Skip to main content
Log in

Students' environmental concerns and opinions: a Chinese perspective

  • Published:
Environmentalist Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study aims at comparing broadly the environmental concerns and opinions between Hong Kong and Beijing students. This is based on an earlier study in Australia which adopted a qualitative approach, using five open-ended question items. In their written comments the children's environmental opinions and concerns were explored. In general, upper primary students tended to be concerned more about the social environment relating to society, while junior and senior secondary students expressed more concern about the social environment relating to the nation and global issues.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ballantyne, R.R. and Packer, J.M. (1996) Teaching and learning in environmental education: Developing environmental conceptions. J. Environ. Educ. 27(2), 25–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cade, A. (1990) Listening to children-the young opinion formers on Earth. Ann. Rev. Environ. Educ. 3, 10–1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cullingford, C. (1996) Children's attitudes to the environment. In Environmental Issues in Education (Harris, G. and Blackwell, C., eds.) pp. 21–36. United Kingdom: Arena.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Education, Queensland (1993) P-12 Environmental education curriculum guide. Queensland, Australia: Department of Education, Queensland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engleson, D.C. and Yockers, D.H. (1994) A guide to curriculum planning in environmental education. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gayford, C. (1987) Training and education in relation to environmental problems. In Annual review of environmental education, Vol. 1, Reading: Council for Environmental Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, R. and Chawla, L. (1982) The development of children's concern for the environment. Z. Umelweltpol. 2, 271–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillcoat, J., Forge, K., Fien, J. and Baker, E. (1995) 'I think it's really great that someone is listening to us... ': young people and the environment. Environ. Educ. Res. 1(2), 159–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hines, J., Hungerford, H. and Tomera, A. (1987) Analysis and synthesis of research on responsible environmental behaviour: a meta-analysis. J. Environ. Educ. 18(1), 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hungerford, H.R. and Volk, T.L. (1990) Changing learner behaviour through environmental education. J. Environ. Educ. 21(3), 8–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchinson, F. (1997) Our children's futures: are there lessons for environmental educators? Environ. Educ. Res. 3(2), 35–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, C. K-E. (1994) A preliminary meta-analysis of students' environmental knowledge and attitudes towards environmental issues in developed and developing countries. Int. Res. Geograph. Environ. Educ. 3(2), 35–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J.C.K. (1997) Environmental education in schools in Hong Kong. Environ. Educ. Res. 3(3), 359–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J.C.K. and Tilbury, D. (1998) Changing environments: the challenge for environmental education in China. Geography 83(3), 227–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marenti? Pozarnik, B. (1995) Probing into pupils' moral judgement in environmental dilemmas: a basis for 'teaching' values. Environ. Educ. Res. 1(1), 47–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, J.F. (1988) A subtle and silent transformation: moral education in Taiwan and the People's Republic of China. In The revival of values education in Asia and the west Cummings, W.K., Gopinathan, S. and Tomoda, Y., eds. pp. 109–30. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newhouse, N. (1992) Implications of attitude and behaviour research for environmental conservation. J. Environ. Educ. 22(1), 26–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, J. and Neal, P. (1994) The handbook of environmental education. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwan, T. and Miles, J. (1997) Australian students' environmental concerns and opinions of their living environment. In Earthlinks '97: Proceedings of the 9th biennial national conference of the Australian Association for Environmental Education and the Marine Education Society of Australasia (Todd, J.J., ed.) pp. 148–55. Tasmania, Australia: Australian Association for Environmental Education (Tasmanian Branch).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwan, T.Y.L. and Lidstone, J. (1998) Understanding environmental education in the People's Republic of China: a national policy, locally interpreted. Environ. Educ. Res. 4(1), 87–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris, P. (1996) The Hong Kong school curriculum: development, issues and policies. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, J.A. (1998) Environmental education in the 21st century: theory, practice, progress and promise. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rejeski, D.W. (1982) Children look at nature: Environmental perception and education. J. Env. Educ. 13(4), 27–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, A. (1994) Toward constructivist research in environmental education. J. Environ. Educ. 25(2), 21–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sit, V.F.S. (1995) Beijing: the nature and planning of a Chinese capital city. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanisstreet, M. and Boyes, E. (1996) Young people's ideas about global environmental issues. In Environmental issues in education, Harris G. and Blackwell, C., eds. pp. 37–52. United Kingdom: Arena.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stimpson, P.G. (1997) Environmental challenge and curricular responses in Hong Kong. Environ. Educ. Res. 3(3), 345–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Research and Development Committee (1994a) Beijing-Guangzhou-Hongkong comparative youth study series topic 4: government and politics. Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Youth Research Unit.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Research and Development Committee (1994b). Beijing-Guangzhou-Hongkong comparative youth study series topic 3: nation and ethnicity. Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Youth Research Unit.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilbury, D. (1994) The critical learning years for environmental education. In Environmental education in the early childhood years, Wilson, R., ed. pp. 11–3. Ohio: North American Association for Environmental Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, F.B.K. (1995) Rhetoric and reality-environmental education in Guangzhou. Int. Res. Geograph. Environ. Educ. 4(2), 101–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, K.K. and Yan. W.L. (1995) Survey report of green attitudes and behaviour of secondary school teachers and students in Hong Kong 1995. Report submitted to the Environment and Conservation Fund.

  • Zhou, Z. (1996) A report on public environmental consciousness survey. Environ. Educ. 2, 6–7, 15 (in Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lee, J.C.K., An, B., Chan, K.K. et al. Students' environmental concerns and opinions: a Chinese perspective. The Environmentalist 20, 141–155 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006760126931

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006760126931

Navigation