Students’ Low Ecological Awareness as the Result of Unsuitable insufficient Ecological Education at Earlier Educational Stages

Abstract

Graduates from natural sciences should demonstrate a high level of awareness of nature protection issues as well as have the skills to use these competences in daily life. The aim of the article is to demonstrate the state of knowledge of ecology of students of the studies in natural sciences (including teaching faculties), which undoubtedly translates into the course of their education and ecological awareness. The author of the article has presented results of the survey studies carried out among 100 students of the Pedagogical University of Cracow specializing in: geography, biology as well as tourism and recreation. The main research aim has been to determine the level of students’ ecological awareness and factors constituting its level as well as primary ecological knowledge. The studies carried out in 2017 among the students of the above faculties have demonstrated many aspects leading to little knowledge of natural science and ecological awareness. They have concerned above all formal and informal education, but also lack of providing stimulus raising interest of ecology at higher studies. What is worrying above all else is the fact that this problem concerns also future teachers, which triggers the need for change in the process of education at Polish schools - starting from core curriculum and ending with improvement of ecological education of teachers themselves.