Vol. 10(16), pp.

2207-2215, 23 August, 2015

DOI: 10.5897/ERR2015. 2386
Article Number: BE3174D54770 Educational Research and Reviews
ISSN 1990-3839
Copyright © 2015
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
http://www.academicjournals.org/ERR

Full Length Research Paper

The effect of recycling education on high school

students’ conceptual understanding about ecology: A
study on matter cycle
Ilker Ugulu, Nurettin Yorek*, and Suleyman Baslar
Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
Received 4 July, 2015; Accepted 7 August, 2015

The objective of this study is to analyze and determine whether a developed recycling education
program would lead to a positive change in the conceptual understanding of ecological concepts
associated with matter cycles by high school students. The research was conducted on 68 high school
10th grade students (47 female and 21 male students). The research has been contextualized as a quasi-
experimental design model with pretest-posttest control group and the EECUT Test was applied to the
students in the research group prior to and after providing them with the respective courses with an
aim to determine the effects of the Recycling Education Program (REP) on the conceptual
understanding of ecological concepts by high school students. Based on the results a significant
difference in the conceptual understanding of the students included in the respective experimental and
control group was identified in the answers given to the EECUT WC and EECUT CC questions.

Key words: Recycling, education, ecology, matter cycle.

INTRODUCTION

Industry and technology that developed at an un- occurred as the real consequences of the process of
believable rate with the industrial revolution first changed industrialization that developed in an uncontrolled manner
the production and consumption understanding of the (Dogan et al., 2010). As a result of the decrease in the
people, and negative changes in the cultural environment resources used as if it would never extinct, industrial
with the nature and natural events that occurred after this institutions fell short of raw materials and started to
led to environmental problems and its much quicker consider ways of creating new sources although they are
increase (Ugulu et al., 2014). Although this process expensive (Akın, 2007). More importantly, it is believed
seems to increase the life quality and comfort of people that this is going to be worse in the next years. In short, a
on one hand, it started to show its real effect in the great majority of human beings have already started to
following years (Marshall and Toffel, 2005). The discuss whether the benefit or harm of the developing
unconscious use of the resources, and throwing industrial technology is more (Ugulu et al., 2014).
waste as if the environment will never be polluted Without a doubt, the real responsible for environmental

*Corresponding author. E-mail: nurettin.yorek@deu.edu.tr

Authors agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License 4.0 International License
2208 Educ. Res. Rev.

problems and the great damage that occurs is not the are still among today’s most important environmental
process of industrialization. The fact that the process of problems. Protecting natural resources through recycling
industrialization takes place in an uncontrollable manner projects, reducing the waste and making unusable
and individuals turn into consumption monsters substances that we already have or qualify as garbage
constitutes the basis of the problems. Thus, environ- undertakes an indispensable role in the solution of this
mental problems are actually educational problems as problem by saving energy, money and time (Ugulu,
they result from the attitudes and behaviours of human 2012).
beings. Education is the most important means of The question with which factors the behaviours of the
changing people’s negative behaviours and gaining them individuals with regard to recycling are related after
terminal behaviours and ensuring that people as understanding the importance of recycling at international
individuals get to know and develop themselves and their level has come to the fore both psychologically and
environment (Yorek et al., 2010). Thus, the environmental sociologically in terms of both the environmental and
education that ensures the development of the science of recycling education. Consequently, the studies on why
environment in all segments of the society; gaining individuals do recycling or not, it was found that the
environmentally-sensitive, permanent and positive behaviours of the individuals with regard to recycling are
behavioural changes; protecting the natural, historical affected by such reasons as economical factors, the
and cultural values; ensuring the active participation in convenience of recycling, the fact that recycling makes
the solution of environment-related problems; making the individual feel as a beneficial person to the society,
people understand their mutual relations and interactions the level of knowledge about recycling, indifference
among themselves and their cultural and biological towards recycling, the lack of time and the inadequacy of
environments, and gaining appropriate behaviours for its physical conditions (Smeesters et al., 2001). It was
protection is the primary and most important factors in determined that the other factors positively affecting
preventing environmental problems (Republic of Turkey recycling are the effects of recycling on protecting the
Ministry of Environment 1997). energy resources and the contribution to preventing
In the light of all these data and the relevant literature, it environment pollution (Brody, 1997).
was observed that there are problems in terms of the The attitudes and behaviours of the individuals on the
adequacy and sustainability of the practices applied in subject constitute the basis of all these factors positively
many institutions (schools, municipalities, government or negatively affecting recycling (Smeesters et al., 2001).
offices) with regard to sustainability. Considering the Thus, hypotheses on what the factors affecting the
contributions of recycling in the protection and attitudes and behaviours on the subject were first put
sustainability of environment resources, the inadequacy forth in investigating the actions aimed at environmental
of this training is an important deficit in terms of our education and recycling. Attitudes, values and beliefs are
country that shows a great development potential. characteristics that provide a person particular individual
Furthermore, the lack of studies and findings carried out characteristics and exhibit a relatively stable
in Turkey with regard to the recycling education on which establishment after they are gained (Smeesters et al.,
researches have been carried out for long years stand 2001). Thus, they were considered as central concepts in
out. In this context, this research is important both in that many studies aiming to explain and foresee individuals’
it is experimental and contributes to the need for behaviours on recycling. When the studies on recycling
information on this subject. The purpose of this study is to are generally assessed, it was observed that some of
investigate whether a positive change can be created in these studies are solely based on the data on recycling
the conceptual understanding of high school students on (Kok and Siero, 1985; McCarthy and Schrum, 1993),
matter cycles with a recycling education programme while such studies as the Theory of Reasoned Action, the
developed. Theory of Planned Behavior and Schwartz’s Model of
Altruistic Behaviour put forth more detailed theories on
behavioural sciences in addition to investigating the data
Problem statement of recycling.
With the gaining weight of the views that the ecological
The process of industrialization that developed in an information overload based on the traditional approach
uncontrolled manner since the nineteenth century and the are not sufficient for environmental education, it was
orientation towards a consumer society have led to a very thought that the principles of the constructivist approach
quick increase in the amount of the waste generated by that associates learning with the past experiences and
the society. What to do with and how to use urban waste information accumulation of the individuals can be
 Ugulu et al. 2209

