Knowledge of adolescents completing secondary schools concerning genetically modified organisms (GMO)

Abstract The objective of the conducted analyses is the evaluation of the level of knowledge concerning the scope of problems related with genetically modified organism (GMO) amongst adolescents completing secondary schools and the determination of the relationship between the level of this knowledge and the selected demographic traits of the adolescents examined. The scope of problems undertaken was elaborated based on the survey conducted in a group of 500 adolescents from the Lublin Region completing secondary schools, including 250 adolescents attending General Secondary Schools and 250 adolescents attending Agricultural Secondary Technical Schools. The study was conducted by the method of a diagnostic survey, using a questionnaire. The study showed that the majority of adolescents completing secondary schools were not interested at all in the scope of problems concerning GMO. A large part of the respondents (more than 2/5) had a very low level of knowledge of this problem. The greatest differences in the level of knowledge about GMO were observed in subgroups divided according to the type of school attended by the adolescents (General or Agricultural Technical). Respondents who attended General Secondary Schools showed a better knowledge of theoretical problems, whereas those who attended Secondary Agricultural Technical Schools were better familiarised with practical issues.