Environmental Literacy: An Assessment and Evaluation on the Students of Landscape Architecture in Turkey

Abstract

Environmental literacy approach, in recent years, become one of the fundamental requirements proposed for a sustainable future in higher education. Environmental literacy is the total of individual comprehension, ability, attitude and habits which are constantly in progress and it is based on that short and long term attitudes and behaviors are developed by his sustainable communication with other people and biosphere. This study aims to evaluate the environmental consciousness, knowledge and skills of the students of landscape architecture in terms of environmental literacy. As data collection tool was used Environmental Literacy Scale where the knowledge of students about environmental legislation, knowledge and behaviors is questioned. The findings reveal that students have a very limited environmental knowledge and fulfill their environmental responsibilities on an individual basis in a very restricted area. In this regard, the study, based on the research results, makes suggestions for training environmentally literate candidates in professional training of environmental by emphasizing that students of Landscape Architecture would be of low efficiency in finding creative solutions for environmental, societal and spatial problems and producing sustainable landscape since their participation is very limited in societal and mass activities.