2018 Volume 28 Issue 2 Pages 2_29-38
To elucidate how school teachers evaluate environmental education class activities supported by people/experts/groups in the community, in August 2015, we conducted a questionnaire-based survey at primary schools participating in a UNESCO associated school project in Japan. We delivered questionnaires to 233 primary schools, of which 105 provided valid responses (response rate: 45%). The results indicate that most of the schools underwent environmental education class activities supported by people/experts/groups in the community. These activities were conducted within the classes of the Period for Integrated Studies, Living Environment Studies, Social Studies, and Science. The responses indicate that many teachers consider these activities supported by people/experts/groups in the community resulted in positive student learning outcomes, including environmental awareness, knowledge, and attitude. In addition, many teachers indicated that the teachers, themselves, acquired more knowledge about the community environment and became more sensitive to their communities. They also responded that they will actively conduct such activities in the future. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the explanatory variables responsible for the intention to promote environmental education class activities supported by the community. Two explanatory variables were selected from the analysis: “teachers’ sensitivity toward the community increased through these activities,” and “teachers’ recognition that class activities supported by people/experts/groups in the community have good effects on education.” Additional logistic regression analysis was conducted to select explanatory variables responsible for “teachers’ recognition that class activities supported by people/experts/groups in the community have good effects on education.” As an explanatory variable, “development of students’ environmental awareness/interest through class activities supported by people/experts/groups in the community” was selected.
