A Comparative Study of Environmental Awareness and Attitude of High School Students of Rural and Urban Area.
Exploring the Environmental Awareness and Attitude of High School Students in Rural and Urban Areas
by Hariom Rawat*,
- Published in Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education, E-ISSN: 2230-7540
Volume 1, Issue No. 1, Jan 2011, Pages 0 - 0 (0)
Published by: Ignited Minds Journals
ABSTRACT
Environmentrefers to the sum total of condition and influence that affects the life anddevelopment of organism. The qualitative development and quantitative progressof mankind depends on the quality of environment. Therefore, there are no twoviews about the fact that, it is the primary responsibility of man not only topreserve the environment but also to improve it qualitatively.
KEYWORD
environment, awareness, attitude, high school students, rural, urban, qualitative development, quantitative progress, mankind
INTRODUCTION
Environment refers to the sum total of condition and influence that affects the life and development of organism. The qualitative development and quantitative progress of mankind depends on the quality of environment. Therefore, there are no two views about the fact that, it is the primary responsibility of man not only to preserve the environment but also to improve it qualitatively. Environment is the sum total of an aggregate of all the external conditions forces and circumstances, objects, or influences that act upon an organism which live by changing energy and matter with their environment with changing nature of human being environment is not static. It changes with corresponding change in time and conditions. It is varied in form and physical environment, biological, Ecological (Edaphic, diametric, Abiotic Biotic, Human or Social) Physical and Biological Nature and Man made like Physical, Biological, social, Economics, Geography, Psychology, Education, Religious, Cultural and Political etc. If we look back in the age of “Puranas” we will find that the education was delivered to students at the residence of GURU. Guru’s residence or ‘ASHARAM’ was located in a peaceful atmosphere because education is more effective in a good atmosphere Environment is a multi dimensional system of complex interrelationship in a continuing state of change. The environment of an individual comprises the entire physical and social factor around him, which directly affect his living including the working conditions. The various environmental factors are interdependent and inter weaven with each other. The Physical environment includes the living and Non living, the geographical landmark, topography and climatic conditions, the manmade features like Buildings, Bridges, Roads, Transports & other Features like health, sanitations, nutrition aspects. Environment is the sum of the substance and forces externals to the organism in such way that it affects the organism existence. In relation to man, the environment constitutes of air, land, water flora and fauna because these regulates the man’s life.
NEED OF STUDY
Environment does not mean only physical environment but social environment too. The problems are various according to the situation since it is due to various factors like demographic factor, literacy rate and awareness availability of land and resources social traditions and taboos and so on. Therefore, development with environmental awareness cannot be solved so easily with single global factor. But the role of teenagers to continue such developmental process with appropriate environment is definitely a major factor that may be helpful for our good irrespective of geographical factor or genetic diversities. Environment awareness is very much essential for everyone. With the help of environmental education we can develop the awareness, skills, attitudes and value about the environment. It plans and practice some activities to solve the problems to improve the quality of environment. Environmental education is a process of learning about the existing situation through which sufficient knowledge can be gained to understand Environmental problems and contributes towards solving them. Environmental education provides : (a) A comprehensive knowledge with working of nature and environment. (b) An experience in valuing environment quality. (c) A source of guidance to the people to act as more responsible citizens with an increased civic sense. (d) An understanding of the impact of personal choice of actions on environment quality. Environmental education includes awareness, real life situation, conservation and sustainable development. As the understanding level among the teenagers arises they become alert about their duties in the society. Healthiest growth however shall be in a society where boys perform their duties while girls there with equal participatory right maintaining appropriate environment. The United Nation Conference of Human Environment was a major event for those concerned with the quality of the world’s environment. One of the recommendations of the conference resulted in the creation of United Nation Environmental Programme (UNEP) while other recommendation specially constituted the foundation of framework for co-operative effect in International which states that Environmental Awareness may be developed by – Develop the aesthetic sense to appreciate beauty and adopt it in personal and social life. Interact with government and social agencies and utilize the developmental facilities provided by these agencies in his/her individual capacity and also for organizing certain community activities. Appropriate, promote and use the environment to improve health vocation and social and national life. Environmental Awareness provides the understanding and competence to recognize environmental resources and interdependence between physical and biological component of the environment for the growth and development. So, environment and Youngers development are complementary to each other, if there is success in Youngers development Programme, environment shall be taken care automatically. It is expected that the environmental awareness will be more in urban students than rural students. The urban students because of their knowledge, experiences and exposure might be more aware of environmental problems and the importance of environmental preservation.
OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
The objectives or goals of the Programme must be clear for achieving objectives. The following may be considered as objectives: Awareness: To help the students and peer groups for acquiring of awareness and sensitivity towards total environment and its related problems. Knowledge: To help the students and peer groups gain variety of experience and acquire a basic understanding of environment and its problem. Attitude: To help the students and peer group acquire a set of values and feelings of concern for active participation in environment and protection. Skills: To help the students and peer groups acquire skill for identifying and solving environmental problems. The objectives of the study were as follows: 1. To compare the mean Environment Awareness and Attitude scores between Boys and Girls Students of High School class X. 2. To compare the mean Environment Awareness and Attitude scores between Govt. and Private High School Students of class X. 3. To compare the mean Environment Awareness and Attitude scores between Girls Students of Rural and Urban area of High School class X. 4. To compare the mean Environmental Awareness and Attitude scores between Boys Students of Rural and Urban area of High School class X. 5. To compare the mean Environmental Awareness and Attitude scores between Rural and Urban area Students of High School class X.
