A proposal to make environmental education more effective in Hong Kongsecondary schools. Title. Author(s) Wong, Yuet-fung, Janet.; 黃 月 鳳.

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1 Title A proposal to make environmental edcation more effective in Hong Kongsecondary schools Athor(s) Wong, Yet-fng, Janet.; 黃 月 鳳. Citation Issed Date 2003 URL Rights The athor retains all proprietary rights, (sch as patent rights) and the right to se in ftre works.

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3 DISCLOSURE STATEMENT This dissertation is sbmitted in partial flfilment of the reqi the Master of Science Degree in Environmental Management from Th University of Hong Kong. This dissertation represents the athor's own work condcted fo prposes of this programme. All significant data or analysis se dissertation which draws extensively on other sorces ~ inclding the athor has carried-ot for prposes other than for this progra has clearly been identified as sch.

4 Acknowledgement I wold like to send my gratitde to my advisor, Dr. William Barron fo advice in writing this dissertation. Besides, I have to thank my colleages Ms. Emily Wong and Ms. Rby Leng, the class teachers who helped me to arrange their classes for my programm Frthermore, I need to say thanks to all those stdents who have particip in my research. Withot their participation and spport, my stdy wold have been finished on time.

5 Abstract Formal crriclm has involved only bits of environmental isses in diff sbjects sch as Chemistry,Hman Biology, Biology, Physics, Liberal Stdies of Advanced Spplementary Level,Geography, Economic and Pblic Affairs. In this stdy, the program selected was to investigate the effectiveness of implementing environmental edcation by sing the edcational television program. Qantitative and qalitative methods are both sed and qestionnaires are sed as well in sections A and B. The program was condcted in three classes of Form one where they wold answer the qestions before and after watching Edcational Television (ETV). The findings reveal that participants in a lower Form can achieve the target reslt becase they have less prior knowledge to affect the reslt. Dring the process, stdents were generally cooperative in answering the qestionnaire and watching the ETV attentively. The program aroses their awareness of the importance of environmental protection and also shows their concerns in most common environmental problems. If the reslt of this stdy is positive, the formal crriclm shold insert more environmental protection ETV programs as the teaching material and ads in different sbjects. In conclsion, environmental edcation throgh ETV provided opportnities for the stdents to come into contact with the environmental problems in a more realistic way throgh sight and sond of television. Stdents can achieve the overall concepts of the programme within the local and even global level in the classroom. in

6 List of Tables Table I The one-sided Wilcoxon matched pairs test: critical P.65 Vales at the 5% and 1% significance levels Table II - Data collected P.66 Table III Wilcoxon Test for Class 1A P.67 Table IV - Wilcoxon Test for Class IB R68 Table V List of Abbreviations EE 一 Environmental Edcation CDC - Crriclm Development Concil HKEEG - Hong Kong Environmental Edcation Grop ETV 一 Edcational Television List of Figres Figre 1.- Teaching and learning processes for P.15 environmental edcation Figre 2. -Pre-Post-test design for formative P.40 and smmative evalation Figiire.3- shows the difference of before and P.43 after score in the overall three classes

7 Contents Declaration Acknowledgement Abstract List of Tables List of Abbreviations i ii iii iv iv Chapter 1. Introdction 1.1 Aim 1 2 Objective 3 Reason 1 4 Need for the stdy 1 5 Conceptal Framework 1 6 Contextal Parameters Chapter 2. Literatre Review 10_ 2.1 Backgrond of Environmental Edcation in Hong Kong Understanding of Environmental edcation perspective An effective environmental edcation programme Perspective of Environmental edcation in Hong Kong Views of srvey done on Environmental Edcation Resorces provided for teacher's se Teachers Training on Environmental Edcation 25 Chapter 3. Methodology Introdction Paradigm in edcational research Government Approach in Environmental edcation Mass media to implement Environment edcation Lesson selection Research Method Research objective Qantitative methodologies Qalitative m ethodologies Participant selection Instrment Administration 5.

8 Chapter 4. Reslts 41_ 4.1 Statistical method and Hypothesis setting Data obtained from qestionnaire Qantitative analysis Qalitative analysis Chapter 5. Interpretation of Reslts qalitative research paradigm Interpretation analysis 51 Chapter 6. Discssion Introdction Views from edcationist on Environmental edcation Hong Kong Evalating of resorces for Environmental edcation 58 Chapter 7. Limitations and Recommendations 59^ 7.1 Limitation of the stdy Recommendation on frther srvey References 70 Appendices Appendix I CDC Environmental Edcation in the Formal School Crriclm 75 Appendix II Qestionnaire (Chinese Version) 80 Appendix III Qestionnaire (English Version) 84 Appendix IV Video Tapes from HKEEG 8 Appendix V Adio-visal materials provided by Edcation Department 90 vi

