Dr Surendra Pratap¹, Dr. Sanjay Kumar²
₁Assistant Professor Department of B.Ed. Maharana Pratap Govt. P.G. College Hardoi(UP)
₂Assistant Professor Department of B.Ed. B R D P.G. College Deoriya (UP)

Abstract

The present study examines the level of environmental awareness among B.Ed. students of Hardoi district, Uttar Pradesh, with reference to gender and residential background. A descriptive survey method was adopted, and a randomly selected sample of 200 B.Ed. students participated in the study. Data were collected using a self-constructed questionnaire consisting of 63 items covering four dimensions of environmental awareness: Concept of Environment, Overpopulation, Causes and Considerations of Pollution, and Biodiversity. The collected data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and t-test.

The findings revealed that there is no significant difference between male and female B.Ed. students in their overall environmental awareness. However, a significant difference was observed between rural and urban students. Rural students exhibited higher awareness regarding the concept of environment, overpopulation, and biodiversity, whereas urban students demonstrated comparatively greater awareness related to pollution issues. The study underscores the importance of integrating effective environmental education within teacher education programmes to enhance awareness and prepare future teachers for promoting environmental sustainability.

Keywords: Environmental Awareness, B.Ed. Students, Environmental Education, Gender, Rural–Urban Difference

सारांश

प्रस्तुत अध्ययन उत्तर प्रदेश के हरदोई जनपद के बी.एड. विद्यार्थियों में पर्यावरणीय जागरूकता के स्तर का अध्ययन लिंग तथा आवासीय पृष्ठभूमि (ग्रामीण–शहरी) के संदर्भ में करता है। अध्ययन में वर्णनात्मक सर्वेक्षण विधि का प्रयोग किया गया। जनपद के विभिन्न बी.एड. महाविद्यालयों से 200 विद्यार्थियों का यादृच्छिक चयन किया गया। आँकड़ों के संकलन हेतु शोधकर्ता द्वारा निर्मित 63 प्रश्नों वाली प्रश्नावली का उपयोग किया गया, जिसमें पर्यावरणीय जागरूकता के चार आयाम—पर्यावरण की संकल्पना, अतिजनसंख्या, प्रदूषण के कारण एवं निवारण तथा जैव-विविधता—सम्मिलित थे। प्राप्त आँकड़ों का विश्लेषण माध्य, मानक विचलन तथा ‘t’ परीक्षण द्वारा किया गया।

अध्ययन के निष्कर्षों से यह स्पष्ट हुआ कि बी.एड. के छात्र एवं छात्राओं के मध्य समग्र पर्यावरणीय जागरूकता के स्तर में कोई सार्थक अंतर नहीं पाया गया। किंतु ग्रामीण एवं शहरी विद्यार्थियों के बीच पर्यावरणीय जागरूकता में महत्वपूर्ण अंतर पाया गया। ग्रामीण विद्यार्थियों में पर्यावरण की संकल्पना, अतिजनसंख्या एवं जैव-विविधता के प्रति अधिक जागरूकता पाई गई, जबकि शहरी विद्यार्थी प्रदूषण से संबंधित आयामों में अधिक जागरूक पाए गए। अध्ययन शिक्षक-शिक्षा कार्यक्रमों में प्रभावी पर्यावरणीय शिक्षा को सुदृढ़ करने की आवश्यकता पर बल देता है।

मुख्य शब्द: पर्यावरणीय जागरूकता, पर्यावरणीय शिक्षा, बी.एड. विद्यार्थी, लिंग, ग्रामीण–शहरी भिन्नता

Introduction

Man's desire for ultimate joy and comfort has led him to exploit nature's free goods to the extent of reducing its natural capacity for self stabilization . As a consequence of this outsight disregard of the impact of these activities on the environment, numerous environmental problems have arisen. It is an empirically established fact that there exist vital links between the environment and of life. History of evolution has taught us that through the different ages, various form of life appeared or become extinct in response to the prevailing environmental conditions. Man in his pursuit of ever fasting economic growth is upsetting the environmental equilibrium and destroying his life support system.

Man's capacity to transform his environment can bring the benefits of economic development and an opportunity to enhance the quality of life But this same power, incorrectly applied, can also cause incalculable harm to the natural environment and consequently to human life. There is only one world to pollute, if this is ruined, there is no other. Man will survive only as long as the earth survives. Environment is source of happiness to man and his happiness will be heightened, if he learns to love and appreciate nature. Environmental educationist used at various level of education to improve the quality of environment by creating awareness among students, who are the decision makers of future. The students and teacher both play a major role in National development. The teachers inculcates required awareness , attitude and skills in students to take care of environment.

Defining Terms:

Environment: The world book encyclopedia has defined environment as," Many factors which influence man and other living things, some are internal and other are external factors. Combination of these internal and external factors makes up the environment."

Environmental Education: Environmental education is a way of implementing the goals of environmental protection.

Environmental Awareness: Education develops environmental awareness.The terms environmental education and environmental awareness are used interchangeably for the same meaning but there is significant difference in two terms. The study of physical and biosciences, geography, agriculture provides the environmental awareness. But awareness does no: help in developing skills and attitudes for improving environment.

Objectives of the Study:

1.To study effect of sex on the level of environmental awareness between boys and girls.

