Survey on Environmental Awareness among Environmental Specialists and Secondary School Science Teachers in Malaysia

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1 Survey on Environmental Awareness among Environmental Specialists and Secondary School Science Teachers in Malaysia Zarrintaj Aminrad 1, Sharifah Zarina binti Seyed Zakaria 2, Abdul Samad Hadi 3 and Mahyar Sakari 2 1,2,3 National University of Malaysia 2 Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia ABSTRACT This paper aims is to investigate the level of environmental awareness in the concept of sustainable development among secondary school teachers and environmental specialists as club teachers. The survey was conducted on 35 science teachers and 20 club teachers of Form Four in the district of Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia. Dependent variable was included environmental awareness components while independent variables have been included demographic variables. A questionnaire was used as research instrument. Methods of analysing data were descriptive and T test where SPSS software (Ver. 19) was employed. Research outcomes showed that secondary school science teachers and environmental specialists had moderate level of environmental awareness. In detail, specialists were shown an insignificant higher level of awareness than science teachers. In general, females were shown a higher level of environmental awareness than male group. This difference was only significant where environmental specialists were surveyed. Keywords: Awareness, Science Teachers, Environmental Specialists and Environmental Education. 1. INTRODUCTION In the end of the 20th century, the environmental concerns grew much greater, not only among the developed countries, but also in some developing and underdeveloped nations. The common reason was that the consequences of environmental damages to some vital resources became so apparent and horrifying that governments became worried and mass media found of great value for their headlines; this is due to the public concern (Karimi, 2003). Clear cutting of forests for agriculture and other forms of development, depletion of the ozone layer, degradation of fish stocks, erosion of the

2 top soil, pollution of water resources, accelerated rate of extinction of species, destruction of varieties of ecosystems and global warming are few examples of environmental issues as a result of the Industrial Revolution followed by exponential development of science and technology which are considered as the main causes for ever growing environmental degradation. Major consequences of industrial revolution included development of powerful tools and technologies for overcoming the negative characteristics and limiting forces of nature, and changes in lifestyles that result in increased demand for resources, and utilization of natural resources (Karimi, 2003). Beside of destructive trend on environment during and after the industrial revolution, sluggish grew on the environmental awareness and initiatives revealed bitter consequences of the environment. The most helpful initiative, activities and movements resulted in international, regional and local agreements addressing specific issues are the increase of environmental awareness. International Environmental Events and Multilateral Environmental Agreements are few of the many improvements that emphasize the importance of the role of environmental education in safeguarding different components of the environment. Also there is different ways such as environmental education and introducing environmental issues to public for protection of the environment Khorshid Dost, (2003). Most of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) recognize absence of environmental awareness and proper environmental education as the main cause of major environmental problems and issues. This emphasizes provision of Public Environmental Awareness and Environmental Education for all age levels of human communities/societies. Facilitation of public participation in decision making, planning, implementation and monitoring environmental plans and projects are also strongly recommended by most of these agreements. Education for environment might do well if it purposely directed towards school students. Understanding related to education started on (1986) which emphasized that there is a paramount need to create a consciousness of the environment. It must permit all ages of sections of the society, beginning with child (Chethana, 2003). Environmental education has developed as reasonable way to answer the problems and concerns of environment. The concept of environmental education is still developing and waiting to find a right place in the educational systems. For understand of the terrible consequences there is a need to proper perspective related to subjects. Environmental education included two words: environment and education. Environmental education is the process of recognizing values and the clarifying concepts in order to develop the skill and attitudes necessary to understand and appreciate the interrelatedness among man, his culture and his biophysical surroundings (Council of Europe, 1976). For achieve to successful future in education system and having a favourable outcome related to environmental education is the classroom teacher. If teachers do not have awareness, knowledge, skill and commitment to environment in their curriculum, the consequences will be an environmentally literate student will be produced. Therefore, the teacher should be train regarding to environment before the students. There is a need for a new personal and separated behaviour based on global ethics, which can be understood only through the teaching and training of educational professionals. Hence, there is a need for keen on teachers and teacher educators (Shobeiri, 2005). Additionally, research in this area referred that although environmental education is taken up as a subject in the curriculum but for implementation of the study on environmental education, the subject faces with certain limitation. The teacher should be have enough information of the environmental education aspects by follow this way, then he or she can make the future generation aware of the environmental problems and their solutions. Taking into consideration this situation, the investigators felt a need to conduct a study to know about the environmental awareness of secondary school teachers in relation to environmental subjects. So, in this paper investigated the awareness of teachers and environmental specialists as a promoter of environmental subjects in class and also the effect of gender as a demographic variable in Malaysian secondary school in form four.