9 Chapter 1 Introdction 1.1 Aim Enviromnental Edcation (EE) actally incldes many aspects of sbjects sch as economic, legal, social,political,geographic, historical,biological, chemical, physical. The EE programraes in secondary schools are inclded in Appendix L According to the Crriclm Development Concil, the ltimate aims of EE for schools in Hong Kong are: to promote in stdents a lifelong and forward-looking concern for the environment, and to prepare them for making well-informed, jstifiable and practical decisions and taking action that wold lead to the creation of sstainable environments in which they can live and work.,,(cdc; 1999) Stdents in secondary school with environmental knowledge and nderstanding strongly relied on the exposre of their teachers to special corses,crriclm programs and in-service training. The complexity of aspects is increased by manifold bt variable intercoimections in time and space. However,shrewd as analysis may be,it will inevitably be imperfect. To redce the margin of error to a minimm, help is needed from experts in the different disciplines involved. Nevertheless,ETV can solve some of sch problems if the prodction program can invite different experts to explain and discss the problem in their own field. Then, the overall program will be more coherent and viable.

10 1.2 Objective The main objectives of the stdy were concerned with the grassroots school initiatives wherein stdents were invited to work on enviromnental problems. If the reslt of this srvey is positive,then, the Enviromnental Protection Department, Green Grops and Edcation Department shold prodce more good qality programs throgh ETV in the formal crriclm. Becase the more formal instrments of edcation, the schools,assist in laying a proper and intellectal se of the mass media, more program material will be prodced to help stdents become more discriminating in their jdgement. The schools shold be aware of the problems as well as the fnctions of sch programs so that these can be intelligently stdied and soltions provided. New materials shold be prodced that can draw sbstantially on a sond conceptal base derived from the disciplines. Moreover,it shold be concerned abot an intended adience and reading level and prodced in a stimlating and interesting format. The idea of those programs may also gradally become poplar with the pblic, as the medias throgh their daily and almost horly impact on the individal,are a powerfl edcational tool.

11 1.3 Reason Television is a good and effective sorce to bring ot problems and send messages to the adience. Hence, ETV allows s to send more specific messages to stdents. Frther,as powerfl as the sight and sond of television ads are, they expose the adience to a message in a very short time. As a medim for edcation, television allows the individal to monitor and interpret sitations themselves and,to some extent, become part of and not apart from the areas of concern. Throgh ETV, stdents can have the overall concepts of the assigned topics. It brings serios environmental problems on a global level into the classroom. Instrctional technology has been developed to the point where a given concept can be analyzed,where learners' behavior can be specified, and the appropriate media connected with it. This forms a self-contained,learner-controlled, package called a modle or 'learning activity package'. The modles are portable, and can be designed to accommodate a fairly wide range of learner characteristics. For example, a modle on solid-waste disposal even from one contry throgh ETV can be seen in another contry. Then,the teacher can discss the topic with the stdents and explore their behavioral attitde towards the isse.

12 1.4 Need for the stdy Teachers in classrooms are important in arosing the awareness and concern of environmental protection. Bt they shold have adeqate knowledge in environmental isses so hopeflly they will encorage stdents to participate i more enviromnental protection campaigns after the TV program in the ftre. Throgh participating in the designed TV program activities,stdents can master the certain types of knowledge of enviromnental protection. Moreover, environmental information and edcation are essential to the stdents' nderstanding of the scale and natre of or polltion problems and the importance of environmental conservation. Frthermore, we hope that they can describe and explain enviromnental change and recognize different ways of managing it. It is generally believed by environmentalists that environmental edcation consists of three inter-related components which inclde acqiring knowledge abot the environment, providing opportnities for learning in the environment, and developing an informed concern for the environment (CDC; 1999). These components are elaborated as follows: (i) Edcation abot the environment Edcation abot the environment mainly focses on cognitive criteria. It is also concerned with the acqisition of skills,knowledge and nderstanding

13 of the environment. It is important to perceive, jdge and provide a necessary facet of EE. (ii) Edcation in the environment Edcation in the environment refers to the processes of edcation condcted otside the classroom in the environment. It provides direct contact with the environment that is a stimlating and relevant context for acqiring knowledge,developing skills and interest. (iii) Edcation for the environment Edcation for the environment stresses the development of an informed concern for the environment. It goes beyond the acqisition of skills and knowledge, and involves the vales md jdgment that affect behavior. It is concerned with the formation of attitdes that lead to a personal environment. Throgh edcation for the environment we seek to edcate stdents so that their action will be positively directed to the development of a sstainable earth and the considerate se of the environment,now and in the ftre. (CDC; 1999) 1.5 Conceptal Framework The declining of enviromnental qality will bring forth the degradation of the qality of living and is even hazardos to or srvival No one will deny that or

14 planet is on the edge of ecological disaster. Man has risen in nmbers and technology at a deadly ecological cost. Hman beings have missed and defaced their land,water, and air; they are rapidly consming their nonrenewable natral resorces; and they have developed rban environments, which,among other things, have bred widespread dehmanization. After all,the growing national commitment to clean p the environment finds strong spport in or contry's yong people (Cornelis; 1972). The awareness of sch misse of the limited natral resorces and their dedication to a new way of life to prevent enviromnental deterioration is one of the most hopefl signs for or ftre. One of the responses to the ecological crisis is the mobilization of edcational forces, which promises to help shape the knowledge, skills,and vales of ftre citizens who can do more than maintain the crrent level of strggle. To achieve this goal, we need to persade the yonger generations to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Environmental edcation, then,shold play an important role in the school crriclm. Plant (1998) believed that childhood experience and family inflence are significant factors in the development of personal concern for the environment. Frther, Roszak (1993) proposed that an early age need not be in response to concern abot

