Research Strategies in Educational Sciences

Research Strategies in Educational Sciences

Investigating the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental education through outdoor education on increasing the sense of responsibility towards the environment in primary school children.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Ali Mohammad Siahi Atabaki 1
فاطمه Tanha 2
Tahereh Ahmadi 3
1 PhD in Curriculum Planning, Educational Sciences Department, Farhangian University, Shiraz, Iran
2 Master's student in Curriculum Development, Farhangian University, Shahid Bahonar Campus, Shiraz.
3 Master's student in Curriculum Development, Farhangian University, Shahid Bahonar Campus, Shiraz
10.22034/jrses.2025.460508.1035
Abstract
This study examined the efficiency and effectiveness of outdoor education as a method to increase environmental responsibility in primary school children. The goal was to determine whether hands-on, experiential learning in outdoor environments can foster stronger environmental ethics compared to traditional classroom-based education.
120 elementary school children aged 9-11 years were divided into two groups: an experimental group that participated in a structured outdoor education program and a control group that received traditional classroom-based environmental education. Data were collected using three validated questionnaires: Children's Environmental Attitudes and Knowledge Scale (CHEAKS) by Leeming et al. (1995), New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale for children by Manoli et al. (2007), and the Environmental Responsibility Questionnaire (ERQ) by Bogner and Wiseman (2006). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests and thematic analysis to compare the results between the two groups.
The results indicated that the experimental group showed a significant increase in the sense of responsibility towards the environment compared to the control group. The experimental group showed a significant increase in environmental responsibility, with CHEAKS scores up 28%, NEP scores up 38%, and measures listed in the ERQ up 153% (all P < 0.001), while the control group showed minimal changes. gave
This study concluded that outdoor education is effective approach to increase environmental responsibility in primary school children and contribute to the development of environmentally responsible behaviors in young learners.
Keywords
Environmental education
outdoor education
experiential learning
elementary schools