MOTIVATIONAL ANALYSIS AMONG SCIENCE TEACHERS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION -A CASE STUDY OF DISTRICT BANDIPORA (JAMMU AND KASHMIR) INDIA

The environmental education in schools, colleges and universities plays a vital and indispensable role in improving the national quality and strengthening students’ environmental consciousness. The purpose of this study was to investigate how aware are the science teachers in secondary school of environmental issues while teaching science in classrooms. In the present study we determined awareness levels of prospective science teachers on various environmental aspects using a qualitative and quantitative analysis. The study was carried out in the form of a case study with about 400 teachers teaching up to the class VII in secondary schools of different educational zones in district Bandipora during the academic year 2008-2009. The sampled teachers were divided into four groups such as, science teachers of govt. schools (STGS), science teachers of private schools (STPS), other subject teachers of govt. schools (OSTGS) and other subject teachers of private schools (OSTPS). A standard questionnaire was prepared incorporating diverse issues of environmental science and applied to all the sampled teachers. According to the data obtained from the questionnaire results, significant difference were observed in the levels of environmental knowledge and perception in different groups of teachers owing to variability in their educational background, depth of interest, extent of seriousness, professional commitment, scientific attitude and sense of societal responsibility etc. However, the STGS group appeared most prospective with likelihood of improvement and doing better. The study calls for urgently putting in place the strategies and policies by the Education Department so as to safe guard the environment.