15 the enviromnent bt to a deeply sbmerged loyalty" that binds s animistically to the natral world and which eventally shapes the positive attitdes to the enviromnent we may have in adlthood, Cornelis (1972) proposed that the ecologically edcated citizen mst have some basic knowledge of ecological concepts and facts; socio-ecological problems of the rban environment; relationship between the natral world and the abnormal ecology. Yoth in schools will be assming important roles as adlt citizens in society. Therefore,or school plays a very important role in meeting not only an rgent need, bt also an emergency hman need. They shold assist the yoth to achieve the experiences, knowledge and concern necessary for making informed environmental decisions. Environmental edcation is interdisciplinary in natre. It involves sbject matter from natral sciences and social sciences. Teachers mst eqip themselves well by learning the problems of polltion and learn how to devise effective teaching ways in enviromnental edcation. Nevertheless, the teacher's training is a main factor in the development of EE. The application of new environmental edcation programmes and proper se of teaching materials depends on sitably trained personnel, as regards both the content and the methods specific to this form of edcation. Teachers trained properly in the content,

16 methods and process of EE development can also play an important role in spreading the impact of EE p to a national level, ths increasing the cost-effectiveness of the efforts made by member contries to develop environmental edcation. There is a need to identify the national aims of the training of teachers and to develop plans for the training of teachers which can implemented by the training athorities (UNESCO-UNEP 1988). Throgh EE, stdents can have positive attitdes in the hman life vale and nderstand how to respect the enviromnent. 1.6 Contextal Parameters There is a large amont of evidence relating to yong people's nderstanding or misnderstanding of the science of environmental isses (HK Baptist University; 1995). By representing a mixtre of qalitative and qantitative findings with primary and secondary aged learners, it sally focsed on the science of global environmental isses. Research data from even several contries show that stdents' low levels of factal knowledge relating to environmental isses are copled with poor nderstanding of sch affairs (Roth; 1972). More detailed srveys of stdents' ideas abot specific enviromnental phenomena e.g. (the greenhose effect, waste management or ecological habitats) find there to be considerable misnderstanding of the science of sch isses. There seem to be two

17 particlar areas of confsion in yong people's thinking: confsion between ideas abot different phenomena sch as greenhose effect and ozone depletion, and poor nderstanding of processes sch as melting or recycling (Plant; 1998). Moreover, these confusions are fond to persist,or even increase, throgh time, and relate not only to the natre of stdents' thinking,bt also varios external inflences, sch as school textbooks, the media,as well as the complexity of environmental isses themselves. Prior to those inflencing factors, evidence proposes that enviromnental nderstanding or misnderstanding may vary with stdents' age,gender and geographical location (Rickinson; 2001). From the reslts of my research, it also indicates that misnderstandings exist in the waste program. Most stdents believe that waste can be sed for sea reclamation. Frthermore, some stdents also think that landfill has less polltion than incineration.

18 Chapter 2 Literatre Review 2.1 Backgrond of Environmental Edcation in Hong Kong Environmental edcation is actally new in Hong Kong (Chan; 1989). Since 1973, an EE program has been sed which provides training for teachers to familiarize themselves with the environment. It can also introdce sch new ideas into both primary and secondary edcation levels. Moreover, an emphasis on enviromnental isses and the interrelationship between man and the natral world has been pt into the school syllabs. These topics are dominant mainly in the new syllabs of science bt also combines with economics,geography and biology. However, ecological stdies are also prevalent now (Wong; 1996). On the other hand,hong Kong is mainly concerned abot the contination of a capitalist society and is keen on the need for more economic growth (Conservancy Association; 1995). The perspective of environment, social eqity and intergenerational interest is sbservient to the existing economic system. In view of the economic storm of Soth East Asia in the 90s,the pro-development atmosphere is even stronger. Or government is nder sch pressre to revive the economy and rebild the citizens' confidence. Economic development has become the prior indicator for the government's administrative ability. 10

19 However, or economy grows with the problem of polltion and deterioration of or enviromnent. Many attribte these to the rapidly growing poplation, indstrial and economic development and the shortage of land. Some even arge that the basis of or economic sccess is a case of the deterioration of the environment. Or policy makers seem to lack the long-term commitment,altristic concern and ecological ethics for or environment. Dring the development,priorities are set owing to or needs and desires,withot mch consideration for the needs and well being of the environment. Nevertheless, the sccess to reverse and stop the deterioration of or enviromnent depends very mch on the spport of society. Two ways to establish sch a well-informed,environmentally aware and responsible commnity are throgh pblic campaigns and or formal school edcation. As children spend abot one third of their time at school,formal edcation has an important role in bilding p a "well-informed, environmentally aware and responsible commnity," Research fond that enviromnental attitdes start to formlate early in life and are promoted throgh higher edcation (lozzi; 1984 & Tilbry; 1995). Once formlated,they are not easy to change and are likely to inflence people's behavior towards the enviromnent throghot their life. Edcation shold actally help stdents to learn what they can and shold do to improve the enviromnent and to create a desire to take appropriate behavior. To achieve this goal,enviromnental edcation shold become a focal point of the 1

