An assessment of students’ knowledge and awareness about local climate change related issues towards the end of compulsory education

Abstract

This research sought to assess the overall general knowledge and awareness about local climate change-related issues of students towards the end of their formal compulsory education cycle with special focus on transport and power generation. The assessment also sought to determine whether any differences and/or similarities emerge between the different types of schools participating in the research and to correlate the outcomes with subject syllabi and other cross-curricular materials that are regularly used in schools. The data required to inform the research was collected by means of a Likert-Scale and a dichotomous questions-based survey questionnaire about local climate change-related issues. This was followed up by quantitative as well as qualitative analysis through the correlation of the outcomes with subject syllabi and other cross-curricular materials that are regularly used in schools. A total of two hundred and seven Form 4 students participated in this research. These students came from six secondary schools selected randomly from across Malta. The study shows that, overall, the students have a good level of general knowledge and awareness about local climate change-related issues. However, it also emerged that there are still some aspects which need to be addressed and that further intervention should be taken.