The Relationship between Knowledge Acquirement in an Environmental Education Program Related to Solid Waste Management and Friendship Network

Case Study of an Elementary School in Calamba City, the Philippines

Abstract

Individual environmental behavior and awareness are influenced by friends, families, and peers. This study explored the relationship between the acquirement of the knowledge in the environmental education program related to solid waste management and the students’ friendship network through the case study in Calamba city, the Philippines. As a result of questionnaire survey to Grade 6 students, we found that degree centrality and closeness centrality were positively associated with the students’ knowledge acquirement about proper solid waste management. Also, it was deduced from the results of interviews with teachers that the students' friendship network may play an important role in the students' knowledge acquirement.