20 crriclm with the help of effective resorces dring implementation. 2.2 Understanding of Environmental edcation perspective UNEP defined Environmental edcation (EE) as..environmental edcation is fndamentally edcation in problem-solving, bt problem-solving from a philosophical basis of holism, sstainability,enhancement, and stewardship... The goal is not jst to solve a problem with a narrow focs that makes another problem worse... not jst to make a correction and restore the stats qo,bt also to make things better (Meadows; 1989). EE is a process of developing capacities for intelligent action rather than one of transmitting discrete elements of knowledge dissociated from the practical prposes and vales which nderpinned their constrction. Althogh EE was designed in the Formal School Crriclm in different sbjects, the materials were presented from too narrow a viewpoint,inadeqate in depth and breadth,and inappropriate for both the intended adience and the treated content. After all,enviromnental concerns clearly reqire edcational materials that deal with the environment and which draw pon knowledge and nderstanding from all areas of the natral, physical,and social sciences. (Roth, 1972) 12

21 The final report by the Tbilisi Intergovernmental Conference on EE in 1997 setting ot three goals of EE: - T o foster clear awareness of,and concern abot,economic, social,political and ecological interdependence in rban and rral areas. - T o provide every person with opportnities to acqire the knowledge,vales, attitdes,commitment and skills needed to protect and improve the environment, - T o create new patterns of behavior of individals, grops and society as a whole towards the environment, (UNESCO 1977) From the above goals, we might define an environmentally responsible citizen as one who has (i) an awareness and sensitivity to the total enviromnent and its allied problems,(ii) a basic nderstanding of the environment and its allied problems,(iii) feelings of concern for the environment and motivation for actively participating in environmental improvement and protection, (iv) skills for identifying and solving enviromnental problems, and (v) active involvement at all levels in working toward resoltion of environmental problems (Hngerford & Volk;1990). Environmental edcation as a distinct edcational strategy was officially acknowledged by the World Conservation Union for the Conservation of Natre and Natral Resorces (IUCN; 1970),an initiative that identified EE as: the process of recognizing vales and clarifying concepts in order to develop skills and attitdes 13

22 necessary to nderstand and appreciate the interrelatedness among man,his cltre and his biophysical srrondings. EE also entails practice in decision-making and self-formlation of a code of behavior abot isses concerning enviromnental qality (Plant; 1998). 2.3 An effective environmental edcation programme From the workshop was chaired by Dr. Ng Ting Leng in Hong Kong in 1995 discssed "Strategies for the Evalating Enviromnental Edcation Programs" done by the Conservancy Association in 1995, the teaching and learning processes for enviromnental edcation involve skills, knowledge and attitdes and vales in Figre 1. 14

23 Choosing a focs or context (This focs or context cold be local,national or global) Developing Sensitivity Direct,,Experiences throgh visits,video, adiotapes, and personal Enhancing Cognitive Learning -knowledge -nderstanding Providing qality learning experiences Exploring and Experiencing different attitdes and vales -feelings - ideas - consenss -opinions and etc Identifying Decision-makers knowledge of law reforms role responsibility role of media identifying the most effective decision-making Establish Problem Solving Techniqes -research -investigation -monitoring -commnication Figre. 1 (Conservancy Association; 1995) Action 1 i 5

24 From Figre 1,firstly in the skill aspect, teachers can help stdents to think critically abot and act for the environment by developing the types of skills that are sed in the following activities. After all,stdents will (i) se all their senses to explore a variety of enviromnent; (ii) observe and record information, ideas and feelings abot environments; (iii) develop divergent thinking skills; (iv) develop the political skills essential for active citizenship and etc. Secondly, from the knowledge domain, teachers will provide opportnities for ppils to learn abot the environment by introdcing sch concepts as (i) natral systems are complex, self-reglated and inter-connected; (ii) social systems have political, economic,cltral and religios aspects that are cormected with one another and with natral systems; (iii) citizenship reqires that all people be responsible for their own actions and work together in their local, national and global commnities to make the world a harmonios place etc. Finally, prior to attitdes and vales domain,teachers may help stdents to develop and environmental ethic based on the vales of social jstice and ecological sstainability by encoraging them to develop (i) a respect for natre; (ii) an enthsiasm for inqiry abot hman interaction with the environment; (iii) a concern for the enviromnent and a preparedness to actively care for it etc. 16

