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CLIMATE CHANGE AWARENESS AND ATTITUDE OF SECONDARY
SCHOOL STUDENTS
ABSTRACT
This research was a descriptive survey aimed at
determining the climate change awareness and attitude of senior secondary
school students in Umuahia education zone of Abia State. To guide the study,
six research questions and four hypotheses were formulated and answered.
Purposive sampling technique was used to sample sixteen (16) schools out of the
thirty-four (34) secondary schools and six hundred and forty students out of
two thousand and twelve students in the zone. Two instruments titled “Climate
Change Attitude Scale (CCAS) and Awareness Scale for Climate Change (ASCC)”
were used for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using mean
score and standard deviation to answer the research questions while Analyses of
Variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypotheses. The major findings of the
study were that senior secondary school students in Umuahia education zone have
low climate change awareness and attitude, there is no significant different
between the male and female students mean score on climate change awareness and
attitude, and that there is a significant different between the urban and rural
students mean score on the climate change awareness and attitude. Based on the
findings of the study, relevant conclusions were drawn. The study recommended
that in-service training should be organized for senior secondary school
teachers to exposure them on need to promote climate change awareness and
attitude of students, that curriculum planners should infuse more climate
change contents in relevant senior secondary school and that concerned
education authorities should ensure that quality education activities are
carried out in rural areas as it is obtainable in urban areas. Finally, areas
for further studies were suggested.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Climate is the major factor controlling the global
patterns of vegetation structure, productivity, plant and animal species
composition. Climate means the average weather in a place over many years.
While weather can change in just a few hours, climate takes years to change.
According to Small and Nicholis (2003), climate is the average weather for a
particular region over a long time. It describes the total of all weather
occurring over a long period of years in a given place. This includes average
weather conditions, regular weather season (winter, spring, summer and fall)
and special weather events (like tornadoes and floods). These climate patterns
play a fundamental role in shaping natural ecosystems, and the human economic and
cultures that depend on them.
Climate change means average seasonal change over a
long period of time Igwe (2003) defined climate change as the variation in
global or regional climates over time. It reflects changes state of the
atmosphere over time scales ranging from decade to thousands of years. Climate
change according to Nzewi (2009) refers to the measurable increase in the
average temperature of earth’s atmosphere, oceans and landmasses. Ezeudu (2009)
defined climate change as a long term significant change in the average weather
that a given region experience. Nwagu & Nzewi (2009) explained that climate
change is the significant change in weather (wind, precipitation and
temperature) over an extended period of time. Udenyi (2010) stressed that climate
change is simply a change in the climate condition of the world and the change
if found by the scientists and other concerned agencies to be on the increase
line. In the context of study, climate change means thesignificant and
measurable change of the global temperature which is believed to be rather on
the increase.
The earth’s climate is dynamic and always changing
through a natural cycle. However, what the world is more worried about is that
the changes that are occurring today have been speeded up because of human
activities (Okebukola & Akpan 2009). Similarly, Uzochi (2009a) remarked
that human have been changing their environment in very significant ways ever
since they learnt how to hunt with weapons, domesticate animals and farm crops,
in addition to human modernized transportation and industrial system, which
facilitate easy movement and production.
The impact of these human activities to the climate
change comes as a result of excessive emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into
the atmosphere. According to Sjoberg (2002), greenhouse gases mean the gases
that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation. The
gases include carbon dioxide, methane, chloroflorocarbon, water vapour, and
nitrous oxide. Igwe (2003) explained that a greenhouse gas is a gas in the
atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range.
This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse
effect is the rise in temperature that the earth experience because certain
gases in the atmosphere like carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, nitrous
oxide and chloroflorocarbon trap energy from the sun and retain greater part of
the trapped energy which caused the warming and changing of the global climate
experienced in the world today.
Furthermore, the concentration of the greenhouse gases
in the atmosphere caused ozone layer depletion. The ozone layer forms a thin
shield high up in the sky and is located in the stratosphere. It protects life
on earth from the sun’s ultra violent rays. In the 1980s, scientists began
finding clues that the ozone layer was going away or being depleted. This ozone
depletion allows more ultra violent radiation to reach the earth’s surface and
it increase the rate at which the global climate changes.