applied to the environmental education (Ugulu, 2012). Table 1. Sampling.

Munson (1994) examined the subject of conceptual
change by reviewing the researches carried out on the Group Female Male Total
constructivist learning approach, and also conducted Experiment 21 11 32
researches on how to cope with misconceptions. Control 26 10 36
According to Munson (1994), “misconceptions” are
scientifically incorrect interpretations made by children
when responding to a problem. Accordingly, the
misconceptions of the students on ecological events and review. A concept analysis on “Ecosystem Ecology” which is
concepts will give environmental educators important included in the curriculum of the 10th grade of the high school was
prepared for the content validity of the conceptual understanding
clues as ecological knowledge has an important place in
test. The content analysis created has been a lodestar in order for
the structuring of ecological information environmental the questions in the conceptual understanding test in parallel to the
education. Starting from this point, it is thought that the subjects and concepts. The content validity of the concept analysis
recycling education designed in accordance with the was ensured by interviewing two biology instructors and two
principles of the constructivist approach will be more teachers in the field. The trial form prepared after making the
effective in the process that individuals exhibit the necessary regulations about the content validity was applied to a
student group of 30 people studying in their first year at the
terminal behaviours on recycling. The fact that a recycling
university, the students were asked for the parts that they had
education programme prepared in accordance with how difficulty in understanding throughout the practice and corrections
the principles of the constructivist approach affects were made accordingly. A pilot study was carried out by applying
individuals’ conceptual understanding of ecology the questions to 80 students studying in the 10th grade of two high
considering the effect of recycling in the natural cycle schools in order to test the reliability, and it was made clear whether
constitutes the main idea of this study. the questions are understandable as expressions and the time
given is sufficient. EECUT took its final shape as a result of the data
obtained from the pilot study (Table 2).
The semi-structured interview was conducted with 9 students
METHOD each for the experiment and control groups (3 students each from
the low, middle and top groups in terms of their levels of conceptual
Research design learning) after the experimental application. It was carried out for
the purpose of revealing the misconceptions observed in the
This study was designed in pretest-posttest control group quasi- answers of the students to EECUT with their reasons. A voice
experimental research design. There are two groups created with recorder was used during the interviews after taking the consent of
unbiased allocation. The group that is under the effect of the the students interviewed, and non-verbal behaviours were written
independent variable among these groups is the experiment group, on paper. Then this interview recorded was put on paper and
and the group that is not under the effect of the independent coded, and it was classified and interpreted by determining
variable is defined as the control group. categories. In semi-structured interview technique, an interview
protocol containing the questions that are aimed to be asked is
prepared. In line with the course of the interview, the course of the
Sampling interview can be affected by side or sub-questions and people may
be asked to clarify and detail their answers. If an individual
In quasi-experimental research designs, the sample size is usually answered certain questions in other questions during the interview,
kept small due to the research’s characterisitics (Balim, 2013; Ilter, the researcher might not ask these questions (Türnüklü, 2000). The
2014; Gutierez, 2015). This research was carried out on 68 tenth concept validity and reliability are used in association with the
grade students studying in two different classes of a high school in researcher in an interview, one of the qualitative methods of
Izmir province. One of these groups was determined as the research (Türnüklü, 2000). Care was taken in asking the same
experiment group, and the other one was determined as the control question with the same words and in the same manner to everyone
group through random selection. There are 32 students in the participating in the study. A pilot practice was carried out by
experiment group and 36 students in the control group. 21 of the interviewing individuals with similar properties with the real
students in the experiment group are female, and 11 of them are interviewees before applying the semi-structured interview form to
male. 26 of the students in the control group are females, and 10 of experiment and control groups, and whether the interview questions
them are males (Table 1). are clear and intelligible and the period that must be allocated for
the interview were determined.

