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THE USE OF NEW ECOLOGICAL PARADIGM SCALE AMONG PRE-SERVICE PRIMARY TEACHERS: LIMITS AND POSSIBILITIES

Year 2016, Volume: 2 Issue: 4, 105 - 111, 22.04.2016
https://doi.org/10.18768/ijaedu.08115

Abstract

Assessment and measurement of attitudes towards environmental issues is an important task of environmental education and one of the ways of its evaluation, focused on the affective component of environmental literacy. A wide range of research tools and scales is used for the measurement of pro-environmental attitudes in quantitative way. The best known and most widely used both in the world and in the Czech Republic is the New Environmental Paradigm (Dunlap & Van Liere, 1978) or New ecological paradigm (Dunlap et al. 2000), which has been modified several times and was used to detect environmental attitudes among various demographic groups. One of these are teachers and pre-service teachers (student teachers), who bear the major responsibility for the attitudes of the pupils. It is, therefore important to be able to identify environmental attitudes of students and teachers to assess the impacts of environmental action in their previous life and during their studies at universities. In the paper, we describe the possibilities of verifying the new ecological paradigm scale among pre-service primary teachers from the Czech Republic. The primary objective is to determine what are the possibilities and limits of this research tool and its subscales. We focused on reliability and construct validity of the scale. Furthermore, we investigate what effects have selected socio-demographic variables (age, gender, type of study) on those attitudes. New ecological paradigm scale as a whole is useful to identify the attitudes of pre-service teachers (Cronbach's α = .79), but its individual subscales are not applicable by themselves. That is also confirmed by item analysis of the scale. We discuss the possible problems of the use of the scale among pre-service primary teachers.

Keywords: environmental attitudes, environmental literacy, new ecological paradigm, pre-service teachers