The increase rate of climate change has severe
consequences associated with it such as desertification, drought, temperature
rise, low agriculture yield, drying up of water bodies, flooding among others
(Oruonye, 2011). Similarly, Igwebuike, Odoh, Ezeugwu, Okparaku and Opkaraku
(2009) enumerated the effects of climate change to include melting of the polar
ice which could lead to rise in sea level. The rise in sea level could cause
flood disaster (which can wash away farmland and crops, in addition to
rendering the affected people homeless). Ekezie (2010) stated that the rise in
temperature as a result of climate change could lead to drought,
desertification, declining water table, lost of some plant and animal species,
low crop yield and outbreak of climate related diseases like malaria and
meningitis. These consequences of climate change according Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) could persist for longer time as a result
of human continuous emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In view
of the above, Omotosho (2007), Ishaya & Obaja (2008), Anyadike (2009), and
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP, 2010) argued that human continuous
perpetuation of acts that caused the excessive emission of greenhouse gases
such as bush burning, indiscriminate cutting down of trees (deforestation),
constant burning of fossil fuel among others, depends to the extent to which
they are aware that their activities contribute to climate change.
Oragwam (2004) described awareness as a state of
consciousness and purpose. Chinedu (2008) viewed awareness as the condition of
being aware and able to understand what is happening around one. Awareness is
the state or ability to perceive, to feel or to be conscious of events, objects
or sensory patterns. Awareness means having idea of the existence of something.
In relation with the above views, Wikipedia (2009) equates awareness with
knowledge of, understanding of, appreciation of, recognition of, attention to,
perception of, conscious of, acquaintance with, enlightenment with, mindfulness
of, cognizance of, something. Belloti (2002) explained that awareness involves
knowing who is talking with whom; it provides a view of one another in the
daily work environment. In the context of this study, though in relation to the
above views, awareness implies understanding and knowledge of the activities
and events (like climate change) going on around one’s environment. This
knowledge and understanding to a large extent influenced one’s attitude towards
such event (s) in one’s environment.
Attitude, according to Abini (2006), is an
acquisitioned tendency. Abini explained further that pupil’s form attitude
through either like or dislike, favourable or unfavourable. Williams (2000)
defined attitude as readiness to act in a certain way expressed by a person’s
words, gestures or facial expression. This contention is upheld because one’s
action is buttressed by one’s facial outlook, the way one behaves and presents
his ideas about the subject matter. Good (2001) on the other hand defined
attitude as a state of mental and emotional readiness to response previously
conditioned or associated stimuli. For Kent (2002), attitude is a mental and
natural state of readiness organized through experiences, exerting a directive
or dynamic influence upon the individual’s responses to all objects and
situation with which it is related. The above definition s presents attitude to
mean the way an individual thinks or acts towards a given subject or issue.
Therefore, climate change attitude means the way of thinking and acting by
individual towards the issue of global climate change. It is the feelings and
concerns an individual could have regarding climate change.
In relation to the above discussions, attempt has been
made to increase students’ awareness and attitude towards climate change in
secondary schools. For example, climate and general environmental related
contents like our environment, physical environment, sanitation
pollution, natural and man made environmental hazards,
deforestation, population, effects of industrial concentration, composition of
atmospheric gases, weather and climate, classification of climate, major
climate types of the world, were infused in most secondary school subjects like
Geography, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Agriculture, and Social Studies. These
contents and subjects are veritable means of promoting climate change awareness
and attitude of secondary school students in Nigeria. With respect to the
above, Ishaya & Obaja (2008) noted secondary school teachers have been inculcating
climate change contents infused into their respective subjects to the students
with the intention of increasing their knowledge of climate change as well as
influencing their attitude positively towards solving the problems of climate
change. Againde (2006) added that schools through classroom instructions are
making effort to create awareness on major environmental problems like climate
change. Similarly, Chinedu (2008) and Ofoebe (2009) shared the view that the
curriculum contents of most secondary school subjects could be effectively used
to promote awareness of environmental problems as well as positive attitude
towards solving the environmental problems.
In spite of the efforts, through school instructions
to promote awareness and attitude towards environmental problems particularly
climate change, it appears that the programme is not yielding the desired
result. This is because, people (including those who passed through the
instructional programme in school) seem to have continued perpetuating actions
such as bush burning, deforestation, burning of fossil fuel like petrol, coal,
and crude oil which contribute to climate change. It is worthy of note that as
these human actions that contribute to climate change continue, so shall the
consequences of climate change continue to face human beings on earth. Thus,
there is need to determine the extent to which instructional delivery in
schools through infusion strategy has increase the awareness and attitude of
students towards climate change.
In determining students’ level of awareness and
attitude towards climate change, considerations need to be taken on the
influence of gender and location on students’ climate change awareness and
attitude. According to Lee (2001) gender is an ascribed attribute that differentiates
feminine from masculine socially. Gender is seen as the categorization in the
world of matter into sex. According to Kalusi (2000), gender is a cultural
construction that assigns roles, attitude and values considered appropriate for
each sex. Ekeh (2000) noted that gender implies the character of being male or
female, man or women, boy or girl. Robert (2007) defined gender as a social
construct which is not biologically determined but a concept equivalent to race
or class. Offorma (2004) viewed gender as a learned socially constructed
condition ascribed to male and female. Offorma noted further that gender is
enforced through cultural practices as gender identity is the outcome of
cultural learning thus, the expectations from male and female are depended on
their cultural millieous.
