Environmental sensitivity of gifted children: a picture analysis based research

Year 2022, Volume: 9 Issue: 3, 243 - 259, 30.09.2022

Şengül Korkut

Abstract

Picture analyses are a highly valid method used to understand students' emotions. There are many research findings indicating that gifted and talented students are highly sensitive to environmental problems. However, there is a need for more multidimensional and deeper analyses. In this study, picture analyses on environmental problems were conducted in order to understand the students' relationships with the environment and their feelings about these relationships. This research, which was conducted with case study, one of the qualitative research methods, was applied in the city of Malatya, which is at the middle level according to the development index in Turkey. A total of 24 primary school fourth grade students, 12 boys and 12 girls, who are gifted and intelligent, were studied. These students were also receiving support education in the science and arts centres in their region. As a data collection tool, the drawings of gifted students on environmental problems were used. These drawings were analysed by four teachers who are experts in their fields. Semi-structured interview forms were used to support the analyses of these drawings about environmental problems. The interviews were subjected to content analysis. According to the findings of the research, it was determined that there were feelings of desire for a clean and green environment, love and protection for living creatures in the natural environment, deep sadness for a degraded environment, constant discomfort in the face of visual, auditory and sound pollution, anger and anger against the inadequacy of the measures taken against environmental pollution, and high anxiety about the deterioration of the natural environment.

Keywords

Environmental problems, environmental education, picture analysis, gifted children, Environmental sensitivity

