Assessment of Primary Education Curricula in Iranian Higher Education System for Increasing Environmental Knowledge of its Graduates

Subject Areas : environmental management

Mohammad Hossein Pour ¹ ( )
Mohammad Sadegh Sekhavatjou ² ( )

Received: 2008-07-10 Accepted : 2008-09-15 Published : 2011-06-22

Keywords: Environment, Sustainable development, education curricula, Higher Education,

Abstract :

The present study investigated the status of primary education curricula in the system of higher education from the educational experts perspective. It also proposed applicable ways to improve curricula status with the point view of increasing the environmental knowledge and achieve to sustainable development. In this study, four hypotheses concerned with primary educations status, purposes, content, teaching methodology and evaluation. This research was conducted through field research design. Research population comprised 500 instructors teaching Islamic Azad University. Sample population (n=100) were selected through cluster random sampling. They filled an 83-item researcher-made questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted through descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean and SD) and inferential (Z scores) statistics. The results of the study showed that the present primary curricula should be radically revised due to curricula problems concerning specific educational purposes. Also in current condition the knowledge and information level of primary education curricula is very low. And we should mention that the learning of some concepts like environmental protection and pollution prevention and the correct use of natural resources such as water, paper and others in childhood will be very effective. Also it causes the growth of sustainable development principles in next generation