The Effects of Ecology-Based Summer Nature Education Program on Primary School Students' Environmental Knowledge, Environmental Affect and Responsible Environmental Behavior

Abstract The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of ecology-based nature education program on elementary school students' environmental knowledge, environmental affect, and responsible environmental behavior. A total number of 64 elementary school students including 26 females and 38 males who participated in summer natural education organized in Ankara in 2008 and supported by TUBITAK was the sample of this study which was designed as pretest- posttest experimental study. A series of data collection instruments was administrated to the sample at the beginning and at the end to assess students' knowledge, affect, and behavior regarding to environment. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis whereas quantitative data were analyzed using repeated measures of ANCOVA and t-test. This study showed that ecology-based nature education program contributed significantly to children's responsible environmental behavior. Although students' posttest environmental knowledge and affect scores were higher than those of pretest scores, no significant effect of nature education program on environmental knowledge and affect were observed. Key Words Nature Education, Knowledge, Affective Tendencies and Behavior. The history of nature studies goes back to 1890s (McCrea, 2006) and of nature education to 1920s (Ford, 1986). The movement of Conservation Education, Outdoor Education, Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development follows these initial studies (Marcinkowski, 2010). However, Nature Education, the focus of the present study, has recently become more popular in the field of education in Turkey. Even if nature education and environmental education are used interchangeably by many researchers, they are slightly different from one another. Nature education means giving meaning to organism and goes beyond to give meaning to nature as a whole. Nature education help develop environmental awareness, sense of responsibility, environmental knowledge, affect, and thus responsible behavior (Erdogan & Ozsoy, 2007; Matthews & Riley, 1995; Yerkes & Haras, 1997). On the other hand, the ultimate outcomes of environmental education are to develop environmentally literate individuals (Harvey, 1977) and responsible environmental behaviors of the individuals (Hungerford & Volk, 1990). Furthermore, environmental education help to develop understanding the relationship between man and his biophysical environment (International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN], 1972; Roth, 1970). For maximum success on the development of environmental knowledge, affect, and responsible behavior, children in early ages should be taken to the natural environment and have them get involved in outdoor activities (Doðan, 1997; Gokler & Yýlmaz, 1999; Russo, 2001) Nature education studies have been coordinated by TUBITAK (National Scientific Research Organization) since 1999 for mainly teachers and graduates (Ozaner, 2004). More recently, natural science and applied science camps and programs have been started for elementary school and high school students (see www.tubitak.gov.tr). Furthermore, Ministry of Environment and some environmental Non-Governmental Organizations have organized such activities for the students; such as, Doða Cantam (Nature Bag), Genc Ekologlar Cevre Eðitim Programý (Youth Ecologist Environmental Education Program) and Yeþil Kutu (Green Pack). The research studies on outdoor and nature education have been undertaken for several years (Bogner, 1998, 2002; Dresner & Gill, 1994; Hazelworth & Wilson, 1990; Kruse & Card, 2004; Lisowski & Disinger, 1991; Palmerg & Kuru, 2000). On the other hand, this area of investigation has recently become the focus of the research area in Turkey. Some of these studies were undertaken with teachers, university students and graduates (Erdoðan & Ozsoy, 2007; Guler, 2009; Keleþ, Uzun & Uzun, 2010; Koksal, Erdoðan, Aydemir, & Armaðan, 2010) and elementary school students (Erdoðan & Erentay, 2007; Erdogan, Erentay, Barss, & Nechita, 2008; Erentay & Erdoðan, 2006; Ozdemir, 2010) who participated in either nature education programs or other outdoor activities (i. …