These expectations could influence the way individual
perceived environmental problems like climate change. Discussing on gender and
environmental relations, Ekezie (2010) stressed that gender is an important
variable in environmental discussion. According to Ekezie (2010), females
appear to be closer to the environment than their male counterparts in the
sense that they need forest for food generation as well as for fuel wood used
for cooking. However, Chinedu (2008) noted that while the females relate with
the environment in a friendly manner than their male counterparts. That is, the
females merely engaged the environment for agricultural purpose while males
engaged the environment for different purposes which are more serious such as
falling forest trees for timber, clearing forest for construction of road,
building of houses and factories amongst others.
With respect to the above views, Ofoebe (2009)
presented the view that environmental sensitization programmes in and outside
the school should take into cognizance the gender difference or the
physiological difference between male and female which are obvious and
expectedly affect the ways in which both sexes respond to the environmental
issues as climate change. Oruonye (2011) noted that the different ways male and
female are socialized tend to determined their environmental exploration,
degree of environmental manipulation and overall relationship with the
environment, including the general awareness and attitude towards environmental
problems like climate change. Indeed, the present study sought among other
things to determine if gender has influence on students’ awareness and attitude
towards climate change as a peculiar environmental problem.
On the other hand, location of individuals could also
affect their awareness and attitude towards climate change. Location according
to Benton (2000) is a geographical place or an area. Ogunniyi (2008) opined
that location can also mean a settlement whether a village, town or city
usually by human beings. Igwe (2003) defined location as a place where
something or person resides in the world. Location in the context of this study
means a geographical place or area where somebody or something is situated. It
could be rural or urban area.
Rural areas are often made up of villages which may
either be dispersed, nucleated or even linear in their pattern of distribution
on the land, with few buildings and little number of people. It offers its
settlers a simple and quiet life style. Their major economic activity is
farming with few amenities and services centres. Thus, according to United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP, 2010), climate change awareness and
attitude of the rural dwellers in Nigeria is directly proportional to the
quantity and quality of information prevalent and available to them. Urban
areas are relatively large, dense and permanent settlement of socially
heterogeneous individuals. They could be towns, cities, conurbations or
metropolis. Urban areas have some characteristics – a large and heterogeneous
population, medical and political facilities, educational, recreational,
banking administrative and social activities, with highly developed manpower
(male and female), artisans etc who engage in non-agricultural occupations,
with highly impersonal relations. It is the opposite of rural areas, with its
sophisticated life and life activities.
The above disparity between the urban and rural areas
could influence their awareness and attitude towards climate change. In line
with this assumption, Nicholis and Small (2003) opined that where people live
(location) determine the how much information and knowledge that get to them
particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. Although, Agiande (2006)
found out in a study in Calabar that location is no longer a barrier to
students’ knowledge of environmental problems (like climate change). Ishaya and
Obaje (2008) in a study in Kaduna also found out that location has no
significant influence on students’ awareness of the problems of climate change.
The present study intends to determine if location have influence on students’
awareness and attitude towards climate change in Umuahia education zone of Abia
State.
Indeed, few studies have been done to determine the
students’ awareness and attitude towards climate change. For instance, Ishaya
& Abaje (2008) studied indigenous people’s perception on climate change and
adaptation strategies in senior secondary schools in Jema Local Government Area
of Kaduna State. The study found out that the students’ possessed low awareness
and poor attitude towards climate change. Oruonye (2011) carried out assessment
of the level of awareness of the effects of climate change among students in
Jalingo Metropolis of Tabara State. The study found that the students used for
the study are not aware of climate change and that they possessed low attitude
towards climate change. Furthermore, related studies have been done on
environmental education awareness and attitude of students by Ofoebe (2009), Chinedu
(2008) and Agiande (2006) in Okigwe Education Zone, Imo State. Owerri Education
Zone, Imo State. Ogoja Education Zone, Cross River State respectively. Even
though related studies have been done with respect to secondary school
students’ climate change awareness and attitude, none of the studies were
carried out in Abia State. Thus, at present the status of secondary school
students’ awareness and attitude in Abia State is not known. This gap is what
the present study tends to fill by determining the climate change awareness and
attitude of senior secondary school students in Umuahia Education Zone, Abia
State.
