High School Students’ Ideas About Endangered Animals

Abstract

Students’ ideas about endangered animals are of great importance both in biology and environmental education. The main reason of this is increasing human effect on biodiversity and natural environment. Respecting nature, enhancing life quality and protecting biodiversity on the earth are among the principles of a sustainable society. The purpose of this study is to reveal high school students’ ideas about endangered animals. In line with this purpose, 404 high school students were given a measurement tool consisting of open ended questions. Data collected were evaluated according to the content analysis method. According to the students’ ideas the endangered animals were mainly mammalians. The students offered rather local than global examples on the endangered animals. The students associated the main reason of endangerment of the animals to the environmental issues, specifically to the environmental pollution. It was revealed that the knowledge resources of the students on the endangered animals were mainly the visual-audio media. The results were discussed with literature and suggestions were developed.

Keywords: student ideas, endangered animals, biodiversity education.