Date of Award
6-1985
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Gene Henderson
Second Advisor
Jeanne Donovan
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate secondary science and social studies teachers' attitudes and behaviors regarding solid waste recycling and classroom instruction in recycling, moreover, environmental education. The survey 's population was randomly selected from St. Louis County secondary schools. The study documented the need for control of solid waste through recycling and t he need to educate to improve recycling. It provided an extensive review of the literature on recycling instruction as well as classroom recycling activities and lesson plans.
The study used a 12 item survey-questionnaire to identify groups of teachers with the most interest in and positive attitudes toward including some instruction in recycling in their lessons. Analyses of teachers' responses considered categories of content area taught, age, sex, race, and the teachers' primary life-experience environment as rural, urban, or suburban. Total scores and means of teachers were described as very favorable, favorable, moderately favorable, ambivalent, and unfavorable to recycling and recycling education.
Science teachers, men teachers, urban life-experience teachers, rural life-experience teachers, teachers ages 35 years or less, white teachers, and teachers of races other than black or white were found to be moderately favorable to recycling and to recycling education. Social studies teachers, women teachers, suburban life-experience teachers, teachers ages 36 years or more, and black teachers were ambivalent to recycling and recycling education . Significant differences were revealed between science and social studies teachers, urban life-experience and suburban life-experience teachers, and teachers ages 35 years or less and teachers ages 36 years or more .
Recommended Citation
Aubuchon, John G., "A Comparative Study of Secondary Science and Social Studies Teachers' Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Recycling and Recycling Education" (1985). Theses. 434.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/theses/434
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