The evaluation of primary school student\u27s environment-friendlyperformance and their knowledge about environmental problems

Okoljske teme so zaradi svoje aktualnosti vključene v biološke vsebine učnih načrtov osnovne šole, zato smo želeli preveriti, ali učenci tretje triade poznajo značilnosti in vpliv pri pouku najpogosteje obravnavanih okoljskih problemov (učinek tople grede, ozonska luknja, kisel dež) na okolje, ali se pro-okoljsko udejstvujejo, ali razlikujejo naravni okoljski problem od antropogenega in ali so seznanjeni z najbolj odmevnimi okoljskimi problemi v Sloveniji. Raziskava je potekala ob koncu šolskega leta 2014/2015izvedli smo jo na treh osnovnih šolah v dveh slovenskih regijah. V raziskavi je sodelovalo 97 učencev sedmih razredov, 77 učencev osmih razredov in 41 učencev devetih razredov osnovnošolskega izobraževanja. Skupaj 215 učencev vseh treh razredov. V magistrski nalogi je uporabljen kvantitativni raziskovalni pristopmetoda je deskriptivna in inferenčna. Instrument zbiranja podatkov je anketni vprašalnik in preizkus znanja, tehnika pa anonimno izpolnjevanje vprašalnika. Z raziskavo smo ugotovili, da učenci nimajo veliko znanja o okoljskih problemih glede na učne načrte osnovnošolskega izobraževanja. Učenci ne razumejo značilnosti tanjšanja ozonske plasti, več znanja pa imajo o povečanemu učinku tople grede in njenih posledicah. Ugotovili smo, da učenci razumejo razliko med vplivom okoljskega problema (lokalen/globalen) ter razlikujejo in razumejo izraz naraven in antropogen vzrok onesnaževanja. Ugotovili smo, da imajo deklice več znanja od dečkov, vendar pa so razlike v znanju majhne. Z raziskavo smo ugotovili še, da preživet prosti čas v naravi ne vpliva na boljše pro-okoljsko delovanje, prav tako kot spremljanje poljudnoznanstvenih oddaj. Zaradi pridobljenih ugotovitev predlagamo večjo vključenost okoljskih vsebin v osnovnošolsko izobraževanje, več dejavnosti, ki bi pripomogle k boljšemu poznavanju okoljskih problemov. Poleg okoljskih vsebin in dejavnosti pa je pomembno tudi, da se učenci že v nižjih razredih spoznajo z izrazi in pojmi, ki bi jih kasneje v izobraževanju nadgradili.Due to its topicality, environmental issues are involved in biological content of the curricula of elementary school, so we wanted to check whether the pupils of the third triad know the characteristics and impact most commonly discussed environmental problems (greenhouse effect, ozone hole, acid rain) on the environment in the classroom. We were curious if the pupils are or pro-environmentally active if they distinguish the natural environmental problem with regards to the anthropogenic one, and whether they are familiar with the most influential environmental problems in Slovenia. The study was conducted at the end of the school year 2014/2015 in three elementary schools in the two Slovenian regions. The study involved 97 pupils of the seventh grade, 77 pupils of the eighth grade and 41 pupils of the ninth grade of the elementary education. Altogether 215 pupils in all three grades. This master’s thesis is a quantitative research approachthe method is descriptive and inferential. The instrument of data collection is the questionnaire and examinationthe technique is filling out the questionnaire anonymously. The research has shown that pupils do not have much knowledge about environmental issues in relation to the curricula of elementary education. Pupils do not understand the nature of the thinning of the ozone layer: they have more knowledge about the increased greenhouse effect and its consequences. We have found that pupils understand the difference between the influence of the environmental problem (local / global) and distinguish and understand the term natural and anthropogenic causes of pollution. We found that girls have more knowledge in comparison to boys, but the differences in knowledge are little. The research also found that the free time spent in nature does not influence the better pro-environmental performance and so does not monitoring of popular science programs either. Due to the obtained ascertainments, we propose a greater integration of environmental issues into basic education, and more activities that would contribute to a better understanding of environmental problems. In addition to environmental issues and activities, it is also important that pupils become familiar with terms and concepts, which would later be upgraded in subsequent education, in the lower grades already