Abstract
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a forum that has a unique influence on governments across the world regarding economic, social and environmental issues. Through the PISA 2015 survey, the OECD measured both students’ knowledge and awareness of current environmental challenges. Across the countries involved in the PISA 2015 cycle, environmental awareness was associated with significantly increased scientific literacy scores. In the UAE and Qatar, overall reported environmental awareness in government schools was close to the OECD average. Girls reported significantly higher levels of environmental awareness across both countries than boys. Regression analysis revealed similar positive relationships between environmental awareness and scientific literacy for the UAE and Qatar, equivalent to nearly 9 months of additional schooling (B = 17.11, SE = 1.22, p < 0.001 and B = 19.00, SE = 0.86, p < 0.001, respectively). However, statistically significant differences in the strength of the relationships between girls and boys in both countries were not observed. In this chapter, suggestions for improvements to curriculum, practice and science education (particularly for boys) in government schools are provided to improve the environmental awareness of these students.
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Cairns, D. (2023). Understanding of Environmental Issues Across Two Gulf Countries: Do Girls Know More Than Boys in UAE Schools?. In: Dickson, M., McMinn, M., Cairns, D. (eds) Gender in STEM Education in the Arab Gulf Countries. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9135-6_7
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