25 Of corse,teaching is a vale-oriented exercise. All the activities in schools will engage the stdents to express their ideas,opinions and discssion on the enviromnental isses. We need to establish and teach 汪 new world ethic to gide development so that it does not take place at the expense of other grops and speci or of later generations. The new set of vales wold stress the rights of both hm and non-hman natre and wold represent a break with the anthropocentric or hman-dominated vales, which form the basis of ethics and politics in modem societies. On the other hand,the sccess of EE in a school depends very mch on the degree of spport and promotion from the school management, especially the principal of the school. As the school principal can play a key role in (a) motivating teachers and stdents to participate in the school-based EE programme; (b) providing spport in the form of physical, hman and financial resorces for the implementation of EE; (c) monitoring and evalating the implementation of the school's EE programme to ensre that it is consistent with the established environmental policy of the school (CDC; 1999). 2.4 Perspective of Environmental edcation Hong Kong The crriclm problem may be partly lays in teachers' redctionism views of the

26 sbject matter as knowledge elements, which are detached from the prposes and vale jdgments that shape hman experience of the environment. When works draws on the ppils' own experiences and they can formlate their qestions, then interest and ideas grow with the joint learning of the participa (CDC; 1999). EE reqires high level of competences of both teachers and administrators becase of the necessity of sing more flexible approaches,developing grop work, interdisciplinary as well as mastering information and the proper se of technologies for its retrieval. It is now not enogh for the teachers who are jst participating in the network meetings and listen to information, which has certain,extend of inflence. The teachers involved are from now on expected to make classroom observations, accept colleages and themselves as visitors in the classrooms,and share willing to share the collected data with others. There are some schools in which enviromnental edcation is brilliantly taght bt some schools in which environmental isses are taght in a traditional way and as dll a fashion as any other sbject (Lee; 1997). Otherwise, there are many classrooms in which environmental isses are never 汪 serios topic at all. There is an neven and sporadic qality to environmental edcation in all contries. In general, the mo 18

27 sccessfl reslts have been obtained mainly by spporting organizations with policies encorage and sstain networks of schools, EE can ndobtedly be carried ot with fewer 'tools' than many of the traditional sbjects reqired. In fact, there are persons who feel that textbook is inimical to environmental edcation. EE,with its focs on inqiry and other activities,wold appear as a boon to those schools for the target grop and spply of adeqate materials has been a chronic problem. Ideally,school wold have a material resorce center, a library and a film room,which wold contain sefl information for the stdents. The new materials sch as ETV prodced shold be prodced that can draw sbstantially on a sond conceptal base derived from the disciplines; target toward an intended adience and be prodced in a stimlating and interesting format. From the research done by the Hong Kong Baptist University in 1995,it fond that television news viewership had a positive correlation with stdents 5 environmental knowledge (HK Baptist University; 1995). On the other hand, Chinese newspaper readership had a positive bt weak correlation (Chan; 1995). However, stdents' enviromnental knowledge is greatly shaped and limited by the 19

28 reporting of environmental news in Hong Kong. They are least knowledgeable in identification of cases and effects of polltion. Maybe environmental news is seldom covered in detail by exploring the complicated network of cases and conseqences. This stdy points ot the effectiveness of sing television to bri ot a message (Chan; 1995). 2.5 Views of srvey done on Environmental edcation According to the srvey findings of La (1998) in 1998,school does not play an important role in disseminating environmental information. Abot 50% of ppils said that they do not achieve environmental information from lectres. Even thogh geography and biology cover some environmental topics sch as polltion and deforestation, those topics may not be strongly emphasized in lessons. For instance, environmental isses sch as polltion and energy resorces occpy only a small part of the Certificate Geography syllabs (La; 1998), The qestions concerning environmental isses receive only a small part of total marks in the pblic examinations and teachers may go throgh these environmental topics so fast in order to complete the tight syllabs schedles. Hence,stdents may regard these topics as less important parts in the pblic examinations. They will not gain mch information abot environmental problems. From Chan (1989),the findings from her research showed that there were three 20

29 barriers to develop an EE in secondary school had three reasons. Firstly,an examination barrier (i.e. the pressre of pblic examination) was the strongest barrier perceived by the teachers. Secondly,a conceptal barrier was perceived, as teachers believe that some sbjects contribte more to EE than other sbjects. Thirdly, logistical barriers, which involve the lack of time to develop an EE crriclm. After all,the writer sggests solving the above problems by changing the examination format and ptting EE elements in the official syllabs will increase the importance of EE among both teachers and stdents. Frthermore, in-service training workshops of EE shold be promoted to teachers. The reslt of my research proved that ETV is effective in implementing EE. However, there is still a lack of teaching resorces and materials for EE. Hence,we shold design more EE programs with local isses and cases incorporated in the present sbjects which enable stdents to nderstand the problems easier and make them feel confident to discss and sggest methods for improvement. The final report of a srvey by Wong (2000) fond that the five major sefl environmental edcation materials with a high ranking that most secondary school teachers preferred to se were (1) teaching packages,(2) adio-visal materials,(3) CD-ROMs/compact Discs/VCDs,(4) web-based information,and (5) worksheets. It revealed that those teachers prefer to se information technology to acqire 2i A

