Science and the environment is a key theme explored in PISA 2006. PISA 2006 collected information on the learning context for environmental issues and on students’
perceptions and attitudes regarding environmental issues.
PISA 2006 provides insight into how environmental topics are taught to 15-year-olds in school.
As shown in Appendix table B.4.10 and summarized in Table 4.3, environmental education was reported as a part of the science curriculum. In Canada and in all OECD countries combined, teaching of environmental topics most frequently occurred in a natural science course. Strategies for teaching about the environment vary across jurisdictions as summarized in Table 4.3.
Table 4.2
Provincial scores on indices of student engagement in science relative to the Canadian average
Provinces performing Provinces performing Provinces performing
significantly higher than as well as the significantly lower
the Canadian mean Canadian mean than the Canada mean
Students’ belief that they can succeed in science
Science self-efficacy Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec,
Alberta Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia Saskatchewan
Science self-concept Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia Students’ value of science
General value of science Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia
Personal value of science Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec Prince Edward Island, Alberta Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia
Students’ interest in science
General interest in science New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, Saskatchewan Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia,
Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia
Enjoyment of science Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan British Columbia New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta
Instrumental motivation Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec to learn science Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, British Columbia
New Brunswick, Alberta
Future-oriented science Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec motivation Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, British Columbia
New Brunswick, Alberta
Science activities New Brunswick, Quebec Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island,
outside school Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia Manitoba, Saskatchewan
Note: Provinces within each cell are ordered from east to west.
Chapter 4 / Themes explored through PISA 2006
Students may also acquire knowledge through environmental education opportunities that take place outside the classroom as summarized shown in Table 4.4.
The majority of students participated in school activities to promote the learning of environmental topics while the mix of activities varied from the OECD. Canadian students were less likely to participate in outdoor
education activities and trips to museums and were more likely to participate in trips to science/technology centres, extracurricular environmental projects, and lectures and seminars. Within Canada, the mix of activities also varied across jurisdictions as summarized Table 4.4 and Appendix table B.4.11.
Table 4.3
School reports on the teaching of environmental topics
OECD Canada Provinces above the Provinces at the Provinces below percent percent Canadian percent Canadian percent the Canadian percent In a specific environmental
studies course 21 27 Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Manitoba,
Prince Edward Island, British Columbia Saskatchewan, Alberta New Brunswick
In the natural sciences courses 94 92 Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario,
Saskatchewan, Alberta British Columbia
As part of a geography course 75 67 Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, British Columbia Saskatchewan,
Ontario, Manitoba Alberta
As part of another course 63 56 Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick
Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia Note: Provinces within each cell are ordered from east to west.
Table 4.4
Percentage of students participating in school activities to promote the learning of environmental topics
OECD Canada Provinces above the Provinces at the Provinces below percent percent Canadian percent Canadian percent the Canadian percent Outdoor education 77 61 Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova New Brunswick, Quebec
Saskatchewan Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia
Trips to museums 75 68 Prince Edward Island, Nova Newfoundland and
Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Labrador, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Quebec
British Columbia
Trips to science and/or 67 76 Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island,
technology centres Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia,
Saskatchewan, Alberta, New Brunswick,
British Columbia Quebec
Extracurricular environmental 45 65 Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick,
projects Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan
Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia
Lectures and/or seminars 53 73 Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec
Ontario Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia Note: Provinces within each cell are ordered from east to west.
PISA 2006 also collected information on students’
perceptions and attitudes regarding environmental issues from which the following four indices were created:
• Awareness of environmental issues measures students’ awareness of environmental issues such as genetically modified organisms, acid rain, nuclear waste, deforestation and greenhouse gases.
• Perception of the importance of environmental issues measures students’ perception of the importance of environmental issues such as air pollution, energy shortages, extinction of plant and animals, deforestation, acid rain and nuclear waste.
• Optimism regarding environmental issues measures students’ belief that problems associated
with environmental issues will improve over the next 20 years.
• Responsibility for sustainable development measures students’ responsibility for sustainable development.
As seen in Table 4.5, compared to the OECD average of zero, Canadian students reported higher levels of awareness of environmental issues and lower levels of optimism regarding environmental issues. Canadian students reported similar levels of perception of the importance of environmental issues and responsibility for sustainable development as students across all OECD countries.
Table 4.5
Provincial results on indices of students’ perceptions and attitudes regarding environmental issues relative to the Canadian average
Mean Provinces above the Provinces at the Provinces below
index score Canadian mean Canadian mean Canadian mean
Awareness of environmental 0.27 Ontario, Alberta Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island,
issues Manitoba Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, British Columbia
Perception of the importance -0.10 Quebec Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador,
of environmental issues Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan,
Ontario Alberta, British Columbia
Optimism regarding -0.22 Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Quebec environmental issues Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
British Columbia Ontario, Alberta
Responsibility for 0.02 Quebec Ontario Newfoundland and Labrador,
sustainable development Prince Edward Island,
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia Note: Provinces within each cell are ordered from east to west.
Table 4.6 shows the relationship between the various indices on environmental issues and science performance. Students are grouped into four quarters based on their score on the respective index where those in the bottom quarter reported lower levels while those in the top quarter reported higher levels of the respective index. There was a strong association between science achievement and students’ level of awareness of environmental issues and responsibility for sustainable
development. Those in the top quarter of these indices had much higher average scores compared to those in the bottom quarter of these indices. In contrast, there was a negative relationship between science performance and environmental optimism: those with higher science performance tended to have lower levels of environmental optimism. No relationship existed between perception of environmental issues and science performance.
Chapter 4 / Themes explored through PISA 2006