References

  • Amburgey, J. W. & Thoman, D. B. (2011). Dimensionality of the New Ecological Paradigm: Issues of Factor Structure and Measurement. Environment and Behavior, 44(2). DOI: 10.1177/0013916511402064
  • Blahútová, D., Macko, J. & Stollárová, N. (2011). Multimedia Elements in Biology and Chemistry Education. Informatologia, 44(4).
  • Bostrom, A., Barke, R., Turaga, R. M. R. & O’Connor, R. E. (2006). Environmental Concerns and the New Environmental Paradigm in Bulgaria. The Journal of Environmental Education, 37(3). DOI: 10.3200/JOEE.37.3.25-40
  • Cordano, M. & Frieze, I. H. (2002). Enhancing environmental management teaching through applications of toxic release information. In: Sharma, S. & Starick, M. [eds.] Research on corporate sustainability. New York: Edwar Elgar Publications.
  • Cordanu, M., Welcomer, S. A. & Scherer, R. F. (2003). An Analysis of the Predictive Validity of the New Ecological Paradigm Scale. The Journal of Environmental Education, 34(2). DOI: 10.1080/00958960309603490
  • Corral-Verdugo, V. & Armendariz (2000). The “New Environmental Paradigm” in a Mexican community. The Journal of Environmental Education, 31(3). DOI: 10.1080/00958960009598642
  • Činčera, J., & Štěpánek, P. (2007). Výzkum ekologické gramotnosti studentů středních odborných škol. Envigogika, 2(1). DOI: 10.14712/18023061.12
  • Dunlap, R. E. (2008). The New environmental paradigm scale: From marginality to worldwide use. The Journal of Environmental Education, 40(1). DOI: 10.3200/JOEE.40.1.3-18
  • Dunlap, R. E., & Van Liere, K. D. (1978). The new environmental paradigm: A proposed measuring instrument and preliminary results. The Journal of Environmental Education, 9(4). DOI: 10.1080/00958964.1978.10801875
  • Dunlap, R. E., Van Liere, K. D., Mertig, A. G., & Jones, R. E. (2000). Measuring endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm: a revised NEP scale. The Journal of Social Issues, 56(3). DOI: 10.1111/0022-4537.00176
  • Edoğan, N. (2009). Testing the new ecological paradigm scale: Turkish case. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 4(10).
  • Hollweg, K. S. Taylor, J. R., Bybee, R. W., Marcinkowski, T. J., McBeth, W. C., & Zoido, P. (2011). Developing a framevork for assessing environmental literacy. Washington, DC: North American Association for Environmental Education.
  • Kancír, J. & Suchá, I. (2013). Škála Novej environmentálnej paradigmy ako výskumný nástroj v oblasti environmentálnej gramotnosti. Aktuálne otázky prírodovedno-technických predmetov a prierezových tém v primárnej edukácii. Online konferencia 23. – 25. 10. 2013
  • Kroufek, R. (2013). Environmentální postoje studentů učitelství pro 1. stupeň ZŠ. - Sborník příspěvků: XXI. celostátní konference ČAPV Efektivita vzdělávání v proměnách společnosti. PF UJEP, Ústí nad Labem.
  • Kroufek, R., Janovec, J. & Chytrý, V. (2015). Pre-service primary teachers and their attitudes towards nature. In: Fleischmann, O., Seebauer, R., Zoglowek, H. & Aleksandrovich, M. [eds.] The Teaching profession: New Challneges - New Identities. Lit Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Wien
  • Lalonde, R. & Jackson, E. L. (2002). The New Environmental Scale: Has It Outlived Its Usefulness? Journal of Environmental Education, 33(4). DOI:10.1080/00958960209599151
  • Macko, J., Blahútová, D. & Stollárová, N. (2012). New Education Model for Information Monitoring of Environment Water Flows. Informatologia, 45(3).
  • Macko, J., Blahútová, D. & Stollárová, N. (2013). Space for the Environmental Education in the System of Secondary Education in Slovakia. Informatologia, 46(3).
  • Manoli, C. C., Johnson, B. & Dunlap, R. E. (2007). Assessing Children’s Environmental Worldviews: Modifying and Validating the New Ecological Paradigm Scale for Use with Children. The Journal of Environmental Education, 38(4). DOI:10.3200/JOEE.38.4.3-13
  • Noblet, C. L., Anderson, M. & Teisl, M. F. (2013). An empirical test of anchoring the NEP scale in environmental ethics. Environmental Education Research, 19(4). DOI: 10.1080/13504622.2012. 704899
  • Pierce, J. C., Lovrich, N. P., Tsurutani, T. & Abe, T. (1987). Culture, politics, and mass publics: Traditional and modern supporters of the new environmental paradigm scale in Japan and the United States. The Journal of Politics, 49(1).
  • Rideout, B. E., Hushen, K., McGinty, D., Perkins, S. & Tate, J. (2005). Endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm in Systematic and E-mail Samples of College Students. The Journal of Environmental Education, 36(2). DOI: 10.3200/JOEE.36.2.15-23
Year 2016, Volume: 2 Issue: 4, 105 - 111, 22.04.2016
https://doi.org/10.18768/ijaedu.08115