2.To study the influence of residence on the level of environmental awareness between rural and urban students.

Hypotheses: On the basis of these objectives, the following hypotheses have been formulated;

1. No significant sex difference exists in relation to the environmental awareness of boys and girls.

2. No significant residence difference exists in

Relation to the environmental awareness of rural and urban students.

Sample and Producer: The sample for present study was consisted of 200 male and female students studying n B.Ed. college. Sample were drawn randomly in Hardoi (UP). The investigator visited the B.Ed. College requested the principals of the schools to permit her to collect data from students of B.Ed. Before distributing the questionnaire, brief instruction were given to students about the

test. A questionnaire was prepared by the researcher to find out the environmental awareness among B.Ed. consists of four dimensions of environmental awareness in 63 items. Questionnaire is a three point rating scale having agree, disagree, don't know respectively.

Abbreviations Used for Dimensions:

S.No	Abbreviations	Dimensions
1.	COE	Concept of Environment
2.	OP	Over Populations
3.	CCP	Causes and Considerations of Pollutions
4.	BD	Bio - Diversity

Statistic Techniques Employed: To achieve the objectives of the study and to test the hypothesis, the data collected were codified, tabulated and mean, standard deviation, and 't value were calculated with the help of SPSS package.

Analysis and laterpretation: On the basis of data analysis and interpretation, the following main findings have emerged out of the present investigation.

Effect of Gender (Boys and Girls) on the level of Environmental Awareness.

Table 1: Mean, SD, and 't' values of Boys and Girls of B.Ed.

Diemension	boy (100)		Girls (100)		‘t’ value
	Mean	SD	Mean	SD
COE	10.4040	1.7780	10.1386	1.6615	1.091
OP	10.6162	1.3378	10.5545	1.4998	0.307
BD	46.7576	4.0433	45.1089	4.5318	2.713
CCP	18.4343	2.0806	18.2376	2.2589	0.649

Table 1 shows that the mean score of boys girls students w.r.t. their total environmental awareness was not found to be significant at 0.01 and 0.05 level of confidence.

2.Effect of residence (rural and urban) on level of environmental awareness.

Diemension	boy (100)		Girls (100)		‘t’ value
	Mean	SD	Mean	SD
COE	10.27	0.993	10.14	1011	0.873
OP	10.56	1.647	9.88	1.725	2.851
BD	49.26	3.724	47.15	4.303	3.708
CCP	17.38	1.797	17.59	1.714	0.826

Table 1: Mean, SD, and 't' values of rural and Urban student of B.Ed

Table 2 shows that mean score of rural and urban students w.r.t. their total environmental awareness was found to be significant at 0.05 level of significance. This indicate that the urban and rural students do not have the same awareness towards environment.

Table 3: Comparative studies of B.Ed. students on dimension BD.

*Dimension*	*School and Mean*		*Mean Difference*
BD	Private 49.16	B.Ed.	0.37
	Private 49.16	B.Ed.	3.09
	Govt. 46.07	B.Ed.	3.09
	Govt. 46.07	B.Ed.	3.46

Table 3 shows that mean score of central school (49.16) was more than those of-private (49.06) and Govt. (46.07) school on the dimension "Bio-diversity". Students of Govt. school were least aware and students of central and private schools were more aware on this dimension of students Studying in B.Ed. .

Table 4: Comparative study of B.Ed. students on dimension OP.

Table 4: Comparative study of B.Ed. students on dimension OP.

*Dimension*	*School and Mean*		*Mean Difference*
OP	Private 10.12	B.Ed.	-0.79
	Private 10.12	B.Ed.	0.38
	Govt. 9.74	B.Ed.	-0.38
	Govt. 9.74	B.Ed.	-1.17

Table 4 shoes that B.Ed. score (10.12) of private and mean score (9.74) Govt. In the present scenario, the children well educated parents and good family background study in B.Ed.. They have fair knowledge about the consequences of over population.

Findings:

(a) Sex and Environmental Awareness:

1.Boys students found to have more awareness on the dimension" Concept of Environment, Over population. Bio-diversity; Cause and consideration of pollution". No significant difference exists between boys and girls of B.Ed. in their environmental awareness level.

(b) Area and Environmental Awareness:

2. The rural area students were found to be more aware in environmental awareness level on the dimension "Concept of environment, Over population and Bio-diversity than urban students. The urban students were more aware on the dimensions, cause and consideration of pollution than rural areas of students. There exists a significant difference between the B.Ed. students belonging to rural and urban areas in their total environmental awareness.

Educational Implications: Environmental education is a process of recognizing values and clarifying concept in order to develop skills and added tools necessary to understand and appreciate, the inter relationship among man his culture and his bio- physical surrounding. It should consider the environmental in its totality and should be a continues lifelong process beginning at the preschool level and continuing through all stages. It should be interdisciplinary and examine major environmental issues from local, National and International point of view. It is through this process of education that people can be sensitized about the environmental issues. It is essential to expose students to the environment around them, so that they become aware of their changing environment, environmental awareness need to be strengthen on the dimensions area where it is lacking.

References:

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4. NCERT, 1992-2000, VIth Survey of Educational Research, Vol. I, New Delhi
5. NCERT, 2001, Environmental Orientation to School Education, New Delhi.
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