References

• Alerby, E. (2000). A way of visualizing children’s and young people’s thoughts about the environment: A study of drawings. Environmental Education Research, 6(3), 205-222.
• Ayvaz, Z. (1998). Çevre Eğitiminde Temel Kavramlar El Kitabı (Handbook of Basic Concepts in Environmental Education ), Çevre Koruma ve Araştırma Vakfı, Çevre Eğitim Merkezi Yayınları No:5, İzmir.
• Bakar, F. , Avan, Ç. , Aydınlı, B. , Şeker, F. & Turgut, B. (2021). Okul Dışı Öğrenme Ortamı Olarak Doğa Eğitiminin Çevre Bilgisi ve Tutum Üzerine Etkisi (The Effect of Nature Education as an Out-of-School Learning Environment on Environmental Knowledge and Attitude), Akademia Doğa ve İnsan Bilimleri Dergisi , 7(1), 1-18.
• Bowker, R. (2007). Childrens' perceptions and learning about tropical rainforests. An analysis of their drawings. Environmental Education, 13(1), 75–96.
• Büyüköztürk, Ş., Çakmak, E., Akgün, Ö. E., Karadeniz, Ş., & Demirel, F. (2014). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri (Scientific research methods. Ankara: Pegem Akademi.
• Çobanoğlu, E.O., Er, D.E., Demirtaş, E., Özan, B., Bayrak, C. (2006). İlköğretim öğrencilerinin çevre sorunlarını algılamaları (Primary school students' perception of environmental problems) 15. Ulusal Eğitim Bilimleri Kongresi Bildiri Özetleri Kitabı, 44-445, Muğla.
• Çokadar, H., Türkoğlu, A., & Gezer, K. (2009). Çevre sorunları. Çevre bilimi (Environmental problems. environmental science). Ankara: Anı
• Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Dabrowski, K. (1964). Positive disintegration. Boston: Little, Brown.
• Dienno, C. M., & Hilton, S. C. (2005). High school students’ knowledge, attitudes, and levels of enjoyment of an environmental education unit on nonnative plants. Journal of Environmental Education, 37(1), 13-25.
• Doğan, M. (1997). Türkiye Ulusal Çevre Stratejisi ve Eylem Planı Eğitim ve Katılım Grubu Raporu (Turkey National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan Education and Participation Group Report). DPT Müsteşarlığı ve Türkiye Çevre Vakfı, Ankara.
• Erol, A. (2016). Proje yaklaşımına dayanan aile katılımlı çevre eğitimi programının 5-6 yaş çocuklarının çevreye yönelik farkındalık ve tutumlarına etkisinin incelenmesi. (Investigation of the effect of the environmental education program with family participation, based on the project approach, on the environmental awareness and attitudes of 5-6 year old children). Master Thesis. Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkiye
• Erol, G. H. (2005). Sınıf öğretmenliği ikinci sınıf öğrencilerinin çevre ve çevre sorunlarına yönelik tutumları (Attitudes of second year primary school teachers towards environment and environmental problems). Master's thesis, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkiye.
• Ersoy, A. F., & Türkkan, B. (2010). İlköğretim öğrencilerinin çizdikleri karikatürlere yansıttıkları sosyal ve çevresel sorunların incelenmesi (Examining the social and environmental problems that primary school students reflect on the cartoons they draw). Eğitim ve Bilim, 35(156), 96-109.
• Ertürk, R. (2017). İlkokul öğrencilerinin çevre sorunları ve çevre eğitimine yönelik algıları (Primary school students' perceptions of environmental problems and environmental education). İnönü Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 18(3), 12-24. DOI: 10.17679/inuefd.354142, Malatya.
• Geray, C. (1997). Çevre İçin Eğitim, İnsan Çevre Toplum, (Education for the Environment, Human Environment Society). Trans: Ruşen Keleş, Ankara: İmge
• Hague, E. (2001). Nationalty and childrens’ drawings – pictures ‘about Scotland’ by primary school children in Edinburg, Scotland and Syracuse, New York State. Scottish Geographical Journal, 17(2), 2001, 72-95.
• Halmatov, S. (2016). Çocuk Resimleri Analizi ve Psikolojik Resim Testleri (Child Picture Analysis and Psychological Picture Tests). Ankara: Pegem Akademi.
• Isbel, T. R., & Shirley, C. R. (2003). Creativity and the arts with young children. Delmar Learning, Canada.
• Kaptan, S. (1998). Bilimsel araştırma ve istatistik teknikleri (Scientific research and statistical techniques). Ankara: Tekışık
• Karakaya, F, Ünal, A, Çimen, O, Yılmaz, M. (2018). Üstün yetenekli öğrenciler ve akranlarının çevre algılarının incelenmesi (Examining the environmental perceptions of gifted students and their peers) Online Fen Eğitimi Dergisi, 3(1) , 25-32.
• Kopytin, AI (2018). 'Yeşil' Mandala: Doğu Bilgeliğinin Ekopsikoloji ile buluştuğu yer. Eğitim ve Terapide Yaratıcı Sanatlar. (“The ‘Green’ Mandala: Where Eastern Wisdom meets Ecopsychology.” Creative Arts in Education and Therapy”).
