Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Investigating and structural modeling energy literacy of high school students in Taiwan

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Energy Efficiency Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The study investigated a sample population of 675 students drawn from high schools nationwide, to grasp how literate they were about energy issues and to construct accordingly, a model that depicted the interplay among their knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and behaviors. Students were found to possess better knowledge about scientific basics than related issues of energy, attitudes favoring renewable energy underlaid by relatively anthropocentric environmental value, and energy-saving habits. In explaining personal energy-related behaviors, the most influential component was attitude, and knowledge had little effect. Males were more knowledgeable about energy but held a less positive attitude than females, whose energy literacy components were also more strongly interconnected in the structural relationship model. Implications and other findings including the role of family behavior are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdelkareem, H. (2008). Empowering students’ scientific reasoning about energy through experimentation and data analyses. Doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University.

  • Adelle, C., & Withana, S. (2008). EU and US public perceptions of environmental: climate change and energy issues. Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP). http://www.ieep.eu/publications/pdfs/t_page/eu_us_public_perceptions.pdf. Accessed 15 Oct 2014.

  • Alwitt, L., & Pitts, R. (1996). Predicting purchase intentions for an environmentally sensitive product. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 5(1), 49–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bamberg, S., & Möser, G. (2007). Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera: a new meta-analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27, 14–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: a social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barak, J., Gorodetsky, M., & Chipman, D. (1997). Understanding of energy in biology and vitalistic conceptions. International Journal of Science Education, 19, 21–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blocker, J. T., & Eckberg, D. L. (1997). Gender and environmentalism: results from the 1993 General Social Survey. Social Science Quarterly, 78, 841–858.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyes, E., & Stanisstreet, M. (1993). The ‘greenhouse effect’: children’s perceptions of causes, consequences, and cures. International Journal of Science Education, 15(5), 531–552.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyes, E., & Stanisstreet, M. (2001). Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose? School students’ ideas about the ‘greenhouse effect’ a decade on. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 6, 77–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyes, E., Stanisstreet, M., & Yongling, Z. (2008). Combating global warming: the ideas of high school students in the growing economy of South East China. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 65(2), 233–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyes, E., Skamp, K., & Stanisstreet, M. (2009). Australian secondary students' views about global warming: beliefs about actions, and willingness to act. Research in Science Education, 39(5), 661–680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing structural equation model (pp. 136–162). Newbury Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Canada Wind Energy Association. (2005). Wind energy in Canada: market research briefing document. http://www.canwea.ca/images/uploads/File/Resources/Membership_Fact_Sheet_-_Public_Opinion_ResearchJune_29.pdf. Accessed 15 Oct 2014.

  • Chao, Y.-L. (2012). Predicting people’s environmental behaviour: theory of planned behaviour and model of responsible environmental behaviour. Environmental Education Research, 18(4), 437–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, K. L., Huang, S. H., & Liu, S. Y. (2013). Devising a framework for energy education in Taiwan using the analytic hierarchy process. Energy Policy, 55(1), 396–403.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Chien, C.-L., & Jen, T.-H. (2011). Investigating the impact of secondary school students’ gender on science-related career choice intentions in Taiwan—the case in PISA 2006. Chinese Journal of Science Education, 19(5), 461–481 (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornelius, M., Armel, K. C., Hoffman, K., Allen, L., Bryson, S. W., Desai, M., & Robinson, T. N. (2013). Increasing energy- and greenhouse gas-saving behaviors among adolescents: a school-based cluster-randomized controlled trial. Energy Efficiency. doi:10.1007/s12053-013-9219-5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniel, B., Stanisstreet, M., & Boyes, E. (2004). How can we best reduce global warming? School students’ ideas and misconceptions. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 61(2), 211–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, D., & Freudenburg, W. (1996). Gender and environmental risk concerns: a review of available research. Environment and Behavior, 28, 302–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson-Tunik, T. L. (2006). Stage-like patterns in the development of conceptions of energy. In X. Liu & W. J. Boone (Eds.), Applications of rasch measurement in science education (pp. 111–136). Maple Grove: JAM Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeWaters, J. E., & Powers, S. E. (2007). Developing an energy literacy scale. In: Proceedings of the 114th Annual ASEE Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, June 23–28, 2007, paper number AC2007-1069.

  • DeWaters, J. E., & Powers, S. E. (2008). Energy literacy among middle and high school youth. Proceedings of the 38th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Saratoga Springs, NY, October 22–25, 2008.

  • DeWaters, J. E., & Powers, S. E. (2011). Energy literacy of secondary students in New York State (USA): a measure of knowledge, affect, and behavior. Energy Policy, 39(3), 1699–1710.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeWaters, J., & Powers, S. (2013). Establishing measurement criteria for an energy literacy questionnaire. The Journal of Environmental Education, 44(1), 38–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeWaters, J. E., Powers, S. E., & Graham, M. (2007). Developing an energy literacy scale. Proceedings of the 2007 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition. Honolulu, HI, paper no. AC 2007-1069.