HYPOTHESES
The hypotheses for this research problem are as follows: 1. There is no significant difference in Mean Environmental Awareness and Attitude of Rural and Urban students of High School Class X. 2. There is no significant difference in Mean Environmental Awareness and Attitude of Government and Private High School students of Class X. 3. There is no significant difference in Mean Environmental Awareness and Attitude of Boys and Girls of High School Class X. 4. There is no significant difference in Mean Environmental Awareness and Attitude of Girls Students of Rural and Urban Area of High School Class X. 5. There is no significant difference in Mean Environmental Awareness and Attitude of Boys Students of Rural and Urban Area of High School Class X.
Sampling
Sample is an integral part of every research from which data will be collected for the present research study sample will be purposively selected. 120 high school students from 12 schools of Indore Block are taken both Government and private school and from each school 10 students selected. There are selected from different part of Indore block. So that, the represented all the schools and students of Indore. Data collected from 120 students of Government and Private schools of urban and rural area belonging to both the sex i.e. girls and boys of total 12 Higher Secondary school of Indore block.
Tool
A researcher will require many data gathering tools or techniques which may vary in their complexity, design, administration and interpretation. Each tool is appropriate for the collection of certain type of evidence or information. The researcher has to select from the available tools which will provide data, he requires for the testing of the hypotheses. Data The prime purpose of the present study is to undertake on the depth study through various exercise to determine the environmental awareness and attitude of high school students. The fund of the knowledge was collected from the reference books, research reports etc. visits were made to select 12 Government and Private high school of Urban and Rural area of Indore block and tried to gain the knowledge and experience of the research problem.
Statistical Analysis The data were analyzed by the help of mean, standard deviation (S.D.), standard Deviation Error (S.Ed.) and t-test, because the sample contains the rural and urban area’s Government and Private schools and girls and boys of high school of Indore block.
RESULT OF RESEARCH Findings
The Rural and Urban area students of High School students of class X did not differ significantly in their mean Environmental Awareness and Attitude Scores.
DISCUSSION
(A) The finding of the first objective of the present study revealed Environmental Awareness and Attitude of Boys and Girls students of High School Class X did differ significantly. It can be said that the knowledge and understanding of facts and concept related to Environmental Problems like Air, Water, Soil & Noise Pollution etc. girls students of High School Class Xth about Environment were more to the Boys students. There can be seen such reason for this finding. The girl students are getting more exposure through the different type of mass media like T.V., Radio, Magazines, and Hoarding Boards etc. as compare to boys students. (B) The finding of the second objective of the present study revealed Environmental Awareness and Attitude of Government and private High School students did not differ significantly. It can be said that the knowledge and understanding of facts and concept relating Environmental problems like – Pollution, Population, explosion, soil and diseases etc. of government school students about Environment were equal to the private school students. There can be many reasons for such findings 1) Many Environmental Awareness Programme are organized in government and private schools like – Seminars, debates, world Environment day (every year on 5th June) celebration and Environmental awareness Quiz competition and Environmental Awareness camps etc. 2) In the curriculum of Both Government and Private schools there are topic on Environment. So the students are getting knowledge about the Environment from those topics. (C) The finding of the third objective of the present study revealed Environmental Awareness and Attitude of Rural and Urban area girls of High School Class X did not differ significantly. It can be said that the knowledge and fact understanding relating Environmental Problems like Pollution, deforestation, energy, water noise, soil, population and air etc. the rural area Girls about Environment were equal to urban area girls. There can be many reasons for such findings: 1) Rural and Urban area girls students are getting exposure through the different type of media like – Television, Radio, Cinema, Magazines etc. 2) They are more enlightened about Environment. 3) Previous Academic background both they have got the knowledge of awareness. D) The finding of the fourth objective of the present study revealed Environmental Awareness and Attitude of Rural and Urban area Boys of High School Class X did not differ significantly. It can be said that the knowledge, fact and concept understanding relating Environmental Problems like – various types of Pollutions, Diseases, energy crises, Ozone layer depletion etc. the rural boys about Environment were equal to urban area boys. There can be many reasons for such findings: 1) In the curriculum of both Rural and Urban Area students have Environmental Awareness topics on their syllabus, so the students are getting source of Environmental awareness from those topics. 2) The Rural and Urban Area Boys students are getting exposure through different types of mass media like – Television, Radio, Magazines, Journals etc. 3) Many Environmental Awareness programme are organized by Rural and Urban students in their school and they participated such type activities like – quiz, seminar and debate etc. E) The finding of the fifth objective of the present study revealed Environmental Awareness and Attitude of Rural and Urban area Boys of High School students did not differ significantly. It can be said that the knowledge and understanding of facts and concepts related to Environmental Problems like – Pollution, Population, Explosion, Global Warming, Deforestation, Energy Crisis, Water, Air, Soil & Noise Pollution etc. of the rural students about Environment were equal to Urban students. There can be many reasons for such findings: 1) The Rural and Urban students of high school class X are getting exposure through different type of mass media like – Radio, Television, Hoarding boards, magazines etc. 2) Previous academic background both they have got the knowledge of awareness. 3) They are more enlightened about Environment. They are living with equal status and equal atmosphere.
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