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ISSN 1308 – 8971
Cilt: 04, Sayı: 07, 2013, 63-68
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS OF THE STUDENTS OF
AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITIES IN POLAND AND UKRAINE
Natalia DEMESHKANT
Dr, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, demesz@mail.ru
Abstract
The article presents the practical foundations of environmental education in selected agricultural
universities in Poland and Ukraine. Comparative analysis of environmental awareness of Agriculture,
Animal Husbandry, Agricultural and Forestry Technology students was carried out. An important
part of work is devoted to the analysis of the results of empirical studies that were conducted between
2004-2009 among students and lecturers of examined faculties of universities in both countries. The
obtained results indicate different level of formation of environmental awareness by students in both
countries, both in terms of the interest in environmental issues and environmental knowledge. The
results of these studies confirmed that the level of environmental awareness of students of Polish
universities high than in Ukraine, which may be explained by the more environmentally-oriented
learning process in Polish universities. In particular, it is advisable to use modern teaching methods
and techniques to activate the students and encourage them to work independently.
Keywords: environmental awareness, agriculture universities of Poland and Ukraine, environmental
education, modern teaching methods
Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi (BAED), Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, İzmir-Türkiye ISSN 1308 - 8971
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Environmental Awareness of The Students of Agricultural Universities in Poland and Ukraine
INTRODUCTION
One of the contemporary forms education of society is environmental education. Protection
of the natural environment is the main problem demanding solution from the world
community. Environmental risk can escalate dramatically. People must understand the
necessity of creating a new global civilization based on environmental awareness. Exists are
needed for the development of good living conditions for humanity. An important role in
environmental education of future specialists has such components: environmental
awareness, environmental knowledge of students, environmental and methodical
preparation of academics for the tasks of environmental education in higher education. The
main issue pursued by conducting trials was to explain the possibility of effects of the
educational process on the formation of environmental awareness of the students on selected
Polish and Ukrainian agricultural universities.
METHOD
The research was carried out at Polish and Ukrainian universities. Questionnaire studies
were carried out among the students of 2 and 3 years first degree studies agriculture
directions (Animal Sciences, Agriculture, Agricultural and Forest Technology) together 720
persons – 360 students from the Polish universities and 360 students from the Ukrainian
universities. The study aimed to collect the data as a basis for diagnosing levels of such
categories as interest in environmental problems and possession of the basic environmental
knowledge, what are in whole have allowed to compare levels of environmental awareness.
Some questions of the survey related to determining the level of interest in the
environmental problems. It was assumed that interest in environmental problems is one of
the main motivations to study at the agriculture university, because it means studying the
high number of biological and natural science, including environmental protection and
business impact of the activities at the condition of nature. Several questions allowed
explaining the level of environmental knowledge. As a result of these studies information
was accumulated about the causes of established difference in the levels of environmental
awareness between the respondents at the Polish and Ukrainian agriculture universities.
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Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi (BAED), Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, İzmir-Türkiye ISSN 1308 - 8971
Environmental Awareness of The Students of Agricultural Universities in Poland and Ukraine
FINDINGS
Based on the responses of the students it can be concluded that students of all examined
faculties of universities in both countries have a high level of interest in environmental
problems (on the average nearly 70%). Average and low levels are in relatively small
proportion and cannot be considered as the decisive indicator of the general state of interest
(Fig.1).
Fig. 1. Levels of interest in environmental issues among the surveyed students
70
60
50
40
30
high
20
average
10
low
0
Poland
Ukraine
Poland
Agriculture
Ukraine
Animal Husbandry
Poland
Ukraine
Agricultural and Forestry
Technology
fields of study
In terms of basic environmental knowledge agriculture students of Polish universities are
higher than students of Ukrainian universities. It is connected with educational program
which included quite a lot (almost 40%) subjects about environmental contents. In the second
place are Agricultural and Forestry Technology students of Polish universities. A similar
level of basic environmental knowledge was possessed by students of Animal Husbandry of
both countries. Low level of basic environmental knowledge is similar in all faculties of both
countries and is within the 11.7 to 22% (Fig. 2).
Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi (BAED), Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, İzmir-Türkiye ISSN 1308 - 8971
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Environmental Awareness of The Students of Agricultural Universities in Poland and Ukraine
Fig. 2. Levels of basic environmental knowledge of the surveyed students
% respondents
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Poland
high
average
low
Ukraine
Agriculture
Poland
Ukraine
Animal Husbandry
fields of study
Poland
Ukraine
Agricultural and Forestry
Technology
DISCUSSION
The discussion of results aims to verify the hypothesis that the level of environmental
awareness of the surveyed students of Polish agricultural universities is higher than of
respondents of Ukraine universities. For instance studies of Cichy (2005), by which the main
task of environmental education is to raise awareness for environmental protection and
sustainable development objectives. Many researchers consider levels of public awareness in
Poland and Ukraine in sufficient. For example, Tuszyńska (2008) reports that condition of
society environmental education is still unsatisfactory, it requires permanent educational
activities of various public institutions.
The research of Puchala (2010) show that the interest in the environmental issues of natural
sciences (chemistry, environmental protection, biotechnology) students are almost twice than
that of secondary pupils. Their knowledge of environmental questions is generally
satisfactory overall, but not sufficient in respect with more detailed questions. In terms of
practical actions pupils and students demonstrate their readiness and willingness to engage
in environmental activities, which is not always possible (for example, lack of waste
containers). The presented results show that raising level of societies environmental
awareness can be achieved by correctly carried education. The effectiveness of efforts to
improve the environment largely depends on the environmental awareness.
Słodczyk (2005) argues attitudes to environmental protection which arise from the
consciousness shaped by the levels of environmental knowledge are important. According to
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Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi (BAED), Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, İzmir-Türkiye ISSN 1308 - 8971
Environmental Awareness of The Students of Agricultural Universities in Poland and Ukraine
research of Bobrzynska (2004) carrying out practical activities to environmental protect
contributes to the increasing of environmental awareness, knowledge and interest in
environmental problems. The most important task of education is to develop among the
population skills of practical solving theoretical environmental knowledge in the workplace
and residence. Less attention should be given to the transfer of theoretical knowledge and
more on developing of practical skills (Tuszynska 2007). Selected above statements can be
theoretical basis to research levels of environmental awareness of students of Polish and
Ukrainian agricultural universities.
CONCLUSION
Following this study and generalization of questionnaires responses showed strong
influence of the educational process on environmental awareness of students. Results of this
research demonstrated a higher level of environmental awareness among examined students
of Polish agricultural universities than respondents in Ukrainian universities.
Batı Anadolu Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi (BAED), Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, İzmir-Türkiye ISSN 1308 - 8971
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Environmental Awareness of The Students of Agricultural Universities in Poland and Ukraine
REFERENCES
Cichy, D. (2005). Uwarunkowania edukacji dla zrównoważonego rozwoju. In D. Cichy (Ed.),
Edukacja środowiskowa wzmocnieniem zrównoważonego rozwoju (pp. 23-30).
Instytut Badań Naukowych, Warszawa.
Tuszyńska, L. (2008). Diagnoza stanu edukacji środowiśkowej społeczności lokalnych w wybranych
regionach Polski. Wyd. UW, Warszawa.
Puchała, C. (2010). Chemiczne aspekty zagrożeń i ochrony środowiska w badaniach świadomości
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