Determining the knowledge and attitude of highly- gifted students who are attending primary and secondary schools towards environment: Example of Aydın provience

This research is is a cross-sectional type scheduled study intended for determining the environmental knowledge and attitudes of gifted students at primary and secondary school level registered in Science and Art Centers (BİLSEM) affiliated to Aydın Provincial Directorate of National Education. The research was carried out with students who continue their education in the fall and spring semesters of the 2020-2021 academic years. The universe of the research consisted of 707 students in total. The sample size was calculated using the G-power program. The sample of the study consisted of 192 students. These students formed the sample of the research. Data Form; socio-demographic characteristics data form, Environmental Attitude Scale and Environmental Knowledge Test were used. In order to carry out the study, necessary permissions were obtained from Aydın Adnan Menderes University Health Sciences Institute Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee and Aydın Provincial Directorate of National Education. The data were evaluated in the SPSS 25.0 package program. In the study, 55.2% of the participants were female students and 44.8% were male students. The average age of the students was found to be 10.67 ± 1.21. When it was examined whether they received help from other places besides BİLSEM, it was seen that 19.3% of the students received support and 80.7% of them did not receive any help in any way. In addition, the environmental knowledge test total score average of the participants in the study was determined as 89.96±7.30, and the environmental attitude scale total score average was determined as 116.93±8.29. No statistical difference was found between the students' gender, grade level, family residence, parents' graduation status, and the total scores of the Environmental Attitude Scale and the Environmental Knowledge Test. In our study, it was observed that gifted students had high scores on the Environmental Attitude Scale and the Environmental Knowledge Test. However, there was no statistical difference between sociodemographic characteristics and the total scores of Environmental Attitude Scale and Environmental Knowledge Test. It is thought that the difference can be determined if it is studied in larger samples. In addition, it is expected that highly-gifted students will determine their knowledge and attitudes towards the environment, environmental education will come to the fore in the fight against environmental problems, they will participate more actively in the process of solving environmental problems and the process will accelerate. Keywords: Attitude Towards The Environment, BİLSEM, Highly- Gifted Individual, Knowledge Towards The Environment