Elementary school students’ environmental disposition: Students’ sensitivity level toward environment

Abstract

Environmental disposition is a part of environmental literacy dimension that has related to the attitude toward environment. One of the components is sensitivity to the environment. Environmental sensitivity should be taught by giving a good example in the school and the people around. Knowing students’ environmental sensitivity is necessary very much to decide appropriate environment subject based, curriculum and policy. The objective of the study is to describe the level of elementary school students’ environmental sensitivity. Descriptive method is used to capture and describe students’ sensitivity towards environment qualitatively and narratively. The subjects given are related to the problems found in daily life especially in the school and home around. As much as 100 students of six grade of elementary school involved as respondents. The students responded 15 statements related to the environmental issue by choosing: agree, doubt, or disagree. The result of the study shows that the students of elementary schools can be categorized as students who were sensitive towards environment around even doing the small things, but the rest of them who doubt and only a bit who ignore. The subject taught and the real example from the teachers can increase students’ environmental sensitivity level.