Martin Stanisstreet

The ‘Greenhouse Effect’: children's perceptions of causes, consequences and cures

Abstract Environmental problems, especially those of world‐wide dimension such as the increase in global warming by an exacerbation of the ‘greenhouse effect’ caused by atmospheric pollution, are becoming increasingly significant. Education about such issues is therefore becoming increasingly important. Although educational strategies and resources are best designed based on an appreciation of childrens preconceptions, little is known about childrens ideas in this area. We have undertaken a questionnaire and interview study of the ideas of secondary school children aged 11 to 16 about the causes, consequences and possible cures of global warming. The results show that some scientifically more acceptable ideas, such as the notion that an increase in the ‘greenhouse effect’ will cause changes in weather patterns, are already present in younger pupils. Other ideas, generally held by the science community, take time to become established over the period of secondary schooling; an appreciation of the mechani...

Children's Models of Understanding of Two Major Global Environmental Issues (Ozone Layer and Greenhouse Effect).

Abstract This work sets out to quantify the dominant models that 13 and 14 year‐old children hold of the causes of the greenhouse effect and ozone layer depletion. In particular, it attempts to assess the prevalence of those ideas which, in the minds of some, link the two phenomena. It would seem that about twice as many children (around 80%) think that holes in the ozone layer cause the greenhouse effect than think the greenhouse effect causes ozone layer damage. The most common suggested connection (around 60% of children) appears to be that the holes in the ozone layer somehow allow more solar energy to arrive at the earth, no distinction being made between heat rays and ultra‐violet rays. Other, more bizarre, models, which assume global warming is a consequence of ozone depletion, seem to find at most 20% approval. Of those ideas which constitute a causal link in the opposite direction, the most common view appears to be that the greenhouse effect causes more smoke and pollution to rise, or causes it ...

High School Students' Perceptions of How Major Global Environmental Effects Might Cause Skin Cancer

Abstract In this investigation the dominant beliefs of students aged 13–14 years about the possible links between increases in skin cancer and global environmental effects are quantified. The results indicate that a high proportion of students were aware that depletion of the ozone layer leads to a higher penetration of ultraviolet (UV) rays, which, in turn, may cause an increase in the incidence of skin cancer. However, a large proportion of these students confused the action of heat rays with that of UV rays; they also thought that raised temperatures (i.e., the greenhouse effect) are culpable. Only 1 in 10 of the students exclusively held the scientifically correct model: that ozone depletion, via higher penetration of UV rays, may lead to skin cancer.

Students' perceptions of global warming

In view of the potential significance of global warming to society, education about this issue is important. However, little is known of the preconceptions and misconceptions of young adults in this area. In this study the ideas of a group of first year undergraduate students about the “Greenhouse Effect” have been studied by questionnaire. The results show that although some of the erroneous ideas detected in previous studies with secondary school pupils do not predominate in these undergraduates, other misconceptions do persist. One such misconception is that the use of lead‐free petrol will reduce global warming. Another set of misconceptions indicates that many students confuse the causes and consequences of global warming with those of ozone layer depletion. We suggest that these misconceptions are manifestations of a more general underlying failure to link specific environmental problems with their specific causes and consequences.

Why aren't secondary students interested in physics?

This article describes a questionnaire study to determine why fewer Year 10 school students are interested in physics than in biology. The major general reasons for finding physics uninteresting are that it is seen as difficult and irrelevant. Certain areas within the physics curriculum are considered to be boring by some students, interesting by others. Other physics topics, however, are reported only in terms of being interesting; ‘the universe’ is an example. Males and females offer different reasons for finding physics boring, with males enjoying practical exercises and females valuing where physics can be seen as relevant.

