The Synergistic Effect of Environmental Education Programs and School Physical Education on Enhancing Students' Environmental Behavior

Abstract

This study was designed and conducted to examine the effect of integrating environmental knowledge programs with school physical education on students' environmental behavior. The research was carried out in two phases: qualitative and quantitative. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 physical education teachers in District Two of Tabriz's Department of Education to identify strategies for this integration. In the quantitative phase, a quasi-experimental study was conducted with two student classes, where one class was assigned as the experimental group and the other as the control group. Environmental interventions were applied to the experimental group over an academic term (four months). These interventions included weekly sports programs with various exercises such as running in nature and walking in the park, conducted outdoors using environmentally friendly equipment. Ethical considerations, including informed consent from students and teachers as well as the protection of participants' privacy, were observed, and the necessary coordination with Tabriz's Department of Education was ensured. Data were collected using questionnaires that included 13 items on environmental behavior and 17 items on environmental knowledge. These questionnaires were adapted from Salehi’s (2011) study, and their reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of over 0.7. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS (version 19) and AMOS (version 23). Structural equation modeling was employed to evaluate the research hypotheses. The reliability of the questionnaires was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, and the results indicated that in the pre-test phase, environmental knowledge had a coefficient of 0.726, while environmental behavior had a coefficient of 0.756, both indicating acceptable reliability. The results of data analysis after the intervention showed that the environmental knowledge of the experimental group significantly increased. Additionally, a significant relationship between environmental knowledge and behavior was observed. Structural equation modeling demonstrated a positive effect of environmental knowledge on environmental attitudes, with a coefficient of 0.17, and the model fit indices reported a relatively favorable fit. The overall conclusion of the study indicated that integrating environmental education with physical education could serve as an effective strategy in school education. This approach helps cultivate a generation that is more informed and committed to environmental protection. Finally, it is recommended that educational policymakers and physical education instructors consider this approach in their curricula to familiarize students with environmental concepts more effectively through experiential and practical activities, fostering positive attitudes in this regard.