Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 9, Issue 1, Article 9 (June, 2008) Nilgün YENICE, A. Seda SARACALOĞLU and Ö. Cem KARACAOĞLU The views of the classroom teacher candidates related to the environmental science course and the environmental sensibility Previous Contents Next

The findings and comments for the research

Findings related to first subproblem

The results of the unrelated t-test done to investigate the difference between the environmental sensibilities of the students in accordance with gender have been given in Table 2.

Table 2. Environmental Sensibility Scores of the Students in Accordance with Gender

Gender	N		S	Sd	T	p
Female	54	36.43	3.09	98	0.24	0.81
Male	46	36.59	3.58

As can seen from Table 2, there is not a statistically meaningful difference on the environmental sensibilities of the students vis-à-vis their genders [t(98)=0.24, p>0.05]. The arithmetic average of the females (x=36.43) is very close to the arithmetic average of the males (x=36.59). Thus, it can be said that females and males have similar approaches related to their environmental sensibilities. This finding is controversial with the data gathered from the studies of other researchers (MacDonald & Hara, 1994; Şama, 2003; Çabuk & Karacaoğlu, 2004; Özmen et al., 2005; Çelen et al., 2005; Ekici, 2005; Tuncer et al, 2005; Erol & Gezer, 2006). This may be due to the differences in the sample groups, or/and varied instruments.

Generally, many studies (Şama, 2003; Çabuk & Karacaoğlu, 2004; Özmen et al., 2005; Çelen et al., 2005; Ekici, 2005) pinpoint that girls are more sensitive to environment and have more positive environmental attitudes. On the contrary, in MacDonald & Hara’s (1994) research findings, environmental concern was found in the favour of males.

It is pleasing that the finding in this study -although contoversial to other studies- indicates that boys are as sensitive as girls about the environment, which is gladsome for the male teacher candidates.

The outcomes of the unrelated t-test carried out to examine the disparity between the environmental sensibilities of the students according to age have been illustrated in Table 3.

Table 3. Environmental Sensibility Scores of the Students According to Age

Age	N		S	Sd	T	p
20 and under	63	36.52	3.30	98	0.09	0.9
21 and above	37	36.46	3.35

Table 3 demonstrates that there does not exist a statistically significant difference on the environmental sensibilities of the students according to the age groups [t(98)=0.09, p>0.05]. This manifests that the university students whose ages are between 18 and 22 have similar attitudes regarding the environment. Therefore, it can be said that the environmental sensibility is independent from the variable “age”. This finding is parallel and supportive with the research findigs of Çabuk & Karacaoğlu (2004), Özdemir et al. (2004), and Çelen et al. (2005). On the contrary of this result, the study made by Özmen (2005) and Erol & Gezer (2006) the students older than 21 years old, have more positive attitude toward environment. This different result may result from using different measurement tool or working with different sample groups or both.

The results of the unrelated t-test pursued to analyze the difference between the environmental sensibilities of the students in accordance with their membership status in an institution related to environment have been provided in Table 4.

Table 4. Environmental Sensibility Scores of the Students in Accordance with Their Membership Status in an Institution Related to Environment

Membership	N		S	Sd	T	p
Yes	37	37.11	2.76	98	1.41	0.16
No	63	36.14	3.56

Table 4 clearly shows that there is no statistically meaningful difference between the environmental sensibilities of the students in accordance with their membership status in an institution related to environment [t(98)=1.41, p>0.05]. Although the environmental sensibility scores of the students who have a membership in an institution related to environment are relatively higher, it does not create a statistically meaningful change. Hence, it can be concluded that students’ membership status in an institution related to environment do not affect their environmental sensibilities. Meanwhile, Özmen et al. (2005) asserted that the majority (96.8%) of the students are not members of an environmental institution.

The outcomes of the unrelated t-test done to expound the disparity between the environmental sensibilities of the students according to having individuals interested in environment in the family have been depicted in Table 5.

Table 5. Environmental Sensibility Scores of the Students According to Having Individuals Interested In Environment in the Family

Individuals interested in environment in the family	N		S	Sd	T	p
Yes	26	37.00	3.17	98	0.89	0.37
No	74	36.32	3.35

Evidently manifested in Table 5, there is not a statistically significant difference at 0.05 level between the environmental sensibilities of the students vis-à-vis having individuals interested in environment in the family [t(98)=0.89, p>0.05]. In this case, it can be concluded that the environmental sensibilities of the students were independent from having individuals interested in environment in the family.

The results of the unrelated t-test performed to look over the difference between the environmental sensibilities of the students in accordance with participating in activities / meetings related to environment have been supplied in Table 6.

Table 6. Environmental Sensibility Scores of the Students Vis-à-vis Participating in Activities / Meetings Related to Environment

Participation	N		S	Sd	T	p
Yes	21	37.29	3.58	98	1.22	0.22
No	79	36.29	3.22

As obvious in Table 6, no statistically meaningful difference between the environmental sensibilities of the students regarding participating in activities / meetings related to environment can be determined [t(98)=1.22, p>0.05]. Thus, it can be thought that the students’ participating in activities / meetings related to environment do not affect their environmental sensibilities.

