Research on the Degree of Awareness of High School Students about Environmental Protection (a case study in city of Tehran)

Subject Areas : environmental management

Mahdi Mirdamadi ¹ , Abbasali Bagheri varkaneh ² , Somayyeh Smaeili ³

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Received: 2007-12-11 Accepted : 2008-06-25 Published : 2010-04-03

Keywords: degree of awareness, high school students, City of Tehran, Environmental protection,

Abstract :

Environment and natural resources as a pavement of sustainable development, is considered as a supportive factor for natural life and cultural heritage of the human society. The increasing growth of population has caused the necessity for job substitution services. Limited resources and lack of capable pattern for development have caused a lot of pressure on environment and restoring natural resources. Destruction of environment and natural resources has attracted the attention of planners and policy makers as a global problem. The trend of environmental destruction and natural resources of our own country is not an exception from this rule. Education is recognized as a profitable investment in development process, especially sustainable development and establishing changes and reforms in order to prevent the destruction of the environment and restoring natural resources. One of the important accelerating factors is public training especially educating students. This process only would take place if the training and education is compatible with the right conditions. For this purpose, this research has been delivered on high school level students of the city of Tehran to find out their knowledge and awareness about the environment and protecting it. Population of this study is about 470,000 students. This is an applied research with the Descriptive-Correlation method. A questionnaire was used to collect information and data. Data is analyzed by using SSPS software. The results obtained from Spearman Correlation coefficient between independent parameters of age, parents education, listening to the radio programs, watching the television programs, having access to forest and green spaces, studying books about environment. With the related parameter of students’ awareness about environment indicated that, there is a significant relationship between mentioned parameters. The obtained results of individual effects of independent parameters on related parameter through the tests of Keruscal-Walis and Man White Nee, indicated that the independent parameters method of acquiring information, using of magazines, participation in related activities, participation in educational classes and membership in environmental organizations, have direct effects on students’ awareness about the environment. However, the parameters of genders, educational achievement, educational field, deferent student organizations and being a member or not having a membership in students’ organizations have no effects students awareness about the environment. The obtained results of total effect of independent parameters on dependent parameter of students interest on environment through multiple regression indicated that the parameters of studying environmental books and journals have had positive effects on students awareness about environment.