Teaching and environmentalism: a deduction from values, beliefs and norms in teaching disaster risk reduction in science

ABSTRACT Background There is a somewhat common understanding that links teaching and environmentalism. This may be because schools are pioneers or are often used as platforms for many environmental advocacies. Years of research have demonstrated that teaching increases awareness and concern for the environment and encourages people to protect the environment, however there is a deficit in the literature that probed and determined which among teacher activities may be considered as pro-environmental behavior. Purpose This study attempted to determine the influence of values, beliefs and norms in teaching disaster risk reduction. This paper attempted to reflect on teaching and environmentalism as deduced from the findings and aims to stimulate and contribute to the discussion on teaching and environmentalism. Participants Data were gathered from 185 public school science teachers teaching from grades 3 to 6 under the Department of Education – Division of Biliran located in one of the highly natural hazard-vulnerable islands in the Philippines. Participants were selected through random sampling of schools. All science teachers of the schools drawn were asked to voluntarily participate in the study. Design and methods This quantitative study made use of survey design using adapted and content-validated Likert scale questionnaire on values, beliefs and norms in teaching disaster risk reduction. Data collected were analyzed through partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using Smart PLS. Conclusion Results conform to the Value-Belief-Norm Theory of Environmentalism, which suggest that teacher activities pertaining to the integration and teaching of disaster risk reduction in science lie within the continuum of environmentalism, therefore, they may be considered pro-environmental behavior.