Unrelated t-test has been applied to the data in order to inquire the discrepancy between the environmental sensibilities of the students vis-à-vis their follow-up status for the programs and articles about environment on media (TV, radio, newspaper, magazine etc.), and the findings have been presented in Table 7.

Table 7. Environmental Sensibility Scores of the Students Regarding Their Follow-Up Status for the Programs and Subjects about Environment

Follow-Up	N		S	Sd	T	p
Yes	89	36.96	3.01	98	4.24	0.00
No	11	32.82	3.43

Apparently shown at Table 7, there exists a statistically significant difference at 0.01 level concerning the environmental sensibilities of the students taking into account their follow-up status for the programs and articles about environment on media (TV, radio, newspaper, magazine etc.) [t(98)=4.24, p<0.05]. It can be averred that the students who have followed the programs and articles about environment on media (TV, radio, newspaper,magazine etc.) behave more sensitively to the environment than the students who have not followed the programs. Therefore, we can express that the students who follow the programs about environment have higher environmental sensibilities. Obtained research findings are consistent and supportive with the findings of the researches done by Topaloğlu (1999) and Yılmaz et al. (2002).

Findings related to second subproblem

The outcomes of the related t-test done to look for a statistically meaningful difference between the students’ sensibilities at the beginning and at the end of the “Environmental Science Course” have been given in Table 8.

Table 8. “Environmental Science Course” Pre test-Post test Scores of the Students Related to Their Environmental Sensibilities

Ideas	Application	k	N		S	Sd	t	p
Ideas Related to Environmental Sensibility	Pre-test Post-test	13 13	100 100	31.86 36.50	2.83 3.30	99	15.00	0.000

Noticeably seen in Table 8, there is a statistically meaningful difference between the students’ sensibilities before and after the “Environmental Science Course” (p<0.01).  This situation is in favor of the environmental sensibility scores at the end of the term. In this case, it can be noted that the “Environmental Science Course” is quite effective on students’ developing environmental sensibility. This research finding shows parallelism with the findings of Ekici (2005) taking the significantly positive attitudes of the students in environmental education into account.

Aimed to evaluate the behaviors of the students related to environmental sensibility with regard to their own ideas, related t-test was applied to the data obtained by means of the scale, before and after the “Environmental Science Course”. The students’ ideas about the air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, ecological balance-birth control had been reviewed separately. The findings have been placed in Table 9.

Table 9. “Environmental Science Course” Pre test-Post test Scores Related to Air -Water - Soil Pollution, Ecological Balance-Birth Control, and the Sufficiency of The Environmental Education Given at the Faculty

Items	Test		S	Sd	t	p
1. Air pollution	Pre application Post application	6.79 7.26	0.93 0.84	99	5.553	0.000
2. Water pollution	Pre application Post application	6.41 7.03	1.19 1.22	99	4.037	0.000
3. Soil pollution	Pre application Post application	4.42 4.45	0.80 0.84	99	0.350	0.73
4. Ecological balance and birth control	Pre application Post application	12.16 12.74	1.24 1.28	99	4.529	0.000

 Conspicuously seen from Table 9 (in the light of to the students’ ideas), there is a statistically significant difference between the students’ behaviors related to air and water pollution, ecological balance and birth control at the end of the “Environmental Science Course”. However, it is spotted that the “Environmental Science Course” has not made any statistically meaningful difference on the students’ ideas a propos the soil pollution (p>0.05). This situation makes us to think that the soil pollution subjects should have been discussed more within the content of the course. This result contradicts with the research findings of Yılmaz et al. (2002) about secondary school and university students vis-a-vis the insufficiency of their knowledge level on air and water pollution yet shows paralellism with the latter research and supports it in the sense that these students lacks enough knowledge on soil pollution.

 The results of the related t-test about the investigation of the adequacy of the environmental education which the students have before and after the “Environmental Science Course” have been illustrated in Table 10.

Table 10. “Environmental Science Course” Pre test-Post test Scores With regard to Students’ Ideas Related to Environmental Education

Ideas	Application	k	N		S	Sd	t	p
Ideas Related to Environmental Sensibility	Pre-test Post-test	4 4	100 100	6.86 8.59	2.24 2.27	99	6.94	0.000

Markedly distinguished at Table 10, the difference between the students’ ideas before and after the “Environmental Science Course” is statistically significant (p<0.01). The students have developed a positive idea about the sufficiency of the environmental education given at the faculty at the end of the course. Then, it can be avowed that, students get sufficient knowledge about the subjects, such as air, water, and soil pollution, and ecological balance and birth control at the end of the “Environmental Science Course”; i.e. “Environmental Science Course” positively affects the students’ ideas related to environmental education. This result supports the research findings of Topaloğlu (1999).