C.U.O.R.E.

Teachers QuestionnaireSample: 34 subjects

“Elena Cuza” School

A material realized by the psychopedagogical teacher, Bârlădeanu Corina

On the first question, which concerns the interests of teachers for environmental issues, 53% of subjects responded that they are concerned, about 44%very concerned and 3% showing a little anxious. These percentages show us great interest of respondents on the problems of environment and health, especially the environment in which we live.

This item tries to obtain an overview in terms of interest in the subject of teachers and the type of activities they had approached. Therefore, 59% of colleagues said they often have initiated activities with ecological themes, 20% always, 18% seldom and 3% never. An increased interest of teachers to involve in activities of environmental protection has been noticed.

3. On a scale from 1 to 4 please circle which of the following types of activities have a big/significat impact on the development of an ecological behaviour (1 is the less significant, 4 is the most significant):

No Question 3 sought to obtain/get the opinion of the teachers related to the types of activities that they consider as having a big impact on students. Results from the chart shows that all think that activities make students sensitive, but approx. 80% consider that real ecological activities have a strong positive impact and approx. 40% believe that products and exhibitions of the students have a beneficial effect. Our colleagues, our teachers are of the opinion that debates and competitions on environmental issues have a big impact.

4. How do you think we can develop the ecological behaviour of our pupils?

On this question, 79% of respondents were of the opinion that the conviction/persuation can shape behaviour to environmental students, 6% under compulsion, and 15% other methods such as training students in various practical activities, personal example of teachers, students’personal interest, informing and involvement. It is also noted that,, as with the previous item, emphasis is placed on involving students in practical activities.

5. The waste materials as a result of our daily activities that can affect the environment are: paper, carton, plastic bottles, iron ware, organic materials, clothes, footwear, household items, etc. Do you select these materials before throwing them away?

This question concerns the daily habit, if you wish, to our subjects in the way they dump waste. 27% of respondents always select waste before throwing it , 32% often, 32% seldom and 9% never. An increasing interest has been observed in the subjects behaviour for correct , ecological, best practices in CEE concerning the environment protection. A significant part of the subjects do not select waste because there are no special containers in their neighborhood.

6. Are there any separate/different containers for waste/garbage cans in your school?

On this question 85% of the subjects said there are different containers for waste at school, 12% that they do not exist, and 3% could not give a concrete answer.

7. How often are the garbage cans collected/ taken away?

This item concerns the knowledge of school teachers on administrative data. 79% of the subjects responded that the garbage cans are collected daily from school, 6% weekly and 15% do not have a concrete answer.

8. Have you ever taken part with your pupils in collecting activities in special collecting centres?

On this question, 47% of subjects said that students have often participated in collecting activities to special waste collecting centers, 12% always, 23% seldom and 18% never.

9. Have you ever done activities with your pupils to be responsible when using water?

On this question 21% of subjects said they have always done informing activities on the responsible use of water, 44% often, 32% and 3% seldom. The results show an increased interest of teachers for this subject.

10. Does your school have water saving devices?

Question 10 refers to the saving water devices of the school. Thus 35% of respondents believe that school has no water saving devices, 24% believe that there are no such facilities and 41% did not know what to answer. There is a high percentage of undecided subjects, which can be translated as misunderstanding the question, besides the fact that these issues are not part of the remit of most respondents.

11. Have you noticed any leaking taps/pipes in your school?

On this question, 18% of respondents said that there is a loss of water from taps, 67% no loss and 15% do not know.

12. Do you know the monthly amount of water in your school?

This item relates to the monthly consumption of water in school. Thus, 20% of subjects know the amount of water consumed, 59% do not know it , while 21% do not know. The high percentage of people who do not know water consumption in school and those who do not know is explained by the fact that these issues are not subject to their work. This question is correlated with other items that refer to the consumption (10, 13, 16).

13. Does your school have a system for water rain use?

This question aimed to capture the subjects' opinion on the existence of a school system designed for the rainwater. So 12% believe that the school has such a system, 47% said there is not and 41% do not know. There is also noticed a high percentage of respondents who did not know what to answer. As I said at the item above, these results may explain, perhaps, by the fact that, on the one hand these matters are not subject to the work of the interviewed people, on the other hand, we could say that there is a lack of interest on the part of the subjects for this issue.

14. What kind of light bulbs are there in your school?

Question 14, subjects undergoing questioning gave the following responses: 3% are of the opinion that there are incandescent bulbs in school, 79% fluorescent light bulbs ,12% halogen lamps, 0% Economic bulbs, 6% did not know to respond.

15. The lights are being used:

Item 15 refers to the daily subjects practice, their daily habits. 73% of subjects said that they use light bulb whenever needed during the day, 3% of respondents turned on lamps regardless of time of day and 24% more often. There could be noticed a slightly increased tendency of the teachers to saving electricity.

16. Do you know the amount of energy consumed in your school every month?

On this question 15% of respondents said they were aware of the month expenditure of current in school, 62% not 23% do not know. The results show once more that these practical data are not knownby the teachers, why not, there is lack of guidance to these issues, education in the practical sense.

17. How often do you use electronic devices in your classes?

This item refers to the use of elctronic devices in their daily activities at school.15% said they always use them, 65% often, 20% seldom and O% never.

18. Are your electronic devices turned off when not in use?

Question 18 refers to the correct use of electronic devices in school. 79% of subjects always turn off electronic devices after using them often, 15% often, 6% seldom, and 0% never. The results obtained from this item are correlated with those of the previous question and we are happy to notice that in education various and modern devices for information are being used and moreover these devices are used responsibly.

19. Are there any posters/notices/signs on the reduction of water, energy consumption and waste recycling?

On this question 44% of subjects said they are in school signs on the reduction of water, energy and recycling, 41% responded that no, and 15% do not know. There could be noticed a high percentage of those who responded "no" and a nearly an equal percentage of those who responded "yes." This equality (trend towards "no", because 15% do not know) indicates the completion of this item of the questionnaire in an insincere manner or in other words, there is a tendency for respondents to give answers expressing desires that lead to a socially desirable behaviour, more than responses to convey more accurately the reality.

20. Do you want more information abour the “education 3 R” (reduction, recycling, reuse)?

On this item teachers responded in a very large percentage, 94% that they want to get more information on education of the 3R, 3% do not want, and 3% gave no clear answer. This score correlated with the results obtained in other items and we can make a general idea of the level at which we stand in relation to information, discipline and prectica l ecological activity and its share between them. Noteworthy is that each of the respondents is aware of these issues and wis eager to work for his or her self-development.

Identification data:

In this questionnaire respondents 35% are teachers who work in the primary school, 65% at secondary. 97% of the subjects were female and only 3% of males and 76% of respondents aged over 40 years and 24% below 40ani.

Based on previous experience and on these results, we can say that the intake had a typical Romanian education system that put a stress on the information side and less on practical education.

Conclusions of the questionnaires

Only the information cannot change behaviour. No matters how much we would talk and tell pupils what to do and what not to do as far as the environment is concerned, we notice that our information doesn’t determine the changes that we want. The environmental behaviour is the result of study and therefore, the main way in which the child acquires a behaviour is the observation and the imitation of the others, then the exercise and the practice accompanied by positive reinforcements.