30 environmental edcation information. The reslt of another srvey done by Chan (1997) showed that the sage of teaching kits was not freqent. Most schools think that the teaching kits were inadeqate increase environmental knowledge and awareness. Besides, over 80% of schools of all levels preferred sing videos, teacher's gides and worksheets as a format of n teaching kits. The srvey indicated that the existing enviromnental teaching kits w not flly available in schools. Dring the process of data collection, some teach reqested to obtain copies for specific environmental edcation programs for teachin prposes and some teachers spelt ot their previos difficlties in getting som teaching kits. Hence, it is recommended that the Environmental Protection Department shold help the schools to increase the availability of these teaching k in Hong Kong. Global concerns tend to be media driven, mostly by prolonged coverage and the linkage of problems to day-to-day behavior. The impressive media reporting has contribted a non-formal edcative experience reslting in greater sophisticatio abot environmental isses within the general pblic. Needless to say,the mass media can play a significant role in explaining and making policy legitimate to those members of the pblic otside the participation process. 22

31 Frthermore, most of the srveyed schools proved that the existing teaching kits wer not enogh to increase environmental knowledge and awareness. It shold prodce more new teaching kits. Appropriate content, pdated information, appealing to stdents and inclsion of teachers' gides were considered to be the tmost importan criteria for prodcing teaching kits. Nevertheless, good illstrations, qa prodction and right timing for the class were considered to be the important facto as well. After all,it hopes that those findings may serve as important gidelines for the interested grops to design new teaching kits for EE. 2.6 Resorces provided for teacher's se The spply of varios materials associated with enviromnental edcation being offered to schools by varios bodies, notably those involved in green grops and even the private sector,is rising apace with the increase in social awareness of environmental edcation problems. This is connected to the fact that edcation has opened p more to society,which is now participating more and more in problems of and achievement of the edcational system's priorities. Hence,it is tre with regard to the so-called 'transversal 5 themes of EE, health edcation, etc. (Eropean commission; 1997) The sorce of enviromnental edcation material in Hong Kong is mainly contribted 23

32 from the Agricltre & Fisheries Department,Conservancy Association,Edcation Department, Enviromnental Protection Department, Friends of the Earth,Green Power, Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden Corporation, Ocean Park Corporation, Regional Services Department, Urban Services Department and World Wide Fnd For Natre Hong Kong (HKEEG; 1999). The major green grops provide a range of informing and awareness raising opportnities pblicized throgh commnity events, newsletters and commentary that appears in the mass media. The grops also extend their contribtion by consltation and extended involvement activities with the major decision-making agencies (Hills & Chan; 1997). Most teachers appreciate sing materials sch as EE materials and organized environmental edcation activities, which are provided by the above organizations (HKEEG; 1999). However, many teachers are passive recipients of materials or activities provided by those organizations. Hence,efforts shold be made to bild p a partnership between teachers and organizations concerned, to develop school-based activities catering to the needs of stdents from different types of schools. Teachers shold be aware of the enviromnental isses confronting Hong Kong and the whole world. Needless to say,sch positive environmental traits in teachers are 24

33 significantly important to achieve its goal in nrtring stdents to becom environmental protection citizens. Recent reviews by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD; 19993) claimed that EE has permeated into the school crriclm. A nmber of sbjects at the primary and secondary school levels have incorporated varios elements of EE. Frthermore, there is an increase in the proportion of environmental related corses programs at tertiary instittions. Hence,teachers shold be spported and provided with new resorce materials, seminars and workshops related to the crriclm. Resorces centers are open to help teachers to condct EE more effectively and edcate the stdents to develop a sense of responsibility towards the environment, (CDC: 1993) 2.7 Teachers Training on Environmental edcation The essential needs of the formal edcation system for flfilling its expected role in environmental edcation are basically the same as those reqired for the proper delivery of any edcational program. Teachers are absoltely crcial to the environmental edcation enterprise,especially as they are expected to be the models of the vales they try to encorage in their stdents (Filho; 1996), 25

34 Edcating teachers is an important part of every EE program. An in-service workshop and coaching shold be held prior to or concrrently with the commencement of the program. When it comes to the training corses' content, there is a need to spplement the focs on concepts with more emphasis on practice. In some cases it wold be interesting to design corses comprising different phases as to allow the integration of theory and practice. It wold be worthwhile having corses clminate in projects that cold be assessed and adapted to each teacher's actal teaching condition. While we enter the third millennim,or Earth is experiencing dramatic changes in both social and physical environments. Hence,teachers and edcators mst make ongoing,flexible adjstments to the vicissitdes of this changing world. EE is closely connected to the plse of global change and ses predominantly constrctivist methods with an experiential orientation. Then,effective environmental edcators nderstand stdent and other environmental dynamics and consistently alter their teaching efforts to sch changing dynamics (Theodore; 2001). Teaching training connotes and exemplifies the teacher-proof approach in which the teacher is not treated as a professional, bt as someone who will administer a canned program that the program developer invented. The teacher is a mechanism of 26

