Ecological Awareness among 3rd Grade Students of Primary School

Abstract

Presented research aimed to determine the extent to which third-grade students in two Slovene regions have ecological awareness. Ecological awareness is a competence that empowers individuals with knowledge of the environment, the relationship between humans and nature, and the ability to recognise and solve environmental problems. The research focuses on whom the students think is the biggest polluter, whether they talk about this issue at school, how they take care of a clean environment at school and home, and what kind of packaging they use for transporting food from the store. The study involved 200 students from all elementary schools in the region. A descriptive and non-experimental empirical method of pedagogical research was used in the study. Results showed that students are good at identifying the biggest polluters. They are most aware of the concern for a clean environment and behave environmentally consciously. They collect garbage separately, save a lot of electricity and water, and often learn about this topic at school.