2015 Conference

Poster Presentation

Environmental literacy is a core educational outcome in undergraduate education.  In addition, many researchers have focused on studying students’ environmental behavior: the ultimate outcome of environmental literacy. Hollweg, et al (2001) suggested that environmental literacy is composed of four components: knowledge, competencies, dispositions and contexts. The four components are correlated with another and should be able to predict whether an individual engages in environmentally sustainable behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine if Hollweg, et al (2001)’s model fits to predict college students’ environmental behavior.

Data was collected by administrating a questionnaire developed by North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) to a group of college students with agriculture related majors (n =80) at a Midwestern university. This questionnaire is based on Hollweg, et al (2001)’s model, and uses Likert-scale statements and achievement test to assess people’s environmental literacy and measure their environmental behavior. Respondents’ demographics were collected at the end of the questionnaire. Results indicate there are moderate correlations between dispositions and competencies (r =.31), and between contexts and behavior (r =.30). Hierarchical multiple regressions were to test the hypothesis of prediction. However, neither the reduced regression model (F =.86, df =10; 42, p =.58) nor full model (F =.81, df =11; 41, p =.63) was significant. Such results indicate that the four literacy components failed to predicate the environmental behavior.  

Hollweg, et al (2001)’s theory did not fit well the data. The results may be due to the specific population in this study, whereas Hollweg, et al (2001)’s theory was not particularly developed for college students. Model modifications will be the next step of this study by conducting Structure Equation Modeling on a larger simple. Meanwhile, researchers are encouraged to study and develop other theories on environmental literacy and behavior.