THE ECOLOGICAL WORLDVIEWS AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Abstract

This research aims to explore the tendency of the New Ecological Paradigm and environmental concerns on local environmental issues of secondary school teachers. Two hundred seventy teachers were selected by stratified random and cluster sampling from 13 schools to participate in the survey. The seven teachers were interviewed on their concepts and beliefs on the ecological worldviews and local environmental concerns. The results of the research include: With high pro-environmental beliefs, most of the teachers expressed their concerns about the environment. However, teachers believe that Human will eventually learn enough about how nature works to be able to control it, which is labeled as anti-NEP item. It seems that teachers mostly notice to human learn not to human control. It also seems that teacher' environmental worldviews may be affected by their career training. The results of the research provide some implication for strengthening teachers' environmental endorsement and therefore to affect people's environmental ethics and friendly behaviors.