  • DeWaters, J. E., Qaqish, B., Graham, M. E., & Powers, S. E. (2013). Designing an Energy Literacy Questionnaire for middle and high school youth. The Journal of Environmental Education, 44(1), 56–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dietz, T., Kalof, L., & Stern, P. (2002). Gender, values, and environmentalism. Social Science Quarterly, 83(1), 353–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Energy Bureau of Ministry of Economy (EBME). (2006). Project of assisting schools in promoting energy education (2/3). No. 95-D0240. Taipei: EBME (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Energy Bureau of Ministry of Economy (EBME). (2009). 2009 National energy conference: conclusion report. Taipei: EBME (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurobarometer. (2006). Attitudes towards energy. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldring, H., & Osborne, J. (1994). Student’s difficulties with energy and related concepts. Physics Education, 29, 26–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gram-Hanssen, K. (2005). Teenage consumption of information and communication technology. Proceedings of the 2005 European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

  • Grob, A. (1995). A structural model of environmental attitudes and behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15, 209–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hair, J. F., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L., & Black, W. C. (1998). Multivariate data analysis. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halder, P., Pietarinen, J., Havu-Nuutinen, S., & Pelkonen, P. (2010). Young citizens’ knowledge and perceptions of bioenergy and future energy implications. Energy Policy, 38, 3058–3066.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halder, P., Prokop, P., Chang, C. Y., Usak, M., Pietarinen, J., & Havu-Nuutinen, S. (2011). International survey on bioenergy knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes among young citizens. Bioenergy Research, 5, 247–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, B. C. (2001). Gender, scientific knowledge, and attitudes toward the environment: a cross-national analysis. Political Research Quarterly, 54(3), 657–671.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hines, J. M., Hungerford, H., Tomera, A. (1986/87). Analysis and synthesis of research on responsible environmental behavior. The Journal of Environmental Education, 18(2), 1-8.

  • Hu, L.-T., & Bentler, P. M. (1995). Evaluating model fit. In R. H. Hoyle (Ed.), Structural equation modelling: concepts, issues, and applications (pp. 76–99). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, Y., Chou, Y.-C., Yen, H.-W., & Bai, H.-C. (2012). Developing an innovative educational program for energy saving and carbon reduction: an elementary school example. Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences, 51, 840–848.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hungerford, H. R., & Volk, T. L. (1990). Changing learner behavior through environmental education. The Journal of Environmental Education, 21(3), 8–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaramillo, P., Marriott, J., Matthews, D. H. (2008). How much electricity do you use? An activity to teach high school students about energy issues. IEEE International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment, 1–5.

  • Jenkins, E., & Pell, R. (2006). Me and the environmental challenges: a survey of English secondary school students’ attitudes towards the environment. International Journal of Science Education, 28(7), 765–780.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, P. (2009). New directions in renewable energy education. Renewable Energy, 34, 435–439.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, P., & Lund, C. (2001). Renewable energy education for sustainable development. Renewable Energy, 22, 113–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, B. B. (2002). Knowledge, action and pro-environmental behavior. Environmental Education Research, 8(3), 325–334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jin, H., & Anderson, C. W. (2012). A Learning progression for energy in socio-ecological systems. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 49(9), 1149–1180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaiser, F. G., Wolfing, S., & Fuhrer, U. (1999). Environmental attitude and ecological behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 19, 1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kandpal, T. C., & Garg, H. P. (1999). Energy education. Applied Energy, 64, 71–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khambalkar, V. P., Katkhede, S. S., Dahatonde, S. B., Korpe, N. D., & Nage, S. M. (2010). Renewable energy: an assessment of public awareness. International Journal of Ambient Energy, 31(3), 133–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kılınç, A., Boyes, E., & Stanisstreet, M. (2011). Turkish school students and global warming: beliefs and willingness to act. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 7(2), 121–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kollmuss, A., & Agyeman, J. (2002). Mind the gap: Why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior? Environmental Education Research, 8(3), 239–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, L. S., Lin, K. Y., Guu, Y. H., Chang, L. T., & Lai, C. C. (2012). The effect of hands-on ‘energy saving house’ learning activities on elementary school students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding energy saving and carbon-emissions reduction. Environmental Education Research, 19(5), 620–638.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leiserowitz, A., Smith, N., Marlon, J. R. (2011). American teens’ knowledge of climate change. Yale University: New Haven, CT: Yale Project on Climate Change Communication. http://environment.yale.edu/uploads/american-teens-knowledge-of-climate-change.pdf. Accessed 15 Oct 2014.