• Kunt, K., & Tortop, H.S. (2013). Türkiye’deki Üstün Yetenekli Öğrencilerin Bilim Ve Sanat Merkezlerine İlişkin Metaforik Algıları (The Metaphoric Perceptions of Gifted Students about Science and Art Centers in Turkey). Journal of Gifted Education Research, 1(2), Special Issue, 117-127
• Malchiodi. (2013). Çocuk Resimlerini Anlamak. (Understanding Children's Pictures). İstanbul: Nobel Yayınları.
• Özdemir Ö. D. (2011). İlköğretim okullarında cevresel vatandaşlık eğitimi (Environmental citizenship in primary schools). Doctoral Thesis. Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.
• Özdemir Özden, D. (2011). İlköğretim okullarında cevresel vatandaşlık eğitimi (Environmental citizenship education in primary schools). Doctoral Thesis. Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.
• Özdemir, İ. (2004). Çevre ahlak ilişkisi. İçinde Çevre eğitimi: ders notları (çevre sorunları, çevre felsefesi, çevre eğitimi) Environmental ethics. In Environmental education: lecture notes (environmental issues, environmental philosophy, environmental education) (270-281), Bursa.
• Özsoy, S., & Ahi, B. (2014). İlkokul Öğrencilerinin Geleceğe Yönelik Çevre Algılarının Çizdikleri Resimler Aracılığı ile Belirlenmesi. (Determination of Primary School Students' Perceptions of the Future of the Environment Through the Pictures They Draw). Kuram ve Uygulamada Eğitim Bilimleri, 14(4), 1-26.
• Pınar, E. & Yakışan, M. (2018). İlkokul Öğrencilerinin Çevre Kavramları İle İlgili Çizimlerinin Analizi (Analysis of Primary School Students' Drawings Related to Environmental Concepts). XV. Uluslararası Sınıf Öğretmenliği Eğitimi Sempozyumu (11-14 Mayıs 2016) USOS 2016 Özel Sayısı , 97-113 . DOI: 10.24315/trkefd.366693
• San, I. (1979). Sanatsal yaratma, çocukta yaratıcılık (Artistic creation, creativity in child). Ankara: Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları.
• Saricam, H., & Sahin, S. H. (2015). The Relationship between the Environmental Awareness, Environmental Attitude, Curiosity and Exploration in Highly Gifted Students: Structural Equation Modelling. Educational Process: International Journal, 4(1-2), 7-17.
• Savaş, I. (2015). Çocuğunuzun Resimleri Size Ne Anlatır? (What Do Your Child's Pictures Tell You?) İstanbul: Nesil Yayınları .
• Schirrmacher, R. (2002). Art and creative development for young children (4th Edition). Delmar Thomson Learning.
• Schneller, A., J., Johnson, B., & Bogner, F.X. (2015). Measuring children‘s environmental attitudes and values in northwest Mexico: Validating a modified version of measures to test the model of ecological values. Environmental Education Research, 21(1), 61–75.
• Senemoğlu, N. (2004). Gelişim öğrenme ve öğretim: kuramdan uygulamaya. (Developmental learning and teaching: from theory to practice). Ankara: Gazi Kitabevi
• Shepardson, D. P. (2005). Student’s ideas: What is an environment? Journal of Environmental Education, 36(4), 49-58.
• Stone, M. K. & Barlow, Z. (2009). Smart by nature: Schooling for sustainability. Watershed Media, Healdsburg, CA.
• Tanık Önal, N. (2020). Investigation of gifted students’ environmental awareness.
• Tanrıverdi, B.(2009).Sürdürülebilir çevre eğitimi açısından ilköğretim programlarının değerlendirilmesi (Evaluation of primary education programs in terms of sustainable environmental education). Eğitim ve Bilim, 34(151), 89-103.
• Uçar, A. (2015). Üstün yetenekli bireylerin görsel yeti ve farkındalığı (Visual ability and awareness of gifted individuals). Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 15(Özel Sayı), 1-8.
• Uğulu, İ. (2013). Üstün zekâlı yetenekli öğrenciler ile normal gelişim gösteren öğrencilerin çevreye yönelik tutumlarının karşılaştırılması [ Comparison of gifted / talented students and normal-oriented students' attitudes towards the environment]. Journal of Buca Education Faculty, 35, 1-14.
• Uzun, N., & Sağlam, N. (2005). Sosyo-ekonomik durumun çevre bilinci ve çevre akademik başarısı üzerine etkisi. The effect of socio-economic status on environmental awareness and environmental academic achievement). Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 29, 194-202.
• Venger, A. (2007). Psychological picture tests: İllustrated guide. Vlados Publishing.
• Yavuzer, H. (1993). Resimleriyle Çocuğu Tanıma. Remzi Kitabevi ( Getting to Know the Child with Pictures), 4th Ed. İstanbul: 143-144.
• Yurtal, F., & Artut, K. (2008). Çocuklarda şiddeti algılama biçimlerinin çizdikleri resimlerine yansımaları (Reflections of children's perception of violence on their drawings). Çocuk ve Gençlik Ruh Dergisi, 15(3), 149-155.