• Hwankyungkyoyuk
• /
• v.18 no.2 s.27
• /
• pp.31-43
• /
• 2005

In this study, after establishing assessment framework and reviewing the conceptual evolution and component of EL(Environmental Literacy) through literature review, through middle school students as population, the level of EL and relationship of its related variables were examined. The investigation was consisted of second and third grades of urban and rural middle schools in Choongbook. The used measurement methods were objective evaluation and Likert-type scale. The questionnaire instrument variables were consisted of 80 items on environmental literacy variables and six items on student gender, area of residence, environmental lesson, degree of environmental concern, environmental information, environmental activity as background variables. The major findings of this study were as follows: 1. Although the broad and obscure concept of EL has been evolved until 1992, it has been developed more systematic and precise after 1992. But there is not still an agreed concept. 2. The subordinate components of EL were consisted of cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects. Both ecological knowledge(KEOC) and environmental skill(SKILL) were determined to serve as two powerful predictors of EL. 3. The level of EL of middle school student was showed statistically significant difference to some variables by student gender, residential area, environmental lesson, environmental concern, environmental information, and environmental activity variables. And the most influential variables of EL in middle school student were environmental skill(SKILL), and locus of control (LOC). Based on the findings of this study, the following suggestions are drawn: It should be established a precise concept on EL as the ultimate aim of environmental education both interdisciplinary cooperation and experts of environmental education and also performed further longitudinal study which assessed multidimensional variables which are able to exactly measure the EL of middle school student.

• Hwankyungkyoyuk
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.83-101
• /
• 1998

‘Environmental Literacy’ is defined as ‘one's individual status to be accomplished or to be acquired by environmental education’ and it has the same meaning as ‘the Goals of EE’. The purposes of this study was to identify the components of environmental literacy and analyse the related studies. Much of the work in EE has followed the path outlined by the Belgrade Charter, the Tbilisi Declaration, and later in Agenda 21. Over the years, scholars such as Hungerford et al., Iozzi et al., Roth, the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education, and the Environmental Education Literacy Consortium have examined and proposed a framework of ‘Environmental Literacy’. Recently, the influential framework developed by the NAAEE(the North American Association for Environmental Education) National Project for Excellence in EE included seven categories: affect, ecological knowledge, socio-political knowledge, knowledge of environmental issues, skills, additional determinants of environmentally responsible behavior, and environmentally responsible behaviors. According to the analysed results, 37.7% of the American studies and 32.5% of Korean ones measured aspects of the attitude. Especially, the measure of this variable in America, however, led to the most inconclusive and least positive outcomes. The studies included related to cognitive skills were very few but 100% reported positive impacts of instructions in two countries. In America, using a television documentary, a journal and the field trip were very useful and effective. But using a computer simulation/game was less effective and the supplemental instruction did't led to the positive effect. In Korea, instruction, the supplemental instruction and EE program led to positive outcomes generally. The lack of validity and reliability of the instruments was pointed out as a common problem and the development of valid and reliable instrument for nation-wide assessment is urgently needed.