3 2. MATERIAL AND METHOD 2.1 Participants The study has focused on the teachers and environmental specialists of 9 secondary schools at the age of 16 who attend Form Four classes in Kajang Town, Selangor, Malaysia. 2.2 Sampling The total number of 9 (out of 14) schools were chosen in Kajang Town, Selangor, Malaysia. There were 27 environmental specialists as club teacher and 70 science teachers. For survey of their awareness the researcher used a validated questionnaire. Out of 37 environmental specialists 22 of them has been answered to questionnaire and out of 70 questionnaires which distributed among teachers 37 was returned. The respondent s return rate was calculated for environmental specialists were 81.48% and for teachers were 42.85% percent. 2.3 Instrument The research was carried out using a questionnaire as data collection instrument. It was included 20 closed ended questions covering various aspects of the current environmental issues at global and local levels. It is believed that closed ended questions probably limit the responses to the topics (Fraenkel and Wallen, 1996). The instrument has fulfilled local authority concerns over the environmental problems. The questionnaire consists of 3 sections including influence, perception and concern. The first 5 questions of awareness measured the influence, scored by 1=Never, 2=Seldom, 3=Often and 4=Very often. The questions from 6 to 14 of awareness that measured perception were scored 1=Much Worse, 2=Worse, 3=Better and 4=Much better. The last 6 questions of awareness evaluating concern of environmental issues (questions 15 20) scored 1=Not concerned at all, 2=Somewhat Concerned, 3=Concerned and 4=Very concerned. 2.4 Statistical Analysis The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 19.0) was used as computer software to analyse the collected data. The levels of awareness were described by using descriptive statistical approach. A categorical composite score conducted to understand the level of awareness among participants. The analysis of T-test was employed to measure the mean scores among groups to present participants differences on environmental topics in a significant differences (P<0.05). 3. RESULT 3.1 Teachers level of Awareness Based on composite scores that computed from individual scores averages that shows most of the teachers 91.9 % (n=34) had scores indicating a moderate level of awareness and 5.4% (n=2) had answered to the high level. Only 2.7% (n=1) was in low level which is showed in table 3.1 totally, mean of awareness score of the respondents was 2.53 (± SD ). Table 3.1 Frequency of Response among Teachers for each Category of Awareness Awareness Category Low Moderate High N % N % N % Number of Respondents

4 Table 3.2 Descriptive Statistic for Teacher s Awareness N Mean Std. Deviation Awareness Environmental Specialist s level of Awareness For given of the level of environmental awareness among environmental specialists, based on composite scores that computed from individual scores averages that shows most of the respondents 95% (n=20) had scores indicating a moderate level of awareness and none of them had answered to the high and low level See Table 3.3. Overall, mean of awareness score of the respondents was 2.67 (± SD 0.209). Refer to Table 3.4 Table3.3 Frequency of Response among Environmental Specialists for each Category of Awareness Awareness Category Low Moderate High N % N % N % Number of Respondents Table 3.4 Descriptive Statistic for Environmental Specialist s Awareness N Mean Std. Deviation Awareness Differences the Environmental Awareness among Teachers and Environmental Specialists The data were collected from the environmental specialists and secondary school teachers groups because both groups represented the population of environmental specialists in Kajang. The mean (with standard deviations in parenthesis) for the environmental specialists awareness was ( The teachers group returned 37 surveys out of 55 surveys issued. The mean (and standard

