out of four teachers in the study requested no energy education materials. (6) Teacher search behavior for alternatives to existing curriculum materials was significantly increased when the Youth Energy Survey was administered to classes and the results of the survey returned to teachers