Abstract

References

  • Amburgey, J. W. & Thoman, D. B. (2011). Dimensionality of the New Ecological Paradigm: Issues of Factor Structure and Measurement. Environment and Behavior, 44(2). DOI: 10.1177/0013916511402064
  • Blahútová, D., Macko, J. & Stollárová, N. (2011). Multimedia Elements in Biology and Chemistry Education. Informatologia, 44(4).
  • Bostrom, A., Barke, R., Turaga, R. M. R. & O’Connor, R. E. (2006). Environmental Concerns and the New Environmental Paradigm in Bulgaria. The Journal of Environmental Education, 37(3). DOI: 10.3200/JOEE.37.3.25-40
  • Cordano, M. & Frieze, I. H. (2002). Enhancing environmental management teaching through applications of toxic release information. In: Sharma, S. & Starick, M. [eds.] Research on corporate sustainability. New York: Edwar Elgar Publications.
  • Cordanu, M., Welcomer, S. A. & Scherer, R. F. (2003). An Analysis of the Predictive Validity of the New Ecological Paradigm Scale. The Journal of Environmental Education, 34(2). DOI: 10.1080/00958960309603490
  • Corral-Verdugo, V. & Armendariz (2000). The “New Environmental Paradigm” in a Mexican community. The Journal of Environmental Education, 31(3). DOI: 10.1080/00958960009598642
  • Činčera, J., & Štěpánek, P. (2007). Výzkum ekologické gramotnosti studentů středních odborných škol. Envigogika, 2(1). DOI: 10.14712/18023061.12
  • Dunlap, R. E. (2008). The New environmental paradigm scale: From marginality to worldwide use. The Journal of Environmental Education, 40(1). DOI: 10.3200/JOEE.40.1.3-18
  • Dunlap, R. E., & Van Liere, K. D. (1978). The new environmental paradigm: A proposed measuring instrument and preliminary results. The Journal of Environmental Education, 9(4). DOI: 10.1080/00958964.1978.10801875
  • Dunlap, R. E., Van Liere, K. D., Mertig, A. G., & Jones, R. E. (2000). Measuring endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm: a revised NEP scale. The Journal of Social Issues, 56(3). DOI: 10.1111/0022-4537.00176
  • Edoğan, N. (2009). Testing the new ecological paradigm scale: Turkish case. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 4(10).
  • Hollweg, K. S. Taylor, J. R., Bybee, R. W., Marcinkowski, T. J., McBeth, W. C., & Zoido, P. (2011). Developing a framevork for assessing environmental literacy. Washington, DC: North American Association for Environmental Education.
  • Kancír, J. & Suchá, I. (2013). Škála Novej environmentálnej paradigmy ako výskumný nástroj v oblasti environmentálnej gramotnosti. Aktuálne otázky prírodovedno-technických predmetov a prierezových tém v primárnej edukácii. Online konferencia 23. – 25. 10. 2013
  • Kroufek, R. (2013). Environmentální postoje studentů učitelství pro 1. stupeň ZŠ. - Sborník příspěvků: XXI. celostátní konference ČAPV Efektivita vzdělávání v proměnách společnosti. PF UJEP, Ústí nad Labem.
  • Kroufek, R., Janovec, J. & Chytrý, V. (2015). Pre-service primary teachers and their attitudes towards nature. In: Fleischmann, O., Seebauer, R., Zoglowek, H. & Aleksandrovich, M. [eds.] The Teaching profession: New Challneges - New Identities. Lit Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Wien
  • Lalonde, R. & Jackson, E. L. (2002). The New Environmental Scale: Has It Outlived Its Usefulness? Journal of Environmental Education, 33(4). DOI:10.1080/00958960209599151
  • Macko, J., Blahútová, D. & Stollárová, N. (2012). New Education Model for Information Monitoring of Environment Water Flows. Informatologia, 45(3).
  • Macko, J., Blahútová, D. & Stollárová, N. (2013). Space for the Environmental Education in the System of Secondary Education in Slovakia. Informatologia, 46(3).
  • Manoli, C. C., Johnson, B. & Dunlap, R. E. (2007). Assessing Children’s Environmental Worldviews: Modifying and Validating the New Ecological Paradigm Scale for Use with Children. The Journal of Environmental Education, 38(4). DOI:10.3200/JOEE.38.4.3-13
  • Noblet, C. L., Anderson, M. & Teisl, M. F. (2013). An empirical test of anchoring the NEP scale in environmental ethics. Environmental Education Research, 19(4). DOI: 10.1080/13504622.2012. 704899
  • Pierce, J. C., Lovrich, N. P., Tsurutani, T. & Abe, T. (1987). Culture, politics, and mass publics: Traditional and modern supporters of the new environmental paradigm scale in Japan and the United States. The Journal of Politics, 49(1).
  • Rideout, B. E., Hushen, K., McGinty, D., Perkins, S. & Tate, J. (2005). Endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm in Systematic and E-mail Samples of College Students. The Journal of Environmental Education, 36(2). DOI: 10.3200/JOEE.36.2.15-23
There are 22 citations in total.

Details

Journal Section Articles
Authors

Roman Kroufek

Vlastimil Chytrý

Jan Janovec

İvana Brtnová čepičková

Publication Date April 22, 2016
Submission Date April 19, 2016
Published in Issue Year 2016Volume: 2 Issue: 4

Cite

EndNote Kroufek R, Chytrý V, Janovec J, čepičková İB (April 1, 2016) THE USE OF NEW ECOLOGICAL PARADIGM SCALE AMONG PRE-SERVICE PRIMARY TEACHERS: LIMITS AND POSSIBILITIES. IJAEDU- International E-Journal of Advances in Education 2 4 105–111.

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