The impact of recycling education on the knowledge, attitude and behavior of secondary school students

Parallel to rapid growth in the world population, consumption and destruction in the nature are rapidly increasing. Uncontrolled development of industrialization process starting from the 19th century and a tendency toward becoming a consumer society caused the amount of waste produced by the society to increase very sharply. Nowadays, the issue of what to do with and how to recycle urban waste has become one of the most important environmental problems. Reducing the waste by Recycling Projects carried out to solve this problem or to make use of the materials named as garbage that are not used anymore will save energy, money, and time. It should be kept in mind that the natural resources are not unlimited and to recycle these resources is a vital opportunity to leave future generations a livable world.On of the best solutions towards the reduction of industrial pollution which stands as one of the most important environmental problems of world and efficient use of our country?s and hence world?s natural resources is Recycling method. In this respect, the main aim of this study was to investigate whether use of a Recycling Education Program (REP) developed in accordance with constructivist thought, would result in conceptually meaningful environmental knowledge, attitude, and behaviors in students. In addition, the study aimed to find out in what ways the REP would affect students? environmental knowledge, attitude, and behaviors. The study further aimed to investigate whether traditionally provided environmental and recycling education within the context of secondary education curriculum would result in conceptually meaningful environmental knowledge, attitude, and behaviors in students. A literature review about this topic shows the existence of a considerable amount of studies that investigate the importance of recycling method, its education and teaching, students? perceptions of recycling, and its conceptual understanding. However, there are not many studies to mention on this topic in Turkey. The present study undertakes the concept of recycling form an educational perspective.This study employed a quasi-experimental method with pre-test/post-test control group design. The groups (control and experimental) were formed randomly. The control group received instruction using activities and related instructional methods and techniques indicated in the national secondary education biology curriculum. The experimental group was taught in the context of a Recycling Education Program integrated to regular classes using methods and techniques in accordance with conceptual change strategies and based on constructivist learning approach. Both groups received the Environmental Attitude Scale (EAS), the Conceptual Understanding Test of Ecosystem Ecology (CUTEE) consisting of open-ended questions, and the Recycling Achievement Test (RAT) before and after the experimental intervention as the pre and post-test. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the control and experimental group students to determine how they structured the concepts.Results suggested that the Recycling Education Program (REP) developed by the researcher was considerably effective in creating positive changes in students? knowledge, attitude, and behaviors toward recycling and environment. Previous research showed that there were recycling applications in many institutions (schools, municipalities, goverment offices) in Turkey. However, these applications tended to be insufficient and not continuous. In addition, people tended to think ?recovering? only in terms of ?recycling? and they did not have enough knowledge of the concepts ?reusing? and ?waste reduction? which are as important as recycling. Results obtained in this study support this statement.