A Comparative Investigation of the Knowledge and Attitudes of High School Graduates in the Topic of Protected Areas

Abstract

This paper investigates the comparative knowledge and attitudes of girls and boys 17-18 years old high school graduating students of Rhodes (Greece) on the topic of protected areas, both locally and nationally, as part of Education for Sustainable Development. The purpose of this research is to study the responses of the graduating students and to compare how diverse the responses are in relation to gender, relating to issues both in knowledge and attitudes about the protected areas. The basic method chosen for the fieldwork was a case study and the graduating high school students on the island of Rhodes were chosen as reference population. The data collection method was a questionnaire, which included 14 main questions. The sample consisted of 297 students -168 girls, 129 boys- and was formed by random sampling. The survey was conducted during the period December-January 2011-2012. The analysis of data shows the low participation of students in the sample programs on protected areas. Girls have a higher level of knowledge in the questions about what are protected sites, categories and activities to be implemented. Students appear to know only one of the protected areas of the island of Rhodes, the “Valley of the Butterflies”, which is the only one they have visited, especially the girls. Finally, when the attitudes were investigated, the girls presented a more positive outlook on protected areas. Based on the findings we conclude that there is a difference in the responses of students on their knowledge and attitudes in relation to protected areas. In comparison, girls, show a higher level of knowledge than boys, and their comments show that they are more environmentally friendly in context to sustainability.