Environmental problems of the primary school students and perceptions for environmental education

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the perceptions of primary school students about environmental problems and environmental education. The working group is composed of 50 students who are enrolled in a public school in Yeniçağa. A structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. According to research findings, students expressed the concept of environment as life friendly, home, oxygen, life, living space, tree, world and nature. The students expressed the garbage wastes, the destruction of the trees, the soil pollution, the discharge of the garbage to the waters, the throwing of the waste pills, the air and the noise pollution, and the forest fires as the environmental problem. They have stated that the municipalities may be the Provincial Directorates of the Environment, schools and school managers, teachers, Forestry Directorates, Forestry, Public Education Centers, people or institutions involved in the environmental education of TEMA. Students stated that they can prevent and solve environmental problems by planting saplings, throwing garbage into trash cans, using recycling cans, putting out fire after picnic, putting filters on factory chests, not throwing garbage into lakes and rivers, educating people about the environment, putting garbage cans on streets and collecting waste batteries. Students have stated that they have a battery collection project in their schools, that environmental education is done in cooperation with TEMA, tree planting work is done and they want these studies to continue. They also stated that recycling boxes were placed and paper and lids were collected. In the schools students wanted people to take environmental education, to make theaters related to environmental education, to make music publications about the environment, to organize nature notebooks, to organize contests about environmental cleanliness and to create environmental magazines. As the research findings suggest, primary school students are highly sensitive the environment and environmental problems. In this context, it is understood that environmental education is important in primary schools.