Research Paper
Environmental Education
Hooman Bahmanpour; Mojgan Zaeimdar; Behrang Salajegheh
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to provide an optimal educational model to improve the general and specialized knowledge of Tehran citizens regarding biodiversity. In the first step, a researcher-made questionnaire was used to assess the level of citizens' awareness. Then, using the opinions of experts, ...
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The purpose of this study is to provide an optimal educational model to improve the general and specialized knowledge of Tehran citizens regarding biodiversity. In the first step, a researcher-made questionnaire was used to assess the level of citizens' awareness. Then, using the opinions of experts, various educational methods were weighed and evaluated. For this purpose, two target levels were designed as expected scenarios. Digest and Ant (ACA) algorithms were used to accurately evaluate and determine the optimal route with the lowest time and lowest cost. The results showed that women's general knowledge about biodiversity was higher than men’s and vice versa about specialized knowledge. On the other hand, there was a significant positive relationship between biodiversity knowledge and education level. Also, to achieve the first level goal, the "Combined educational model" with a weight of 1.196, and the educational model "Virtual educational model" with a weight of 0.608 were evaluated as the most appropriate and inappropriate educational model for transferring general knowledge to citizens, respectively. Regarding the purpose of the second level, the method of "face-to-face training" with a final weight of 64 and "preparation and distribution of training packages" with a weight of 43 had the highest score. Finally, the optimal path for raising the level of specialized knowledge of citizens has a weight of 161, which includes such things as achieving a good level of general knowledge, creating an educational environment, supporting the formation of environmental NGOs, incentives, needs assessment, and review.
Research Paper
Environmental Education
Mohammad Montazeri; Ali Yaghoubipoor; Gholamreza Jalalian
Abstract
The aim of this study is to design a sustainable productivity model based on environmental knowledge and awareness in small and medium-sized industries using an interpretive structural modeling approach. The research approach was mixed with an exploratory design that consisted of two qualitative and ...
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The aim of this study is to design a sustainable productivity model based on environmental knowledge and awareness in small and medium-sized industries using an interpretive structural modeling approach. The research approach was mixed with an exploratory design that consisted of two qualitative and quantitative parts. The participants included 15 academic experts and managers of small and medium-sized industries of Kerman province that were selected through purposeful sampling and snowball sampling methods. The qualitative part was carried out with the aim of identifying the factors related to sustainable productivity by searching in the theoretical bases and analyzing the content of interviews with members of the panel, and the quantitative part was done through the formation of a Structural Self-Interaction Matrix (SSIM). After analyzing data and drawing the model, 16 variables were identified in the nine levels as the drivers of sustainable productivity in small and medium-sized industries. Meanwhile, two factors including green management and green innovation have the highest influence and guidance, and managers must consider these factors as the foundation stone of sustainable productivity in small and medium-sized industries.
Research Paper
Environmental Education
Siroos Ahmadi; Sayyed Samad Beheshti; Ehsan Kohansalkhoob
Abstract
This study has investigated the effective social factors on solid waste management behaviors (reduce, reuse, and recycle) in Abadan city. 395 people who were selected using the multi-stage random sampling method responded to the questions. Based on the descriptive findings, the mean age of the respondents ...
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This study has investigated the effective social factors on solid waste management behaviors (reduce, reuse, and recycle) in Abadan city. 395 people who were selected using the multi-stage random sampling method responded to the questions. Based on the descriptive findings, the mean age of the respondents is 32.5, and 53.7% are men and 46.3% are women. The analytical findings show that there is a positive and significant relationship between environmental attitudes and reusing and recycling. Mental norms in both dimensions of "descriptive norms" and "emphatic norms", and citizenship culture in both dimensions of "obligations" and "participation" have shown a positive and significant relationship with waste management behavior. In addition, age has a negative and significant relationship with waste reduction. The mean for solid waste management behavior is significantly different among differently educated groups. The mean for reusing among women is significantly higher than among men and the mean for reduction and reusing are significantly different between single and married people. The regression analysis indicates that the independent variables can explain 0.38 of the dependent variable and the perceived behavior control in its external dimension is the most powerful variable for predicting the dependent variable.
Research Paper
Environmental Education
Halimeh Razmi; Ali Shams; Mohammad Hossein Shahir
Abstract
Biosecurity is a key factor in the economic productivity of rural family poultry units, as an effective component of rural household livelihoods; As well as the control and transmission of common diseases between humans and animals or the spread of other infectious agents. Knowledge is one of the most ...
