Assessment of environmental attitudes and behavior of secondary school students in Sri Lanka
E. A. C. N. Perera 1 , A. S. Mahaliyana 2 * , D. Keppetigoda 3 , L. W. R. De Alwis 1
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1 Department of Technology Education, National Institute of Education, Maharagama, SRI LANKA2 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Export Agriculture, Uva Wellassa University, Badulla, SRI LANKA3 Department of Research and Development, National Institute of Education, Maharagama, SRI LANKA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Implementing effective environmental education strategies in schools is essential for nurturing young individuals with a sense of responsibility for sustainability. Knowledge regarding environmental attitudes and behaviour of school-aged children in Sri Lanka is limited. This study aimed to assess the level of environmental awareness, attitudes towards recovery and recycling, environmental behaviour, and overall awareness, alongside evaluating the impact of demographic parameters on these variables of secondary school students in Sri Lanka. A questionnaire-based survey with a quantitative approach (using a 35-item scale) was used in assessing 972 Sri Lankan secondary school students. The study revealed that students exhibit a moderate level of EA, attitude, and behavior, with greater familiarity when taught in school. Gender, school environment society membership, and student grade/type of school significantly affected the investigated socio-environmental aspects. Family income and residence type had no notable impact. The findings of this study offer important insights for creating focused interventions and educational strategies aimed at fostering a more sustainable, environmentally responsible younger generation within the distinct socio-cultural landscape of Sri Lanka.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

Agricultural and Environmental Education, Volume 3, Issue 2, 2024, Article No: em007

https://doi.org/10.29333/agrenvedu/15484

Publication date: 16 Oct 2024

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Article Downloads: 115

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