Özet:

This study aimed to investigate the environmental literacy of K-10 student completers. The quantitative research design, specifically, the non-experimental descriptive-correlational design was used to determine the students’ level of environmental knowledge and sensitivity, identify the students’ environmental attitudes and behaviors, and determine the correlation between students’ environmental knowledge, attitudes, sensitivity, and behaviors. Exploratory factor analysis design was used to clarify the underlying dimensionality of environmental literacy of the students and to disentangle the complex interrelationships among various aspects of environmental literacy and eventually identify the variables that go together as unified concept. A total of 614 out of 759 students (81%) currently enrolled in a senior high school in one university were asked to participate in the study. Results showed that the student completers of K-10 grade levels have moderate level of environmental literacy and environmental knowledge and behavior and high level of environmental attiude and sensitivity. Students who are more knowledgeable about the environment have strong sensitivity and attitudes but do not necessarily have strong pro-environmental behaviors. Thus, although students may have pro-environment knowledge, this knowledge is not necessarily translated into positive behaviors towards the environment. Lastly, environmental literacy of the students has three broad dimensions of blended environmental attitude and sensitivity, pro-environmental behaviors and environmental knowledge. The results imply that the science curriculum and instruction in these grade levels did not fail in their instruction but much is still to be done to achieve the highest degree ofenvironmental knowledge, pro-environmental behaviors, positive environmental attitudes and environmental sensitivity.

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