5 deviations) of awareness was ( ). Based on result the environmental specialist scored higher awareness when compared with teacher s awareness. Table 3.5 summarizes the descriptive statistics for these groups. Table 3.5 Descriptive Statistics for Environmental Awareness in Environmental Specialists and Secondary School teachers Group N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean Awareness Specialist Teacher An independent-sample t-test was performed to evaluate differences in the levels of awareness for the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the means of scores for awareness [t=0.150, df= 54, p>.05] see table 3.6. The statistical t- test in this survey between the environmental specialists and teachers shows the mean of awareness for environmental specialists (M=2.64, ±SD ) was slightly higher when compared to the mean of teachers (M=2.53, ±SD ). The result showed that there was no significance difference between awareness regarding to environmental issues. Therefore, fail to reject Ho and conclude no significant difference on environmental awareness between the two groups. This is indicated that Teachers and environmental specialists respondents have similar awareness, knowledge and attitude about environmental issues. Table 3.6 Independent Samples t test for AKA between Environmental Specialist and Secondary teachers df p value (2 tailed) Mean Difference Std. Error Difference Awareness Environmental Awareness among Sex Group 3.3.1Gender among Environmental Specialists An independent sample t-test was conducted to evaluate whether there was difference between genders groups (male and female respondent) of the awareness level. The statistical t- test in this survey between the female and male groups shows the mean for female is slightly more than male, 2.75 and with ±SD and respectively, which accept to H1 and conclude was significant difference in awareness between the two groups [t= (17),

6 p=0.004]. This is indicated that male and female respondents did not have similar awareness about environmental subjects. Table 3.7 T-test for Comparing Awareness between Gender groups Gender N Mean Std. Deviation t df p Awareness female male Gender among Teachers An independent sample t-test was conducted to evaluate whether there are any difference between genders groups (male and female respondent) of the awareness level. The statistical t- test in this survey between the female and male groups shows the mean for female is slightly more than male, and with ±SD and for male with ±SD respectively, which fail to reject Ho and conclude no significant difference in awareness between the two groups [t= (35), p= 0.722]. This is indicated that male and female respondents have similar awareness about environmental subjects. Table 3.8 T-test for Comparing Awareness between Gender groups Gender N Mean Std. Deviation t df p Awareness female male DISCUSSION 4.1 Teachers Awareness The total mean of environmental awareness score of teachers in this study showed that 2.53 out of maximum score of 4. Overall, results demonstrated that the majority of teachers in this study had a moderate level of environmental awareness. This finding is consistent with results from Loon (2004) in a study conducted for university students. However, results are in contrast with reports by Hsu and Roth, (1996) in Dominican Republic where environmental awareness surveyed. Although, teachers had showed a good level of environmental awareness in their result but some study stated that the poor level of awareness or less information related to environment might be lack of environmental subjects in the curriculums (Yaghoobi, 2003). The moderate levels of environmental awareness which is acceptable and almost it is good level. These subjects are probably related to media s activities and private readings (Geok, 1998). Environmental Awareness is defined as responsibility and concerns towards the environment. Hausbeck, Milbrath and Enright (1992)

