Highlights

Abstract

Keywords

۱٫ Introduction

۲٫ Procedures and methods

۳٫ Results

۴٫ Discussion

۵٫ Conclusion

Funding

Declaration of Interests

Acknowledgments

References

Abstract

Waste education modules were designed to tackle waste production. Knowledge acquisition, the promotion of individual sustainable attitudes combined with technology and science motivation are supposed the key players in achieving science citizenship. We assessed the identified parameters by monitoring the learning effect of fifth-graders, the Two Major Environmental Value scale (2-MEV), the Science Motivation scale (SMOT) as well as the Technology Questionnaire (TQ). Preservation correlated positively with knowledge acquisition, while Utilization correlated negatively. Moreover, intrinsic motivation correlated positively with pre-knowledge levels. Male students preferred the social implications of technology, as well as self-efficacy. Female students focused on appreciation of nature.

۱٫ Introduction

In the wake of global environmental protection efforts, various waste management initiatives should help promote sustainability and tackle excessive waste production. The involvement of the younger generation is, thereby, crucial since individual waste management is believed to be based on social norms and self-perception [1,2]. Thus, education about the impact of waste on the environment and health at school is important [3], while initiatives that focus on public involvement in creating feasible solutions further contribute to overall sustainable waste management [4,5]. Students who took part in educational programs on waste management could share their expertise with families and friends [6], [7], [8]. Therein presented recent findings in science and technology [9] could be combined with environmental protection to highlight its timeliness and relevance while motivating students. This leads to the question as to how the motivation to learn natural sciences is connected to enthusiasm for technologies and the environment and if this connection expands to knowledge acquisition in environmental sciences in combination with topics such as waste recovery. The UNESCO’s charter on environmental education [10] highlighted awareness, attitudes, skills, and content knowledge as key components of individual environmental competences. In consequence, many instruments have been developed to investigate these predicted interrelationships. The refined instruments were used in this study and are described below.

۱٫۱٫ Review on technology and environmental attitudes