Data collection tools

Implementation
EECUT prepared in order to understand the extent that high school
students structure the concepts about ecology contains open-ended EECUT, used as the data collection tool of the research, was
questions for matter cycles prepared by considering the mis- applied to the students in the experiment and control groups as
conceptions of the students on these subjects through literature pretest and posttest before and after the practice.
2210 Educ. Res. Rev.

Table 2. Ecosystem ecology conceptual understanding test contents.

Question Target
EECUT WC
Determining students’ conceptual understanding levels with regard to water cycle
(Water Cycle)
EECUT CC
Determining students’ conceptual understanding levels with regard to carbon cycle
(Carbon Cycle)
EECUT NC
Determining students’ conceptual understanding levels with regard to nitrogen cycle
(Nitrogen Cycle)

During the experimental practice, the group that is provided 3 lettuce leaves, (7) 2 nails, (8) A roll of white toilet paper, (9) A
training in the framework of high school biology teaching program slice of wheat bread, (10) A sieve
adopted with the decision No. 137 of 03.06.2008 of Turkish
Education Board affiliated to Ministry of Education was considered
as the control group, and the group that were applied Recycling Practice
Education Program (REP) to biology education program was
considered as the experiment group. REP was prepared in a way (1) The teacher defines the concepts organic and inorganic matters.
that it constitutes a whole with the subject “Ecosystem Ecology” (2) The materials required for the activity are placed in the bag and
included in the curriculum of the 10th grade in the context of REP kept in an appropriate environment for a period of one month. (3)
high school biology teaching program. Its period of the application What kind of changes can occur in the bag during this process is
was limited to 10-course hours determined in the curriculum for the discussed with the students. (4) Assessments based on ecosystem
subject “Ecosystem Ecology”. elements are made in the discussion. (5) The bag is opened at the
end of the process, and the latest state of the materials placed in
the bag is evaluated.
Recycling education program

The concepts that are aimed to primarily gain the students of the Data analysis
experiment group in the context of the program during the process
of forming the REP were analyzed based on the 3R (Reduce, The content analysis method was used in order to analyze the data
Reuse, Recycle) model. After the concept analysis was prepared, obtained through EECUT in the framework of the research. The
target concepts were placed in the subject in a way that they do not process carried out in the content analysis method that ensures the
disrupt the integrity of the expression of the subject “Ecosystem detailed examination of the data is to bring together similar data in
Ecology”. The theoretical part of the program was created this way. the framework of certain concepts and themes and interpret them
In the second stage, recycling activities were prepared in order to by organizing in a way that the reader can understand (Yıldırım and
ensure that the concept related to recycling are conceptually Şimşek, 2005). Data obtained from the data collection tool are
structured in the students and that they are understood in a way separately coded by a researcher and another experienced faculty
that they will change their behaviours. These activities were also member. The coding made by both researchers was compared for
placed in the subject in a way that they do not disrupt the course reliability, and the necessary corrections were made by deeming a
and unity of the expression. Consequently, a “Recycling Education correspondence percentage of 70% and above as adequate
Program” that is integrated with the subject “Ecosystem Ecology” (Yüksel 2011).
was created. An example of the activities applied in the context of
the program is shown below.
FINDINGS
Example of activity

WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE – 1 Targets? In this section, the analysis of the answers given by the
students to Ecosystem Ecology Conceptual Under-
It is aimed to make the students understand the concept of organic standing Test (EECUT) prepared in order to investigate
fertilizer. The concepts of organic and inorganic matters are the effect of the Recycling Education Program (REP) on
discussed for this purpose. Furthermore, the states of the matters in the level of understanding of ecological concepts related
nature and matter cycles are examined.
to matter cycles of the students is presented. For this
reason, the analyses on EECUT WC that aims to
Activity materials
determine the conceptual understanding of the students
on water cycle, EECUT CC that aims to determine the
(1) A large plastic bag and a node, (2) A buckle of wet sand, (3) 3 conceptual understanding of the students on carbon
grapes, (4) 5 plastic containers, (5) A handful of chopped herbs, (6) cycle and EECUT NC that aims to determine the
 Ugulu et al. 2211

Table 3. EECUT Water Cycle (WC) question pre- and post-test categories.

Pretest Posttest
Answers by the students EG CG EG CG
f % f % f % f %
There is a water shortage as a result of the insufficiency of groundwater resources. 2 6 3 8 - - - -
A number of usable water resources is significant. 10 31 8 22 20 63 15 42
CD
The reason for the water shortage is unconscious water consumption. 7 22 11 31 3 9 3 8
The reason for the water shortage is the pollution of water resources. 1 3 8 22 - - 3 8
Total 20 62 30 83 23 72 21 58

Global warming reduces water resources. 8 25 2 6 6 19 11 31

ID
The perforation of the ozone layer leads to drought. 4 13 4 11 3 9 4 11
Total 12 38 6 17 9 28 15 42

conceptual understanding of the students on nitrogen concept global warming with water cycle incorrectly. After
cycle are given respectively. the practice, 19% of the students in the experiment group
With EECUT WC question, it was aimed to understand and 31% of the students in the control group made the
the level that the importance of the water resources is explanation “Global warming reduces water resources.”
structured by the students in the framework of the water The students who made this explanation developed such
cycle. Answers given to this questions by the students in a mistake that water resources will evaporate as a result
the pretests and posttests are presented in tables (Table of global warming and thus, water resources will
3). In the table, the answers of the students who made decrease. This mistake shows that the students who
correct definitions (CD) and incorrect definitions (ID) are made the explanation could not structure the water cycle
assessed in the table according to the question. as a whole. Below is the explanation of one of the
students who commented this way.

EECUT WC: Researcher: You indicated that water resources

decreased as a result of global warming? What is the
Approximately 70% of the world is covered with water. reason for this opinion?
This water in the earth exists in the living beings with Student: Water resources evaporate as the temperature
such water sources as oceans, seas, lakes and streams in the world rises. Consequently, water resources also
and is in the form of a cycle among these elements. decrease.
Accordingly, what do you think is the reason that a lot
of countries in the world (including Turkey surrounded by With EECUT WC question, it was aimed to understand to
the sea on three sides) suffer from water shortage which degree that carbon in the composition of organic
although there is a significant amount of water in the molecules which are the basic molecules added into the
world? structure of the living beings is structured in the
When the answers given by the students to the framework of the carbon cycle by the students. The
question EECUT WC are assessed primarily by the answers given by the students to this question in pretests
correct definition scale, it is observed that the correct and posttests are shown in tables (Table 4). In the table,
definition percentage which was 62% before the practice the answers of the students who made correct definitions
in the experiment group reached 72% after the practice, (CD) and incorrect definitions (ID) for the question were
and the correct definition percentage which was 83% in evaluated.
the control group decreased up to 58% after the practice
(Table 3).
When the reasons for the decrease in the percentage EECUT CC:
of making correct definitions of the control group students
with semi-structured interviews are investigated, it was The carbon atom in a CO2 molecule in the air is marked
observed that the students especially associate the using the radioactive isotopes method. After some time,
2212 Educ. Res. Rev.

Table 4. EECUT Carbon Cycle (CC) question pre- and post-test categories.