7 studied awareness along with environmental knowledge in high school students. Their study concluded that the scores for awareness were higher than the scores for knowledge. They linked that their awareness is due to relatively easy access to information by electronic media. 4.2 Environmental Specialists Awareness The overall mean of environmental awareness score of environmental specialists in this study showed that 2.67 out of maximum score of 4. Overall, results demonstrated that the majority of environmental specialists in this study had a high level of environmental awareness. These findings were confirmed so far (Loon, 2004). As mentioned, the level of awareness in this study was high. Respondents showed consensus with agreement degree in environmental awareness questions. On the other hand, the respondents were more favourable when the environmental concerns more specifically related to their lives. The reason for the above subject (high awareness) may be activities and attention to newspaper, television, radio and magazine coverage of environmental issues in Malaysia and also attention to these subjects by government and non government organizations. These subjects are confirmed by some other research carried out by Geok (1998), Perkes (1973), Huang et al (2006), Bogan et al (1996).They believed that environmental NGO s would have a bigger role to play in the building of environmental consciousness in the population and in protecting the environment also they believed that media can be increased significantly the public awareness and attitude of the environment. 4.3 Environmental Awareness among group of study Regarding gender, the present study revealed no significant difference between both groups included teachers and environmental specialists on environmental awareness. The result revealed that the mean score of environmental specialists slightly was higher that teachers. Awareness, given as concern and responsively towards the environment, has indicates for the way in which people achieve the information, perceived it, and stated concern. 4.4 Environmental Awareness among Sex groups Regarding gender, the present study revealed there was significant difference between both genders on environmental awareness, among environmental specialist, which confirmed with conclusions found by three previous studies. The conclusions in these studies were: that women have stronger environmental awareness and attitudes than men (Zelezny, Chua and Aldrich, 2000), women are more likely than men to state that current laws and regulations do not go far enough towards the protection of the natural environment (NEETF, 1998), and that women expressed greater concerns for the biosphere (Stern and Dietz, 1994) while the result showed that, there was no statistically significant difference between both gender on environmental awareness among teachers. Having no significant difference between males and females due to the results of the mentioned researches proves that the level of learning and interest in environmental issues has no relation with gender. Therefore different genders can have identical reactions. 5. CONCLUSION In conclusion, with increasing teachers and club teacher s environmental awareness will increase the student s environmental views. Some of finding in present study including good indication level of environmental awareness among teachers maybe from their college or media and private interesting to environmental issues. Media should therefore be used more intensively to facilitate the transmission of environmental information and promote more positive environmental attitudes.

8 Lim (1995) provides a good description of roles played by the media in disseminating environmental news in Singapore. The women are more interests to the environmental subjects and they have more attention to their environment, this maybe cause of their more participants to the NGO s. Acknowledgement The authors acknowledge Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia for funding (UKM GGPM PLW ) the project. The research is implemented at the Institute of Environment and Development (LESTARI), National University of Malaysia (UKM). We appreciate Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) and its state office of Selangor at Shah Alam for their kind collaboration, facilitating through Kajang district office and respective schools. Reference: Bogan, M.D. and Kromrey, J.D. (1996). Measuring the Environmental Literacy of High School Student. Florida Journal of Educational Research 36:1 Chethana, S., (2003). Effect of background variables on the environmental attitude of 9th. standard students. M. A. Dissertation, Department of Studies and Research Education, Karnataka State Open University, Mysore Fraenkel, J.R.,Wallen, N.E., How to design and evaluate research in education. New York: McGraw-Hill. Geok, T.C., Kim, C.E. and Chuan, G.K. (1998). A survey of environmental knowledge, attitudes and behavior of students in Singapore. International research in Geographical and Environmental Education 7: Hausbeck, K., Milbrath, L. and Enright, S. (1992). Environmental knowledge, awareness and concern among 11th grade students: New York State. Journal of Environmental Education 24: Hsu, J. and Roth, R.E. (1996). An assessment of environmental knowledge and attitude held by community leaders in the Hualien area of Taiwan. Journal of environmental education 28: Karimi, D. Determination of Public Education on Environment Concept, Proceeding of the National Gathering on Environmental Education in Iran, Tehran, Iran, Dec. 4-7, Department of Environment Publications, Khorshid dost, M. (2003). Iran: Environmental Education in 21 st Century. Tehran: Samt Press. Loon, Y.W. (2004). Measuring Environmental Literacy among Faculty science s students, Master of Environment thesis, Faculty of Environmental of science, University Putra Malaysia.

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