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Biosecurity is a key factor in the economic productivity of rural family poultry units, as an effective component of rural household livelihoods; As well as the control and transmission of common diseases between humans and animals or the spread of other infectious agents. Knowledge is one of the most important factors in observing biosecurity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the biosecurity level of rural family poultry units in Maragheh Township and the factors related to it. The research paradigm was a mixed method. The statistical population of the study consisted of local poultry farmers (rural households) in Maragheh villages. Data were gathered through interviews, observation, and a valid questionnaire from 224 rural women. These women were selected with a multi-stage randomized sampling method. Samples of the qualitative part were selected and studied by purposeful sampling and snowball. The results showed that 78.1 percent of units had a low level of biosecurity. The knowledge of 80.8 percent of rural women regarding poultry was medium. Most owners did not use vaccines and veterinary services. The birds’ cages were not disinfected or cleaned. Knowledge and education about poultry production had a positive significant correlation with the biosecurity level of units but owners’ age and yearly income had a negative correlation with the biosecurity level. The weak status of biosecurity is partly due to the owners’ low poultry production knowledge and partly due to the open space living place of the units. The reasons and motivations to observe each of the biosecurity principles were studied qualitatively.
Research Paper
Environmental Education
Javad Ghasemi; Hesamedin Gholami; Amir Afzaligrouh; Amir Alambeigi
Abstract
Given the rise in popularity of ecotourism, investigating its impacts on the local community is of great importance. Thus, this study aimed to analyze ecotourism’s effects on the empowerment of local communities. In this regard, based on the empowerment wheel conceptual framework (Mendoza-Ramos, ...
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Given the rise in popularity of ecotourism, investigating its impacts on the local community is of great importance. Thus, this study aimed to analyze ecotourism’s effects on the empowerment of local communities. In this regard, based on the empowerment wheel conceptual framework (Mendoza-Ramos, 2013) a survey was conducted in Savadkuh County. The sample size was calculated to be 240 people according to Daniel's sampling formula and was accessed through the convenience-sampling method. Data were collected through a questionnaire, the validity of which was approved by a panel of experts and construct validity (AVE Index). The reliability of the questionnaire was approved by calculating Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability (CR). The data were analyzed by SPSS22 and Smart PLS software. Besides the confirmation of indicators’ homogeneity and reliability, the results of confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that local community empowerment's measurement model had five components (i.e. psychological, environmental, political, economic, and social). In addition, results revealed that the total mean score of local people empowerment was 3.1 out of 5. The highest mean scores were for the psychological (3.35) and environmental (3.22) dimensions of empowerment, respectively. The lowest mean scores were for the political (2.89) and economic (2.96) dimensions of empowerment, respectively. The social empowerment dimension (3.10) was almost at a moderate level. Accordingly, it is recommended to improve the political and economic empowerment of Savadkuh County’s local people through participatory approaches and facilitation techniques.
Research Paper
Environmental Education
Ali Saeidi; Hamed Meiboudi
Abstract
Acquiring environmental knowledge is the first step towards environmental sustainability, and basically, the condition for the future survival of humanity is environmental knowledge, the ability to understand the principles of knowing the environment and living based on them. Green school standards, ...
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Acquiring environmental knowledge is the first step towards environmental sustainability, and basically, the condition for the future survival of humanity is environmental knowledge, the ability to understand the principles of knowing the environment and living based on them. Green school standards, which include physical space, organizational culture, and educational goals, provide an overview of a green school. One of the important duties of green schools is to provide a suitable field for environmental education for students. The aim of the current study is to identify the challenges of evaluating environmental education in green schools in Iran. In this paper using a survey method challenges were identified and investigated and then the data were analyzed by using SPSS software. After calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient between the variables and the determination coefficient, the research hypotheses have been examined using the correlation coefficient significance test. The results show that only the diversity of educational content and ambiguity in information sources are considered challenges in evaluating environmental education in green schools. Together, these two variables can predict up to %18.1 of the variance of challenges.
Research Paper
Environmental Education
Mahbobeh Eskandari; Esmat Rasoli; Vahid Fallah
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explain the design of a service learning curriculum model with an emphasis on green economics for junior high school students. This research is among the applied researches that have been done by qualitative-quantitative research method (Mixed Method). Accordingly, ...
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The purpose of this study is to explain the design of a service learning curriculum model with an emphasis on green economics for junior high school students. This research is among the applied researches that have been done by qualitative-quantitative research method (Mixed Method). Accordingly, by interviewing experts, a model was drawn for service learning with an emphasis on green economics; then the junior high school science teachers validated it. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The statistical population of the study was all 630 junior high school science teachers in Sari and 238 teachers were selected as the research sample by simple random sampling using the Morgan table. Atlas TI software was applied to collect data in the qualitative part and SPSS and LISREL software in the quantitative part. The results revealed that the service-learning element has components of social reconstruction, social literacy training, and social action. Meanwhile, the green economy element has components of sustainable transportation, renewable energy, environmental health, green buildings, water management, and waste management.
