Investigation of secondary school science students' intentions for renewable energy use in the context of planned behavior theory: A structural equation model

In this study, it is aimed to examine the intentions of secondary school students towards renewable energy use in the context of planned behavior theory (PDT). In this study, a model including attitude, subjective norms, perception behavior control and intention variables which are components of PDT was proposed. The relationships in the proposed model were tested using structural equation modeling. In the 2018-2019 academic year, 813 secondary school students from three different public schools in Bursa participated in the study. Data were collected with the help of a developed scale. The developed scale includes attitudes towards the use of renewable energy, subjective norm, perceived behavior control and intention sub-dimensions. SPSS program was used for the validity and reliability analysis of the scale. According to the results of the analysis, a valid and reliable scale was developed including attitude (positive-negative), subjective norm, perceived behavior control and intention dimensions (in line with PDT). Two different attitude dimensions were combined with the help of first-order confirmatory factor analysis and four sub-dimensions (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavior control and intention) were reached. In order to test the relationship between the variables in the proposed model covering these four sub-dimensions, AMOS 21 program was used and SEM analysis was performed. According to the results of SEM analysis, students' attitude towards perceived renewable energy use and perceived behavior control dimensions positively predict the intention to use renewable energy. It was concluded that subjective norms, another dimension of PDT, had no significant effect on intent.