Hong, Suh-Young (2019, August). An explorative study of perception on environmental awareness of elementary school students using Q methodology. Journal of the Korean Geographical Society, 8(2), 139-154. (Korean) (doi: 10.25202/JAKG.8.2.3) (Link: https://doi.org/10.25202/JAKG.8.2.3) (Access: http://koreangeography.or.kr/data/file/sub03_4/872601632_7skgdyUJ_03_28139-15429C8ABBCADBFB5_QB9E6B9FDB7D0C0BB_C8B0BFEBC7D1_C3CAB5EEC7D0BBFDB5E9C0C7.pdf)
English Abstract: This study empirically analyzed the environmental awareness types of elementary school students using Q methodology. Q methodology is well developed to figure out person’s subjectivity on specific issues. In this research 25 statements on ecological awareness are sorted by 21 Q sorters, then 4 types of perception on ecological awareness in elementary school students are extracted; ecological cosmopolitanism, territorial civicism, global futurism, romantic anthropocentricism. First, ecological cosmopolitanism considers environmentally friendly attitudes and behaviors related to their practice to be important. Second, territorial civicism perceives the consideration of future generations as negative nonetheless, emphasizes problem solving of the present generation. Third, global futurism cares about consideration for future generations. And they look at environmental issues more macroscopically. Finally, romantic anthropocentricism recognizes that environmental advances can be solved by technological advancement. This result shows us ecological awareness of elementary school students, then suggests the direction of environmental education in the future.
Suh-Young Hong <kristine@korea.ac.kr> is a member of the faculty of Seoul Cheonggu Elementary School, Seoul, Korea.