35 delivery rather than an active sbject within the teaching profession. Professio development implies that,with resorces and information,a teacher can make creative, niqe, relevant, and contextalized se of ideas and approaches. It is mch more difficlt for teachers to restrctre their teaching methods and internalize and adapt information into new ways to work with stdents, bt these changes are sstainable in the long ran. Chapter 3 Methodology 3.1 Introdction All kinds of polltion,the damaging effect on or environment, or qality of life,has become the major concern of people everywhere not least those of s who live and work in Hong Kong (The Conservancy Association; 1995). We are now confronted with the destrctive symptoms of polltion sch as dangeros and npleasant sbstances that we inhale and the pollted water that we drink. We are also assailed by sond polltion sch as excessive noise. We also face the problems of disposing waste made by orselves. Nevertheless,no grop within or commnity is more important to the sccess of the awareness campaign than the teachers in Hong Kong's classrooms (Wong;2000). We hope that this total package will arose the interest and inspire teachers in the task of 27

36 encoraging or yong people to protect or environment so as to improve or health and save or ftre. 3.2 Owing to components of environmental edcation mentioned in CDC, the research condcted basically belongs to edcation abot the enviromnent." It is concerned with developing knowledge and nderstanding abot hman/enviromnent interactions (Table V). This informative approach is pt into the science and geography crricla, where the environment becomes a topic and theme of stdy. From this stdy, most of the ppils will primarily develop ecological or environmental nderstanding, althogh at times environmental concern may also be the reslt (Tilbry ; 1993), Positivist inqiry of sch research is essentially concerned with describin qantifying and testing policy or even practice abot EE. It also attempts to bil knowledge base on environmental edcation as an area of learning. The stdies are primarily closed, hypothesis-led investigations,which focs narrowly on a theme (or topic area). Althogh this research is sally related to gaining knowledge and nderstanding of EE processes, the inqiry process itself may sometimes stimlate the awareness and shows the concern abot the environmental condition as well as the role of edcation in addressing sch problems (Tilbry; 1995). 28

37 3.3 Government Approach in Environmental edcation In Jne 1989, the Government tried to start a ten-year plan to make Hong Kong become a better place to live and work; a better place to beqeath to scceeding generations and pblished a White Paper on polltion. In the chapter for EE,it states that edcation is an important means to achieve a better enviromnent: "...an environmentally aware and well infomied pblic can contribte to achieving a better enviromnent by the pressre it brings to bear on the administration, District Boards and the legislatre" (Section 8.2) "An environmentally aware commnity is also more able to appreciate the contribtion that it can itself make to protecting or improving the environment (Section 8.3) The White Paper makes proposals for cleaning p or rivers and seas,or air and or beaches,and for ridding s of excessive noise and the problems of waste disposal It also concldes that enviroimental information and edcation is essential to the commnity's nderstanding of the scale and natre of or polltion problems and to its active spport for the job needing to be done. (Hong Kong Government, 1989) Since the pblication of the Gidelines on Environmental edcation in Schools in 1992, schools have started to give more concern to increase environmental edcation. 29

38 Ppils have more chance to learn abot EE throgh varios elements incorporated in a greater nmber of sbject syllabses. With the help of different government departments and non-govermnent organizations, a variety of school activities sch as field trip, campaign and seminar have been promoted to schools in order to raise stdents' concern and awareness of environmental isses (Hong Kong Baptist University; 1995). Stdents can participate actively in protecting or environment some conditions; they can also raise the enviroimental awareness of others as well. It was to help meeting the objective that the Government had earlier commissioned an Environmental Edcation and Information Package,the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Clb generosly fnded its prodction and the Government's polltion watchdog, the Environment Protection Department, was charged with the responsibility for spervising content in 1996 (Wong; 1996). The Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC) was established by the Govermnent in 1990 to organize environmental events and activities aimed at the promotion of pblic awareness of environmental isses. The Committee has organized a nmber of territory-wide environmental awareness campaigns and the pblication of a monthly blletiitecco,,on enviromnental isses and activities carried ot by green grops and commnity grops. 30

39 3.4 Mass media to implement Environmental edcation The mass media have portrayed environmental isses in different ways since the early fifties (Henry; 1958). It is defined that those instrments of commnication ca transmit the messages to large nmbers of people who are often physically separated. The mass media also incldes television,radio,newspaper;, books and recordings. Children spend more time with the mass media than with any other volntary edcational agency,and these experiences with mass media can affect their stock of information,attitdes, play patterns, speech or even their choice of occpation. It has the inflence to change information, skills,attitdes,condct, and behavior. Those effects may be both good or harmfl depending on how they are selected. From the crrently available evidence (Rickinson; 2001),there are indications that yong people's environmental information comes from a nmber of sorces, the two most important of which are television and school. There is strong evidence across a nmber of stdies that television is the major sorce of yong people's environmental information. In the srvey of yong people in the US,for example, from the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) sch as Roper Starch Worldwide (1994:105) reported that television was in first priority in the list of 14 possible sorces of information abot enviromnental problems and isses. More than seven in ten stdents from disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged areas reported that they learned 31

