Contribution to knowledge

Having discussed the findings in relation to the statement problem questions and the objectives, there are 3 keys conclusions to be drawn from the research with regards to EE at elementary school in Da Nang, Vietnam.

1. Characteristics of EE in Vietnam A.1 Review literature (Chapter 2)

- Made discussion on section 2.2 Characteristics of childhood development. This area was considered as vital in finding subjects of the study. The study focused on 4^th and 5^th grade student at elementary school.

- Based on the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior. The study wanted to create and develop the model to estimate the impacts on student intention and behavior when they participated in EE.

- Section 2.4 Theory on EE, section 2.5.1 Workshop and section 2.5.2 Drawing activities. These combined to create and develop EE for elementary students.

A.2 Summary of Vietnamese textbook and EE contents from elementary textbook (Chapter 2)

- According Japanese EE example and experience from activities that were done in Southeast Asia, the study created and developed EE activities for elementary student in Da Nang, Vietnam.

2. Create and develop an EE in Vietnam

B.1 Develop one time education course (Chapter 3)

- The study developed EE activities in 30 minutes for 5^th grade student.

- The study created a separation game to give students a chance to participate in solid waste management activities.

B.2 Develop 6-month workshop course (Chapter 5)

186

- In June, 2016 we had a chance to attend an EE lesson at “あやめが丘小学校”, Kitakyushu, Japan. From October 2016 to April 2017, the study provided a 6-month workshop in EE at the treatment school in Da Nang.

- The study collected the survey before and after EE at Japanese school. The EE gave students deep understanding of solid waste where 100% said that knew about separation waste at home, compare with 67% in survey 1

- Students had 4 lessons to understand the environmental problem in Da Nang and Vietnam.

- Students joined two practice activities from EE: (1) waste separation game, and (2) newspaper activities.

3. Evaluate the impact of environmental activities for elementary student in Da Nang

C.1 Develop evaluation method (Chapter 3 and chapter 5)

- Using the treatment – control design to collect data and estimate impact of time EE and 6-month EE to elementary student in Da Nang, Vietnam. for one-time EE activities, the study surveyed 591 students in 3 elementary schools in Da Nang, Vietnam. The study surveyed 157 students in 2 schools for 6-month EE.

- We did EE in 2 groups of students and 1 group used the waste separation game and 1 group had no game.

- The study observed student’s newspaper pictures and collected data from presentations to make a newspaper analysis on 6-month EE.

- The study made a model to analyse student intention based upon theory of planned behaviour for 6-month EE.

C.2 Measurement of the impacts of EE from textbook (Chapter 3)

- The study provided a summary of environmental contents from Vietnamese textbook.

- We used chi-square tests to examine the effect of the environmental lesson in schools. We found that the environmental lesson from the school had a good

187

impact on students. They could remember EE knowledge from the school lesson after 1 year.

C.3 Evaluation of one-time education (Chapter 3)

- The study found that students increased their knowledge on solid waste after joining EE activities. But after 3 months, the students’ knowledge decreased for eco-bags and food waste. In schools that had EE, the students improved their knowledge on solid waste compared to the school that did not have EE .

- The study did not found difference on student knowledge from game and without game group. However, students who join in game activities were enjoyed EE activities than without game group.

- The results of the checklist showed that 95% of students like to join environmental activities, with 87% wanting to attend again.

C.4 Evaluation of 6-month education (Chapter 5)

- Impacts student knowledge: Before EE, the study had a low impression on solid waste management. After EE, the students in the treatment school increased their knowledge on solid waste management.

- Compare student knowledge by treatment - control design. After 6 months of environmental education activities, student’s knowledge in the treatment school increased by 64% for 3Rs and 90% for reason for recycling. Student knowledge in the control school did not change and decreased when compared with survey 1 by 9% for 3Rs, and by 9% for reason for recycling.

- Student showed their deep impression on workshop EE on their newspaper.

Student drew many elements related with solid waste in their newspapers. The majority drew rubbish (100%) and dustbin (62.5%), 75% included people, 50%

included trees and 43.5% included fruits and parks.

- The study used SEM to assess the intention model. We found a relationship between food waste (intention) and separation waste and using eco-bags (attitude toward behavior).

C.5 Evaluating the effect of EE after 14 months (Chapter 6)

188

- Used the Mann-Whitney U test to assess the difference between treatment and control schools. We found that there were significant differences in the levels of students’ environmental knowledge after one year. We found that the treatment school students were more influenced than the control school students on EE knowledge.

- Comparing student knowledge of treatment – control school on survey 3 and survey 4. Our results show that treatment school student’s knowledge about solid waste management increased after one year while control school student knowledge decreased after one year. The study found that treatment student’s in survey 4 (2018) a higher percentage of students gave the right answer than survey 3 (2017) for the eco-bag question.

- We found that between genders there were no significant differences in the level of student environmental knowledge in the treatment school.

- According the analysis of student’s performance on answers, the study found that at the questions and the answers are related to student’s daily life or behavior.

If the student gave the wrong answer that is related with their behavior, student will get difficult to change their answer at survey 3 and survey 4. In addition, for the new knowledge questions, if student was not able to give the right answers at survey 1, they could not give the right answer at survey 3 and survey 4 neither.

- The study showed that lectures influenced new knowledge of solid waste management more than group games. The knowledge that is related to daily life is more influenced by group games than lectures.

- The study found that a student’s knowledge after 6 months of EE were more stable than one-time EE.