Research Paper
Environmental Education
Soraya Karami; Mohammad Reza Bahrameian; Tayebeh Basaki; Sadigheh Ghanaei; Mohammad Ali Nejat
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify and rank the methods of promoting the culture of using natural resources. For this purpose, based on the opinion of experts in the field of natural resources, 8 main criteria and 12 sub-indicators were selected for designing the questionnaire. Then, based on the ...
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The purpose of this study is to identify and rank the methods of promoting the culture of using natural resources. For this purpose, based on the opinion of experts in the field of natural resources, 8 main criteria and 12 sub-indicators were selected for designing the questionnaire. Then, based on the information obtained from the questionnaire, which was completed by experts in the field of natural resources, weighting and ranking of indicators were performed using EXPERT CHOICE software and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, which is one of the valid techniques in the field of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM). The research findings indicate that among the eight criteria, the criteria of "facilitating participatory learning", "development of critical thinking" and "existence of interaction" are more important, respectively. The final analysis showed that the three criteria mentioned in the context of participatory methods are the most effective way to promote the culture of resource use and the environment.
Research Paper
Environmental Education
Milad Maleki; Ali Mohammad Khorshiddost
Abstract
Urban landscapes are a platform for social interactions and leisure. These spaces are affected by high population, dense vegetation, unprincipled entrances, low visibility, lack of supervision, limited night light sources, and the possibility of hiding and creating a sense of confusion leading to the ...
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Urban landscapes are a platform for social interactions and leisure. These spaces are affected by high population, dense vegetation, unprincipled entrances, low visibility, lack of supervision, limited night light sources, and the possibility of hiding and creating a sense of confusion leading to the hidden occurrence of crime. Due to the low per capita green space in some areas of Ardebil, the city's famous parks are witnessing the presence of a large population. One of these parks in Ardebil is the Shurabil tourist entertainment complex, which is visited by many citizens during the holidays and at night, which makes it difficult to control and monitor the park. In this study, effective components (five main components: access, form and morphology, general perception, pleasure and visual quality, physical and urban management systems) in improving the safety of users in urban landscapes using the AHP model (expert opinion in the field of landscape) are obtained. The hierarchical analysis method was used to determine the weights of each of the obtained components (the obtained data were entered into EXPERT CHOICE software). Finally, fuzzy standardized base maps and weighted overlap maps were presented using ArcGIS software. According to the obtained results, improving security weighing 0.274 is the most preferred component of urban management systems, and then the components of form access and morphology, general perception-pleasure, and visual and physical quality with weights of 0.202, 0.198, and 0.197 were obtained respectively. Also, the sub-criterion of security devices weighing 0.122 was determined to be the most preferred case. (The higher the weight of the components, means the need for increased security in that component, and vice versa, the lower the weight means security is in a good state). Depending on the scale, location, design, and presence of social groups in the park, solutions were proposed to increase the social dimension of the park (meaning people would be free to move around at all times of the day with more freedom) or to reduce crime. The components used in this research can be an important step for landscape designers and urban green spaces in order to increase the level of security in urban parks and also to improve the safety of users in urban landscapes.
Research Paper
Environmental Education
Sahar Tabibian; Mahnaz Ranjbar
Abstract
The most important effects of green spaces in cities are their environmental functions, which are created by a balance in the metabolism of the city and raising the level of beauty that leads to the increase of biological qualities of cities. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the views, ...
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The most important effects of green spaces in cities are their environmental functions, which are created by a balance in the metabolism of the city and raising the level of beauty that leads to the increase of biological qualities of cities. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the views, awareness, and participation of citizens regarding the development and impact of urban green space in the city of Ahvaz. The research method was conducted in the form of distribution and completion of a questionnaire with multiple choice questions for 4 consecutive weeks. The sampling method was cluster random and the statistical population was considered to be people over 18 years. After completing the questionnaire, the available information was entered into the computer using SPSS22. Pearson's correlation coefficient, T-test, chi-square, F-test, LSD, Duncan's test, and analysis of variance were used. The results showed that the relationship between the independent variables, including gender, level of education, age, and occupation, with the view index, is significant at the 1% level. The assumption of the equality of mean in the view index between men and women was rejected with 95% certainty. View index in the educational and occupational categories was significant at the level of 5%. Also, there was a significant relationship between the age of the respondents and their views. Therefore, with the increase in age, educational and occupational level, their view on the importance of green space development increases. The relationship between age, gender, education, and occupation of the respondents with awareness index was significant at 0.05 level. While none of the variables had a significant relationship with the participation index.
