Sustainable Development Education Panel
Sustainable Development Education Surveys
9.2 PUPILS QUESTIONNAIRE
Introduction
You kindly took part in another survey for us in the last couple of years. We are now carrying out a survey on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and I would like to ask you some questions about environmental, economic and social topics that you may or may not have learnt about in school. Would that be OK?
Q1a.I would like to know which of the following options you chose to study at the age of fourteen.
- Geography
- History
- Humanities
- Science
- Politics
- Sociology/ Social Studies
- Economics/ Business Studies
- Environmental Studies
Q2.I am now going to read out a list of topics that you may or may not have covered at school. For each one I would like you to tell me whether or not you remember covering this in lessons at any point in your education so far- including junior or primary schooling: (RANDOMISE ORDER)
Yes/No/DK
- The causes and effects of pollution
- The reduction, re-use or recycling of waste.
- The conservation of wildlife habitats
- The sustainable use of natural resources (for example fossil fuels or minerals such as aluminium)
- Sustainable food production (for example: organic farming, the effects of over-fishing or intensive farming)
- The relation between growth of the global economy and its impact on the environment
- Global economic issues such as Third World Debt or Trade Issues
- Economic growth within this country- such as the importance of a strong economy in providing jobs and prosperity
- Exploring the issue of poverty in Britain
- Exploring the issue of poverty in the developing world
Q3aThinking about the kinds of issues just mentioned, did you cover any of these issues in school activities OTHER THAN LESSONS?
- Yes
- No
- DK
IF YES
Q3b.What kind of activities were these?
(Read out)
- Clubs
- Projects
- Fundraising/sponsorship
- Competitions
- International Exchanges
- Other activities (write in)
Q3c.And did these activities tend to be run by the school alone, or were they run together with other people or some other organisation?
- School alone
- School and other people/organisations
- DK
- No answer
Q4.Where do you think you find out most about environmental issues, both at a local and a global level?
CODE ALL MENTIONED
- School
- TV
- Friends
- Family
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Radio
- Special interest groups such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth etc.
- Youth Club (e.g. Scouts, Guides, YMCA)
- Internet/CD Rom
- Elsewhere (write in)
Q5.And where do you think you find out most about social and economic issues such as poverty both at a local and global level?
CODE ALL MENTIONED
- School
- TV
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Radio
- Internet/CD Rom
- Friends
- Family
- Youth Club (e.g. Scouts, Guides, YMCA)
- Special interest groups such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Amnesty International etc.
- Elsewhere (write in)
Q6.How often do you do, or encourage your family to do, any of the following?
Regularly, sometimes, occasionally, never
- Switch off unnecessary lights and appliances - to save energy
- Recycle cans, glass or newspapers
- Buy Fair Trade products or choose shops for ethical reasons.
- Use public transport, walk, or cycle INSTEAD of using the car.
- Do any kind of fundraising- such as organise raffles or participate in sponsored activities
- Buy environmentally friendly products rather than regular ones
- Do any form of voluntary work
- Give money to charities related to poverty or other social issues
- Give money to charities related to the environment
Q7.Are you a member of, or do you get involved with, any of the following organisations:
- Greenpeace
- Action Aid
- Friends of the Earth
- Oxfam
- Worldwide Fund for Nature
- Comic Relief
- RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)
- Amnesty International
- RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
- Youth Group (for example the Scouts or Guides)
- Other Environmental or Social group not already mentioned (type in)
- None of these
Q8.Have you, in the past or at present, taken part in any of the following programmes at school?
- 24 hr Famine for Action Aid
- Ecoschools or any programme carried out by Going for Green
- YOC or Wildlife Watch or other junior wildlife group
- Other programme of this type at school (type in)
- None of these
Q9.I am now going to read out some things people have said about environmental, social and economic issues. For each one could you tell me how much you agree or disagree.
Agree strongly, Tend to agree, Neither agree nor disagree, Tend to disagree, Disagree strongly
- There is very little someone like me can do to protect my local environment
- There is very little someone like me can do to protect the global environment
- Economic growth and increased employment are more important than protecting the environment
- What other countries do to improve or destroy the environment is none of our business
- There is little connection between the protection of the environment and people's quality of life
- People should be prepared to make sacrifices to improve the quality of life for others
- Everyone should look after themselves rather than rely on the government for help
- The government's priority should be to improve the quality of life for people in this country rather than other countries
- What I do in this country has little effect on the quality of life for people in other countries
- The Third world should deal with its own problems and not look to the world for help
Page published 12 May
2000;
Page last modified
20 August, 2002