Statement of the Problem
The inherent
danger of climate change at present constitutes one major global problem. In
Nigeria, the consequences of climate change have started manifesting in form of
desertification, drought, temperature rise, low agricultural yield, dry up of
water bodies, flooding among others. To curtail these climate change
consequences, climate related contents were infused into most secondary school
curriculum. This infusion strategy was meant to create awareness and positive
attitude towards environmental problems like climate change. However, the worry
is that notwithstanding, the instructional effort in school to promote awareness
and positive attitude towards climate change, people tend to continue in
perpetuating the acts that increase the rate of climate change. Indeed, studies
have been done in some parts of Nigeria like Kaduna, Imo and Cross River states
to examine students’ awareness and attitude towards climate change as a result
of school instructions. The major worry of the study is that it appears that
such crucial contemporary study has not been done in Abia State. This gap is
what the present study intends to fill.
Based on the above gap, the problem of the study put
in question form is what is the climate change awareness and attitude of senior
secondary school students in Umuahia Education Zone of Abia State?
Purpose of the Study
The general
purpose of the study is to determine the climate change awareness and attitude
of senior secondary school students in Umuahia Education Zone. Specifically,
the study intends to;
i)
Ascertain the extent of senior secondary school students awareness of
climate change.
ii) determine senior secondary
school students’ attitudes towards climate change.
iii) ascertain the extent of
climate change awareness of senior secondary school students in terms of
gender.
iv)
determine climate change attitude of senior secondary school students in
terms of gender.
v) ascertain the extent of
climate change awareness of senior secondary school students in terms of school
location.
vi)
determine climate change attitudes of senior secondary school students
in terms of school location.
Significance of the Study
This study
anchored on functionalism theory. The theory holds that malfunctioning of any
part of a system affects the general functioning of the entire system. The
planet earth is a system with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and human
beings as the crucial parts. Therefore, malfunction of any part will affect the
functioning of the entire system. The findings of the study will help to
support the functionalism theory by showing how negative attitudes of people
towards the environment affect the functioning of the planet earth and this
will help to sustain the relevance of the theory.
The study will also be significant to the students,
government, society and curriculum planners. The students stand a chance of
benefiting from the study as it will present them opportunity to appraise
themselves particularly on their level of awareness and attitude towards
climate change. This will be possible because as the students will be actively
involved in the study through responding to the items of the research
instruments, they will understand (as they read through the items) the issues
in climate change such its meaning, causes, effects as well as the positive
attitudes needed for cautioning further increase and effects of climate change.
For the government and other environmentally focused
non-governmental organizations, the findings of the study will help to show the
students’ awareness and attitude towards climate change. This findings will
enable the government and other concerned non governmental organizations to
ascertain if environmentally relevant school subjects like Chemistry, Biology,
Geography, Physics, Social studies and Basic science have actually promoted
students’ awareness and attitude towards climate change. Again, non school
based programmes like radio jingles, television programmes and newspaper
articles are really creating awareness on climate change and influencing
peoples’ attitude towards climate change positively.
Furthermore, the society which could be seriously
affected as a result of the increasing change in global climate will benefit
from the present study. The society will benefit because when the study
successfully assessed the students’ awareness and attitude towards climate
change, the result will serve as a base on which both government and other
environmental concerned organizations will either choose to intensify their awareness
and attitudinal change campaign or choose to re-strategize their campaign
approach towards saving the environment. This by implication will help to
increase individual members of the society’s awareness and positive attitude
towards climate change thereby reducing human activities that contribute to
climate change and by extension save the society and its people from
destructive effect of climate change.
The curriculum planners will also benefit from the
present study. This is because the successful completion of the study will
enable the curriculum planners to have the knowledge (through the students mean
scores) of the climate change awareness and attitude of senior secondary school
students. This knowledge will help the curriculum planners to determine if the
senior secondary school curriculum needs to be revisited so that more contents
that could help to raise the level of awareness and attitude of senior
secondary school students on climate change will be added if necessary.
Scope of the Study
This study will
be limited to the climate change awareness and attitude of senior secondary
school students. The study will cover the meaning of climate change, causes and
effects of climate change as well as the strategies for promoting climate
change in school. The study will be carried out in all the senior secondary
class two (SS2) in Umuahia Education Zone, Abia State.
Research Questions:
The following
research questions guided the study.
1) What is the climate change
awareness mean score of senior secondary school students in Umuahia education
zone?
2)
What is the attitude mean score of students towards climate change?
3)
What are the climate change awareness mean scores of male and female
students?
4) What are the attitude mean
scores of male and female students towards climate change?
5) What are the climate change
awareness mean scores of students in terms of school location?
6)
What are the attitude mean scores of students towards climate change in
terms of school location?
1) There is no significant
difference (p<0.05) in the climate change awareness mean score of male and
female senior secondary school students.
2) There is no significant
difference (p<0.05) in the attitude mean score of male and female senior
secondary school students towards climate change.
3)
There is no significant difference (p<0.05) in the climate change
awareness mean score of urban and rural senior secondary school students.
4)
There is no significant difference (p<0.05) in the attitude mean
score of urban and rural senior secondary school students towards climate
change.
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