  • Liarakou, G., Gavrilakis, C., & Flouri, E. (2008). Secondary school teachers’ knowledge and attitudes towards renewable energy sources. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 18(2), 120–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liarakou, G., Athanasiadis, I., & Gavrilakis, C. (2011). What Greek secondary school students believe about climate change. International Journal of Environmental and Science, 6(1), 79–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, X., & Collard, S. (2005). Using rasch model to validate stages of understanding the energy concept. Journal of Applied Measurement, 6, 224–241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, X., & McKeough, A. (2005). Developmental growth in students’ concept of energy: analysis of selected items from the TIMSS database. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 42, 493–517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, X., & Ruiz, M. E. (2008). Using data mining to predict K-12 students’ performance on large‐scale assessment items related to energy. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45(5), 554–573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, X., & Tang, L. (2004). The progression of students’ conceptions of energy: across-grade and cross-cultural study. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education, 4, 43–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, S. Y., Chen, R. H., Chiu, Y. R., & Lai, C. M. (2012). Building energy and children: theme-oriented and experience-based course development and educational effects. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 11(1), 185–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCright, A. M. (2010). The effects of gender on climate change knowledge and concern in the American public. Population and Environment, 32, 66–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNeill, K. L., & Vaughn, M. H. (2012). Urban high school students’ critical science agency: conceptual understandings and environmental actions around climate change. Research in Science Education, 42, 373–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Punter, P., Ochando‐Pardo, M., & Garcia, J. (2011). Spanish secondary school students’ notions on the causes and consequences of climate change. International Journal of Science Education, 33(3), 447–464.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qu, M., Ahponen, P., Tahvanainen, L., Gritten, D., Mola-Yudego, B., & Pelkonen, P. (2011). Chinese university students’ knowledge and attitudes regarding forest bioenergy. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15, 3649–3657.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schahn, J., & Holzer, E. (1990). Studies of individual environmental concern: the role of knowledge, gender, and background variables. Environment and Behavior, 22, 767–786.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schelly, C., Cross, J. E., Franzen, W. S., Hall, P., & Reeve, S. (2012). How to go green: creating a conservation culture in a public high school through education, modeling, and communication. The Journal of Environmental Education, 43(3), 143–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schreiner, C., Henriksen, E., & Kirkeby Hansen, P. (2005). Climate education: empowering today’s youth to meet tomorrow’s challenges. Studies in Science Education, 41, 3–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schultz, P., Gouveia, V., Cameron, L., Tankha, G., Schmuck, P., & Franek, M. (2005). Values and their relationship to environmental concern and conservation behavior. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 36(4), 457–475.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelton, S. (2008). Energy pulse survey shows mix of rising awareness, confusion about energy and renewables. ElectricNet, http://www.electricnet.com/doc/energy-pulse-survey-shows-mix-of-rising-aware-0001?VNETCOOKIE=NO. Accessed 15 Oct 2014.

  • Smith-Sebasto, N. J., & Fortner, R. W. (1994). The environmental action internal control index. The Journal of Environmental Education, 25, 23–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern, P. C. (2000). Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 407–424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toth, N., Little, L., Read, J. C., Fitton, D., & Horton, M. (2013). Understanding teen attitudes towards energy consumption. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 34, 36–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valkila, N., & Saari, A. (2013). Attitude–behaviour gap in energy issues: case study of three different Finnish residential areas. Energy for Sustainable Development, 17(1), 24–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watts, D. (1983). Some alternative views of energy. Physics Education, 18(5), 213–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yilmaz, O., Boone, W. J., & Andersen, H. O. (2004). Views of elementary and middle school Turkish students toward environmental issues. International Journal of Science Education, 26(12), 1527–1546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zelezny, L. C., Chua, P.-P., & Aldrich, C. (2000). Elaborating on gender differences in environmentalism. Journal of Social Issues, 56, 443–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zografakis, N., Menegaki, A. N., & Tsagarakis, K. P. (2008). Effective education for energy efficiency. Energy Policy, 36, 3226–3232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zyadin, A., Puhakka, A., Ahponen, P., Cronberg, T., & Pelkone, P. (2012). School students' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward renewable energy in Jordan. Renewable Energy, 45, 78–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Institute of Education, Tunghai University, 1727, Sec.4, Taiwan Boulevard, Xitun District, Taichung, 40704, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Shr-Jya Chen

  2. Department of Business Administration, Tunghai University, 1727, Sec.4, Taiwan Boulevard, Xitun District, Taichung, 40704, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Ying-Chyi Chou

  3. College of Management, Tunghai University, 1727, Sec.4, Taiwan Boulevard, Xitun District, Taichung, 40704, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hsin-Yi Yen

  4. Graduate Institute of Science Education and Environmental Education, National Kaohsiung Normal University, 62, Shenjung Rd. Yanchau District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 82444, Republic of China

    Yu-Long Chao

Authors
  1. Shr-Jya Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ying-Chyi Chou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hsin-Yi Yen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yu-Long Chao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yu-Long Chao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chen, SJ., Chou, YC., Yen, HY. et al. Investigating and structural modeling energy literacy of high school students in Taiwan. Energy Efficiency 8, 791–808 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-015-9327-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-015-9327-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation