Attitudes of Scout Students in 4-5 th Grades in Primary Education Towards Environment

Çevre konusunda bilinçli ve duyarlı bireyler yetiştirmek, çevre sorunlarının çözümü için en etkili yol olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bu noktada okullarda uygulanan izcilik faaliyetleri çok önemli bir yer tutmaktadır. Bugün izciliğin doğal tabiata ve çevreye verdiği önem herkes tarafından bilinmektedir. Yapılan faaliyetlerin birçoğunun içeriğinde çevreyi ve doğayı koruma amaçlı doğrudan uygulamaya yönelik birçok beceri kazandırılmaktadır. Bu nedenle bu araştırmada izcilik faaliyetlerinin ilköğretim 1. kademe 4. ve 5. sınıf izci öğrencilerin çevreye karşı tutumlarına etkisi incelenmiştir. Araştırma 2008-2009 öğretim yılında Adana ilinde toplam 395 öğrenci üzerinde yürütülmüştür. Araştırma, tarama modelindedir. Araştırmada ilköğretim öğrencileri için hazırlanmış olan ÇTÖ (Çevre Tutum Ölçeği) ve görüşmeler için açık uçlu soru formu kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonunda izci öğrencilerin lehine anlamlı farklılık bulunmuştur. İzci lideri ve sınıf öğretmenlerin görüşlerine göre de izci öğrencilerin çevre konusunda diğer öğrencilere göre daha bilinçli ve duyarlı oldukları sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.Scouting activities are gaining importance in Turkish schools day by day, being conducted by the School Interior Sports and Scouting Department under the National ministry of Education. Scouting is widespread throughout the country in almost all schools, and includes, various activities conducted under the surveillance of scout leaders. It is one of the best ways to teach what can be learnt from nature, develop character, health and skills of children and young people, and teach them how to live life. The purpose this form of education is to help make children physically and mentally developed people who have an understanding of serving the community and not individuals only thinking of themselves. Environmental problems are amongst the most important problems confronting humanity today. Increasing population levels, subsequent rises in human needs and desires are and the high level of pollution due to industrialization are major threats to humanity and natural life. The, pollution we observe in the air, water, soil, and forests and the destruction of biological variety in nature, all of which have vital ecological importance, has persuaded countries to show greater interest in environmental problems and cooperate globally with each other to create policies for protecting and developing the earth. Developing individuals who are responsive to environmental concerns emerges as an important method for solving our environmental problems today. Protecting environmental values and solving the relevant problems depends upon knowing and understanding what they involve. It is is here that, school, scouting activities have a very important role in developing individuals who are sensitive towards environmental issues. Today, the importance given by scouting activities towards nature and the environment is well known by everyone. The content of these activities redound many skills that have a direct application to nature protection. For this reason, this study, aims to present a sound example of the things that are taught and learned from scouting by examining how this form of education effects students approach and understand their environment and we aim to evaluate scouting activities on these topics. To this end the answers of the below questions are researched: 1. Is there a significant difference in approach towards the environment between scout students and other students? 2. Is there a significant difference in approach towards the environment between male and female scout students? 3. Is there a significant difference in approach towards the environment between scout and other students in means of their approach towards the environment in the eye of the scout leader teacher? 4. Is there a significant difference in approach towards the environment between scout students and other students in means of their approach towards the environment in the eye of class teachers that have scout students in their class? 5. Are scouting activities important in providing environmental understanding and approach according to scout leader and class teachers? The study was conducted in Adana in the 2008-2009 academic year with 395 students and 14 teachers of which 7 are scout leaders and 7 are class teachers. The research is in the screening model. In the research, the environmental behavior scale prepared for primary school students and has an open ended question form for interviews. At the end of the research, significant differences are observed in favor of the of scout students. No significant difference is observed according to the sex difference scale in terms of behaviors towards the environment. It was also learnt that the sensitivity level of the scout students towards the environment is higher according to scout leaders and class teachers. Almost all scout leaders and class teachers comment that scouting activities are necessary in influencing attitudes towards nature