Investigating the relationship between high school students' environmental literacy, achievement and attitudes towards chemistry

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between enviromental literacy, achievement and attitudes towards chemistry on high school students who have been currently taking chemistry lesson. Survey research method was used in the study. Data were collected from 451 high school students who have been taking chemistry lesson were in two different anatolian high school during the second semester of academic year of 2011-2012. Dimension of enviromental literacy of students were measured by enviromental literacy questionnaire and students? attitudes towards chemistry lesson were measured by chemistry attitude scale. Students? grade point averages at end of the acamedic year were used as the indicators of chemistry and academic achievement. The result of this study showed that students? gender, school type and class level had an impact on their chemistry and academic achievement,attitudes towards chemistry lesson and enviromental literacy. There was a significant, moderate and positive relationship between high school students? chemistry achievements and academic achievements, academic achievements and attitudes towards chemistry, chemistry achievements and attitudes towards chemistry. The relationship between academic achievements and enviromental concern, enviromental attitude, enviromental behavior was statistically significant, moderate and positive while there was not a significant relationship between academic achievements and enviromental knowledge. It was figured out that chemistry achievement had a statistically lower relationship with enviromental knowledge, a moderate relationship with enviromental concern and behaviour and a higher also positive relationship with enviromental attitudes. Relationship between attitude towards chemistry lesson and enviromental concern, enviromental attitude, enviromental behavior was statistically significant, moderate and positive while there was not a significant relationship between attitudes towards chemistry lesson and enviromental knowledge. On the other hand, dimensions of environmental literacy.relationships with each other have been identified in this study.