Knowledge of sustainable development among geography students in Slovenia

Authors

  • Gregor Kovačič
  • Valentina Brečko Grubar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.1633

Keywords:

geography, sustainable development, knowledge of sustainable development, survey, education, universities, Slovenia

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the survey conducted among geography students of the three public universities in Slovenia regarding their knowledge of sustainable development and the ways of gaining this knowledge. On the basis of 160 questionnaires, distributed mainly among the first-level students, we concluded that the students assess their knowledge of sustainable development as very good. However, they lack knowledge about social aspects of sustainable development. They gained most of their respective knowledge through formal education. The knowledge of sustainable development improves in the course of study years on the first level and particularly on the second level. This fact and the answers regarding connectedness of study programmes with the topic of sustainable development (also the courses mentioned by the students) show that sustainable development is well integrated into geography study programmes.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Agresti, A. 2007: An introduction to categorical data analysis. New York.

Blum, A. 2010: Students' knowledge and beliefs concerning environmental issues in four countries. The journal of environmental education 18-3. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00958964.1987.9942734

Catenazzo, G., Epalle, A., Fragnière, E., Tuberosa, J. 2010: Testing the impact of sustainable development policies in Canton Geneva. Management of environmental quality: an international journal 21-6. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14777831011077682

Eyuboglu, K. T., Oslu, O., Oz, M. D. 2010: Attitudes of university students towards economic and sustainable development, in Istanbul. International review of business research papers 6-3.

Fridl, J., Ubanc, M., Pipan, P. 2009: Pomen učiteljevega zaznavanja prostora v izobraževalnem procesu. Acta geographica Slovenica 49-2, Ljubljana. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3986/AGS49205

Incekara, S., Tuna, F. 2011: Attitudes of secondary school students towards environmental and sustainable development issues: A case study from Turkey. African journal of biotechnology 10-1. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5897/AJB10.012

Internet 1: http://www.desd.org/About%20ESD.htm (30. 5. 2013).

Internet 2: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/education-for-sustainable-development/education-for-sustainable-development/ (30. 5. 2013).

Internet 3: http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/esd/Strategy&Framework.htm (30. 5. 2013).

Internet 4: http://www.helsinki.fi/~komulain/Tilastokirjat/09.%20Ristiintaulukko.pdf (20. 3. 2013).

Internet 5: https://www-304.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21479605 (20. 3. 2013).

Jones, P., Selby, S., Sterling, S. 2010: Sustainability education: perpectives and practice across high education. London.

Kagawa, F. 2007: Dissonance in students' perceptions of sustainable development and sustainability: Implications for curriculum change. International journal of sustainability in higher education 8-3. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14676370710817174

Košmelj, K. 2007: Uporabna statistika. Internet: http://www.bf.uni-lj.si/agronomija/o-oddelku/katedre-in-druge-org-enote/za-genetiko-biotehnologijo-statistiko-in-zlahtnjenje-rastlin/statistika/uporabna-stat-2007.html (20. 3. 2013).

Kovačič, G., Brečko Grubar, V. 2012: Razumevanje trajnostno sonaravnega razvoja študentov Univerze na Primorskem. Iluzija ločenosti: ekološka etika medsebojne soodvisnosti. Koper.

Michalos, A. C., Creech, H., McDonald, C., Hatch Kahlke, P. M. 2011: Measuring knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards sustainable development: Two exploratory studies. Social indicators research 100-3. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11205-010-9620-9

Michalos, A. C., Creech, H., Swayze, N., Maurine Kahlke, P., Buckler, C., Rempel, K. 2012: Measuring knowledge, attitudes and behaviours concerning sustainable development among tenth grade students in Manitoba. Social indicators research 106-2. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9809-6

Mlinar, A. 2011: Trajnost in univerza: možnosti, retorika, resničnost. Koper.

Nučič, M. 2012: Interdisciplinarnost znanosti o trajnostnosti: časovna dinamika. Acta geographica Slovenica 52-1. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3986/AGS52109

Plut, D. 1998: Varstvo geografskega okolja. Ljubljana.

Plut, D. 2005: Teoretična in vsebinska zasnova trajnostno sonaravnega razvoja. Dela 23.

Plut, D. 2006: Mesta in sonaravni razvoj. Geografske razsežnosti in dileme urbanega sonaravnega razvoja. Ljubljana.

Plut, D. 2008: Vrednotenje geografskega okolja in okoljska etika. Dela 29.

Plut, D. 2010: Geografija sonaravnega razvoja. Ljubljana.

Summers, M., Corney, G., Childs, A. 2004: Students teachers' conceptions of sustainable development: the starting-point of geographers and scientists. Educational research 46-2. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0013188042000222449

Urbanc, M., Fridl, J. 2012: Education for active citizenship in spatial-planning processes: from teacher to student. Geografski vestnik 84-1.

Wade, J. A. 1999: Students as environmental change agents. International journal of contemporary hospitality management 11-2. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09596119910272801

Downloads

Published

17-02-2016

How to Cite

Kovačič, G., & Brečko Grubar, V. (2016). Knowledge of sustainable development among geography students in Slovenia. Acta Geographica Slovenica, 56(1), 101–119. https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.1633