Pretest Posttest
Answers of the students EG CG EG CG
f % f % f % f %
It reaches the human beings with the transmission of the carbon into the
CD 1 3 3 8 19 59 13 36
food by the producers and then by means of nutrition.
Total 1 3 3 8 19 59 13 36

It reaches the liver cell through respiration. 19 60 16 44 8 25 17 47

It reaches the human cell with the help of the enzymes. - - - - 1 3 - -
It reaches the human cell by steam. - - - - 1 3 - -
ID It reaches the human cell by means of the genes. 1 3 - - - - - -
It reaches the human cell with radioactive rays. 1 3 - - - - 1 3
It reaches the human cell through technological devices. - - 1 3 - - - -
It reaches the liver cell through the nitrogen cycle. - - 1 3 3 9 4 11
Total 21 66 18 50 13 41 22 61

B I don’t have any knowledge and thought. 10 31 15 42 - - 1 3

Total 10 31 15 42 - - 1 3

the marked carbon atom is seen in a human liver cell. After the practice, 9% of the students in the experiment
group and 11% of the students in the control group made
the explanation “The marked nitrogen reaches the liver
Accordingly, how did the carbon atom reach the cell with through nitrogen cycle. This explanation shows
human cell? that the students cannot structure the carbon cycle well
as well as they have problems in understanding the
When the answers of the students to EECUT CC question nitrogen cycle. It is thought that this mistake can be
are assessed primarily by the correct definition criterion, it eliminated by increasing the emphasis that the carbon in
is observed that the correct definition percentage which the air can only be taken by the producer organisms and
was 3% before the practice in the experiment group added into the structure of organic molecules, and thus
reached 59% after the practice, and the correct definition creatures.
percentage which was 8% before in the control group With EECUT NC question, it was aimed to understand
reached 36% after the practice (Table 4). This shows that to what extent the nitrogen cycle, one of the matter
both of the programs applied to the experiment and cycles, and its properties are known and structured by
control group students are effective in the learning of the the students. The answers given by the students to this
carbon cycle event. question in pretests and posttests are presented in tables
60% of the students in the experiment group and 44% (Figure 1). The answers of the students who made correct
of the students in the control group before the practice, marking (CM) about the creatures in the cycle and the
and 25% of the students in the experiment group and answers of the students who made incorrect marking (IM)
47% of the students in the control group after the practice are assessed separately on the figure.
made the explanation “The marked carbon atom reached When the answers given by the students to question
the liver cell through respiration” (Table 4). This expla- EECUT NC are primarily evaluated by the correct
nation shows that the students cannot structure the marking criterion, it is seen that the percentage of correct
carbon cycle well. It is believed that this mistake can only marking which was 47% in the experiment group before
be eliminated by increasing the emphasis during the the application reached 69% after the application, and the
lectures that the carbon in the air can be added to the correct marking percentage which was 22% in the control
structure of organic materials only when they are taken group reached 67% after the application (Table 5). When
by the producer creatures. the answers given to the question EECUT NC by the
 Ugulu et al. 2213

EECUT NC:

Y Z

X NH3

X Y Z
A) Animal Decomposer Plant
B) Chemosynthetic Plant Decomposer
Bacteria
C) Plant Chemosynthetic Animal
Bacteria
D) Decomposer Animal Chemosynthetic
Bacteria
E) Chemosynthetic Decomposer Animal
Bacteria

Figure 1. EECUT NC:

Table 5. EECUT nitrogen cycle (NC) question pre- and post-test categories.

Pretest Posttest
Answers given by the students EG CG EG CG
f % f % f % f %
Chemosynthetic bacteria turn ammonia produced by the decomposers into
CM 15 47 8 22 22 69 24 67
nitrite and nitrate. Plants can also use these salt.
Total 15 47 8 22 22 69 24 67

The reason for the formation of ammonia is bacteria. 11 35 20 58 10 31 8 22

IM
Plants use the ammonia they take from the soil. 3 9 4 11 - - 4 11
Total 14 44 24 67 10 31 12 33

B I have no knowledge and thoughts. 3 9 4 11 - - - -

Total 3 9 4 11 - - - -

students are first assessed by the correct marking Of the students in the control group before the practice,
criterion, it is observed that the correct marking and 31% of the students in the experiment group and
percentage which was 47% before the practice reached 22% of the students in the control group made the
69% after the practice in the experiment group, and the explanation “The reason for the formation of ammonia is
correct marking percentage which was 22% in the control chemosynthetic bacteria “after the practice (Table 5).
group reached 67% after the practice (Table 5). This This explanation shows that these students cannot
shows that the programmes implemented in the structure the nitrogen cycle well.
experiment and control group students are effective in the It is believed that this mistake can be eliminated by
learning of the nitrogen cycle event. increasing the emphasis on the activities of the decom-
35% of the students in the experiment group and 58% posers during the practice. Below is the explanation of
2214 Educ. Res. Rev.

