Environmental Worldviews in Higher Education: A Case Study of Turkish College Students

This study was designed to explore the nature of Turkish college students’ environmental worldviews and test hypothesized relations on environmental views, environmental course status, gender, school status and socio-economic status. A sample of 1295 undergraduate students from four Turkish universities was selected for the study and their views were measured on 25 statements. A self-administered survey questionnaire was used to collect the data. Study findings indicated that 56.5% of students hold pro-environmental views while 24.6% embrace views associated with the dominant social paradigm and 18.8% have ambivalent views. Results provided partial support for the hypothesized relationships. Female students, students with low socio-economic status and first-year students have higher pro-environmental orientations. Taking a course on environment makes only slight difference in opinions. It was concluded that students’ environmental orientations change varying extent according to gender, socio-economic status and education which are probably determined by the historical and cultural context and characteristics of the population under study. Results suggest that there exists a reasonable level of environmental awareness; however university policies and practices on the environmental education and issues need to be reassessed and geared toward cultivating environmental sensitivity.