40 abot the environment fromtv news and TV natre programs. These findings are also similar to a nmber of recent stdies in different contri The srvey, carried ot with 428 Year 11 (15-16 years) ppils in the UK, fond television to be the single most important sorce of information abot the environment" (Morris with Schagen; 1996),while other stdies in Erope (Filho; 1996),Hong Kong (Chan; 1996), Astralia (Conndl et al; 1998),the US/UK (Palmer; 1995),and the UK (Bonnett & Williams; 1998) have all identified the far greater importance of television relative to newspaper, magazines and radio. As it seems clear that television is an important sorce of environmental infonnation for yong people, a recent Astralian stdy sggests that this does not mean that it is seen as the most reliable sorce. Comiell et al. (1998) fond that school and NGOs were regarded as the most reliable, with the media being rated only of moderate reliability. In the classroom,teachers can help their stdents to develop discriminating tastes in reading, listening,and viewing of the program (Henry; 1958). It shold be pointed ot that the media in general, especially television,might be sed for classroom teaching prposes. Its tilization can help to develop a critical spirit in 32

41 yong people, who are too often the nwitting victims of the media's hge power, A classroom enviromnent is not only condcive to effective learning bt also th highly edcated, and therefore project program shold be adapt to alternative strategies condcive to effective learning. They can tilize non-formal and inform methods of edcation commensrate with the beneficiary grop in order to condct EE with the whole mltitde of techniqes that can be sed in mass media inclding television (Filho; 1996). Many edcators and mass media specialists believe that film and television can have the greatest potential for activating enviromnental change (Gellhom; 1991), However, an in-depth stdy wold more accrately determine if animated featres and/or movies are more sited to transferring information to different age grops. Stdies have shown that people se textbooks as their primary sorce of scientifi knowledge; many science texts become dated extremely qickly. People may need to se TV,movies,and poplar news magazines more freqently as primary sorces of infonnation, althogh the objective of the mass media is to inform,not edcate (Siegfried; 1992). 33

42 3.5 Lesson selection As the program is not inclded in the syllabs, it will be condcted after school. for series of films on polltion in Cantonese spported by Hong Kong Jockey Clb are selected as below (Environmental Explorer; 1999): 1) The way we live It is an overall perspective on polltion problems faced locally and globally. 2) All Washed Up It mentions that water polltion is serios and how Hong Kong makes remedies. 3) Coming Up For Air It talks abot air polltion and what we are doing abot it. 4) A Terrible Waste It gives the problem of handling and disposing of the waste we create. The overall objective of those topics designed is to encorage the stdents to hav caring attitdes towards the enviromnent. The emphasis will focs on stdents who will take part into and learn abot or environment. The qestionnaires will b divided into two sections. One is a closed end and the other is an open-end qestio We want to ask stdents to contribte ideas, which can promote "environmental awareness" in the school and neighborhood. 34

43 3.6 Research Method Research objective It attempts to investigate the se of the enviromnental teaching kit and to obta feedback from stdents. The objective of the stdy is actally to investigate t accessibility,the sage and perceived seflness of the teaching kits in implementing EE. In this stdy, both qantitative and qalitative methodologies are sed to explore the effectiveness of ETV programs for stdents to be concerned abot environmental isses Qantitative methodologies By analyzing the stdent's score in test before and after watching the ETV programmes. In order to investigate the effectiveness of the ETV program in improving the stdents' knowledge of environmental isses, I asked each stdent to answer the qestionnaire before the program and then fill in the same qestionnaire after attending the programme. The maximm score on the qestionnaire was 30. The reslts obtained for 汪 sample of 84 participants, who attended the programme after school as given in Table II. Qantitative approaches, which were perceived by these researchers as the only trly scientific and therefore valid form of investigation, dictate the line of developmen 35

44 this area of learning. Despite the holistic natre and interdisciplinary approac environmental edcation, an nderstanding of environmental edcation practices is primarily evolved from correlation and experimental research dring the 1980s. Research has shown that media of all types constitte a powerfl means of developing positive environmental attitdes and vales. It has long been recognized that th more senses a stdent can se,the better they leam. Media which depend on both visal and aditory stimli,sch as television, are particlarly sefl (lozzi; 1989) Qalitative methodologies Qalitative methods in this srvey sch as observations and docment analysis are sed to collect relevant data for analysis. The findings reveal that activity of environmental edcation programme was organized inside the school. The method to measre growth in stdent learning is to examine feelings and insights. Intixition is the sense of something not really evident. Bt it does have its place and it can be fritflly examined. In fact,objectives can be developed to measre intition. For instance,stdents will describe in writing their feelings abot the program. If most stdents said that they felt that a particlar program was valable, this data might be meaningfl. 36

45 3.6.4 Participant selection I selected a sample by random of three classes with total nmber of 84 stdents from Form One stdents. I prefer to select this Form, as they do not have mch prior knowledge to affect the accracy of the programme Instrmental Development Pencil and paper tests are especially sefl in measring interests, opinions, a attitdes (lozzi; 1989a). With the right qestions, we can provide participants w opportnities to give honest,meaningfl inpt to the program. Qestionnaires of the objective type have a direct relevance to the objective of the programme. I developed two instrments to determine the effectiveness. First, I constrcted a short-answer pretest instrment to determine stdent knowledge of environmental isses and also test their memory after watching the ETV. Another one is the qalitative instrment with the open-ended qestions to explore stdents sggestions in enviromnental problems. 37