Students’ Awareness and Attitude Towards Land Degradation and Deforestation (in the Case of Addis Ababa University)
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Date
2010-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate university students’ awareness and
attitude towards rural environmental degradation. To achieve the objectives of
the study 289 students were selected through stratified sampling from three
faculties in Addis Ababa University. Students were assessed using multiple
choice awareness test and Likert type of attitude scale. The data were analyzed
using descriptive statistic; t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and ANOVA. All
statistical manipulations were done by SPSS 15 version for windows.
The result of the study revealed that generally the students found to have
moderate level of awareness and favorable attitude towards land and forest
resources. In the case of item by item analysis students found to have less awareness for some of the environmental issues raised in the study. Students
also have unclear stand for some of the issues raised in the attitude items.
The study also revealed that there was statistically significant difference in
mean awareness score of students in terms of gender and age. It shows that
male and relatively old age students found to have better awareness about the
problem, causes, consequences and solution of land degradation and
deforestation. In addition, statistically significant mean awareness difference
was observed between students from urban and rural areas. This indicated that
students from rural areas had better awareness to land and forest resources. On
the other hand, the mean awareness score difference between second and fourth
year students was significant. That fourth year students found to have better
awareness for land and forest resources. The ANOVA summary for awareness
also showed the existence of significant mean difference among faculties and
departments. Thus the sampled students in Social Science College and
departments of PSIR and GES found to have better awareness to land and forest
resources.
Moreover, the analysis of attitude based on the independent variables shows the
absence of significant difference between male and female, second year and
fourth year students’ mean score. It was also insignificant between urban and
rural, and age of students. Thus, male and female, second year and fourth year,
relatively old and young, rural and urban students found to have similar attitude
towards land degradation and deforestation. The ANOVA summary for attitude
also did show the existence of significant mean difference among faculties and
departments’. Thus, the sampled students in Social Science College and
departments of PSIR and GES found to have more favorable attitude to land and
forest resources. The correlation coefficient also revealed that there was a
significant positive correlation between environmental attitude and awareness,
but it is weak. This implies that to some extent awareness may lead to an initial
development of attitude which in turn may result in increasing awareness.
Generally integration of environmental education is a must to bring similar and
high level of awareness and favorable attitude among students
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Keywords
Geography and Environmental Studies