Trainee Primary teachers' ideas about the Ozone Layer

Summary The ideas of trainee primary teachers about the ozone layer have been examined. Students were well informed about the nature and location of the ozone layer and appreciated that it screens the Earth from ultraviolet (UV) rays, although some thought that it protects the Earth from acid rain. Most identified real causes of ozone layer depletion, but many thought that radioactivity and factory and vehicle emissions cause ozone layer degradation. Almost all realised that ozone depletion might cause more skin cancers; fewer recognised other potential biological problems. Many confused ozone layer depletion with global warming. The proportions holding these ideas were similar to those of older secondary school children, suggesting that misconceptions persist to the adult population. Since these ideas were found in final year trainee teachers, there is a danger that erroneous ideas or the attitudes based on them might be perpetuated in a formal learning context.

The Ideas of Greek High School Students about the "Ozone Layer.".

Greek high school students between the ages of 11 and 16 have been questioned about their perception of the ozone layer. In particular, they were asked what and where they think it is, what it does, what will damage it, and what might be the result of any further damage. The ideas of 1161 students were investigated using a closed-form questionnaire which had been devised after interviews with a smaller group. This questionnaire was used previously in a study involving over 1700 students in the UK. From the results of the present study, it appears that Greek high school students have a good understanding of the position and purpose of the ozone layer in terms of protection from harmful ultraviolet rays, but some also think that it helps keep the world warm or protects it from acid rain. Students seem aware that the ozone layer is in danger, and they believe that many varied forms of pollution are the cause. It seems well known that further depletion might cause an increase in skin cancers and eye cataracts, although students assumed strong, erroneous, links with the greenhouse effect and other forms of local pollution, particularly those associated with illness and disease. The results of the factor analysis, which explores themes in student thinking, would appear to be consistent with a previous hypothesis that objects acquire their meaning from the actions we apply or attribute to them.

Reactions to a New Technology: students’ ideas about genetically engineered foodstuffs

Abstract This study explores the prevalence of ideas among 16‐19 year old students about the application of a rapidly expanding technology, genetic engineering, to food production. A closed‐form questionnaire with items about genetically engineered vegetables and animals was completed by 386 students from 13 further education institutes. The most common ideas about the advantages of genetically engineered foods were those of improved storage and increased productivity; fewer students thought that such foods would be better tasting, cheaper or healthier. Few thought that genetically engineered foodstuffs were unsafe for the environment or for the consumer, although almost all wanted such foodstuffs to be labelled. Approximately half thought that genetically engineered foodstuffs were ‘unnatural’, although fewer thought that it was wrong to produce such organisms and even fewer gam religious beliefs as their reason. There was a suggestion that greater understanding of genetic engineering increases confidenc...

The Environmental Impact of Cars: children's ideas and reasoning

SUMMARY Childrens ideas about how car exhaust emissions affect three global environmental problems have been studied using a graphic questionnaire in the form of flow charts. The majority of the children appreciated that cars exacerbate global warming and half of these could accept that carbon dioxide is responsible. However, almost as many thought that heat from exhausts causes the greenhouse effect. Half of the children realised that cars contribute to acid rain. Few of these appreciated that oxides of nitrogen are responsible; instead, carbon dioxide was seen as causing acid rain. The majority of the children thought, erroneously, that vehicle emissions damage the ozone layer. The most popular mechanism was, again, carbon dioxide, although some children thought that heat damages stratospheric ozone. Many children apparently see specific gases as ‘pollutants’ in general, contributing to a variety of environmental problems. A teaching strategy might be to avoid the generic term ‘pollution’ and link the ...

Kids, cars and conservation: Children's ideas about the environmental impact of motor vehicles

The ideas of children about the environmental impact of motor vehicles have been explored using an open‐form questionnaire. The children were from British National Curriculum Years 7 (age 11/12 years), 9 (age 13/14) and 11 (age 15/16). Children appear to think in different ways about the social and environmental costs of motoring. First, children were aware of the danger of direct physical injury from vehicles. Second, many children raised ideas of vehicle emissions, air pollution and human respiratory problems. These ideas were offered more frequently by the older children, suggesting a development of thinking to embrace more abstract, indirect effects of vehicles. Third, children, especially older children, raised ideas about vehicles and global environmental problems. However, the problem with which vehicles were most frequently associated, erroneously, was ozone layer damage. It is suggested that this persistent misconception is a product of more general failure to distinguish between the specific cau...