one of the students who makes such a remark. experiment group for EECUT WC increased to 72% from
62%, the success of the control group decreased to 58%
Researchers: What is the duty of the decomposers in the from 83%; the success of the experiment group
ecosystem? increased to 59% from 3% for EECUT CC question, and
Student: They decompose dead organisms. the success of the control group increased to 36% from
8%; and the success of the experiment group increased
Researcher: How do you explain the decomposition to 69% from 15%, and the success of the control group
event? increased to 67% from 8%.
Student: So decay… (not sure). Big molecules are torn According to the results obtained by assessing the
into small molecules. EECUT findings in terms of the effectiveness of REP, a
significant difference is observed in EECUT WC and
Researcher: Can you given an example of these EECUT CC questions between the conceptual
molecules? understanding of the experiment and control groups. It
Student: Yes… (thinks). Ammonia produced by can be said that the success shown by the experiment
chemosynthetic bacteria is an example to this. I mean in group with regard to these questions results from REP as
the nitrogen cycle... these questions aim to determine the conceptual
understanding levels regarding the matter cycles and
emphasise the production derived matter cycle in the
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION nature of REP.
As a result of the study, it was observed that high
Recycling has always been one of the first strategies that school students have many misconceptions towards
come to mind when individuals and institutions want to basic ecological concepts. In their study, Boyes and
perform a positive behaviour towards the environment, Stanisstrect (1999) put forth that a great majority of the
however the necessary determination and stability could students developed the thought that the world heats up
not be achieved apart from a few examples when it as one of the negative consequences of global warming,
comes to certain practices. Except for the activities of and consequently they developed such a misconception
certain private institutions and foundations, there are as “the desertification areas in the world will increase as
scarcely any comprehensive examples of the recycling global warming increases”. When the answers given to
education within the curriculum of the institutions affiliated EECUT WC question by the students in our study are
to Ministry of Education or universities (Ugulu et al. examined, it is observed that a great majority of the
2014). When the place of the recycling education in the students developed such a misconception that global
international area is examined, a multi-dimensional warming will reduce the water sources. Thus, this
development stands out in this area in parallel with the misconception overlaps with the misconception indicated
environmental education. While most of the practices in in the study of Boyes and Stanisstrect (1999).
our country still cannot go beyond a few definitions about Munson (1994) conducted researches on how the
the recycling education, international practices consist of students cope with misconceptions about ecology by
complicated curriculum programs created in a way that examining the subject change of concept after reviewing
they include high and higher education starting from pre- the researches carried out on the constructivist learning
school education. Again in parallel with the development hypothesis. In his study, Munson (1994) determined that
process of environmental education, demographic and the studies carried out on science teaching in the
sociological factors affecting recycling and its education framework of the constructivist approach are related to
have been subject that have been investigated for long the fact that “the learning of the new concepts by the
years (Allen et al. 1993; Goldenhar and Connell 1993; students are related to their previous knowledge (Carey
Jones 1990; McCarthy and Schrum 1993; Pieters 1991; 1985; Driver et al. 1985; Osborne and Freyberg 1985).”
Thøgersen 1994). In this study developed upon seeing Thus, he mentioned the importance of misconceptions in
the deficiency about the recycling education in Turkey, the structuring of the new of information. Starting from
how the conceptual understanding regarding the this theoretical substructure and assessing the im-
ecological subjects related to matter cycles through REP portance of misconceptions in environmental education,
prepared by examining the main concepts and inter- Munson (1994) summarized the main ecological
national examples regarding recycling was investigated. concepts and the misconceptions related to these
When the answers given by the students in the study concepts. As a result of the study, it was determined that
group to EECUT questions in pretests and posttests were the misconceptions on this subject are quite important in
examined, it is observed that the success of the terms of environmental education and instructors.
 Ugulu et al. 2215

Consequently, it can be said that REP that includes McCarthy JA, Shrum LJ (1994) The recycling of solid wastes: Personal
values, value orientations, and attitudes about recycling as
concepts and activities related to recycling as well as
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the success it creates in the conceptual understanding of children's science. Auckland, New Zealand: Heinemann
Pieters RGM (1991) Changing garbage disposal patterns of consumers:
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10(2):59-76.
Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment (1997). Türkiye Çevre
Conflict of Interests Atlası. İstanbul: Çevre Bakanlığı Yayını, Milli Eğitim Basımevi.
Smeesters D, Warlop L, Abeele PV (2001) The state-of-the art on
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