Natural Resources Governance

Natural Resources Governance

The Effect of an Environmental Education Program on Responsible Behavior, Environmental Knowledge, and Environmental Attitudes of Primary School Students in Aliabad Katul

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
mostafa Azizi shamami 1
Mojtaba Tajari 2
Kolsoom Gholami Andrati 3
1 Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.
2 Department of Educational Sciences, Aliabad Katoul Branch, Islamic Azad University, Aliabad Katoul, Iran.
3 Department of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, Gorgan, Iran.
10.22059/jnrg.2025.406491.1071
Abstract

Given that one of the fundamental challenges of contemporary educational systems is cultivating a generation capable of understanding, analyzing, and managing environmental issues, evaluating the effectiveness of environmental education programs holds significant theoretical and practical importance. The present study aimed to examine the impact of an environmental education program on responsible environmental behavior, as well as environmental knowledge and attitudes, among sixth-grade primary school students. This applied research employed a quasi-experimental design. The statistical population consisted of all sixth-grade students in Aliabad Katul during the 2023–2024 academic year, from which 50 students were randomly selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a 12-session environmental education program covering four modules: water conservation, protection of plants and animals, development of appropriate environmental behavior, and waste management. Data were collected using Sachdeva’s (2021) Responsible Environmental Behavior Scale and the Environmental Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire developed by Leeming, Dwyer, and Bracken (1995). The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The findings indicated that the environmental education program significantly improved responsible environmental behaviors (protective behavior, green consumer behavior, and waste-management behavior), as well as environmental knowledge and attitudes, in the experimental group compared to the control group. Therefore, it can be concluded that environmental education, through the simultaneous activation of cognitive, affective, and behavioral components, contributes to the development of environmentally aware citizens with positive attitudes and responsible behaviors toward the environment, and can serve as an effective strategy within school curricula.
Keywords
Environmental Education
Environmental Knowledge
Primary Education
Responsible Behavior
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Natural Resources Governance
Volume 2, Issue 3
Autumn 2025
Pages 306-320