An Analysis of the Environmental Issues and Environmental Literacy Components Presented by the Lebanese National Elementary Science Textbooks

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the environmental issues and environmental literacy components presented by the Lebanese national elementary science textbooks. For this purpose, the Lebanese national science textbooks (grades 1 through 6) were analyzed through content analysis and a mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The analysis used two frameworks from previous literature to determine the environmental issues and the inclusion level of environmental literacy components (knowledge, affect, cognitive skill, and behavior) presented by these textbooks. The results of the study showed that the environmental issues presented by the Lebanese national elementary science textbooks are marine pollution, solid waste disposal, hazardous chemicals, biodiversity reduction, habitat destruction, land use, ozone depletion, acid rain, extinction, population growth, human health, air pollution, and soil erosion with the marine pollution and ozone depletion being the most and least issues covered respectively. In addition to that, the results showed that not all components of environmental literacy receive the same attention in the Lebanese national elementary science textbooks. It was shown that the environmental knowledge component is the most highlighted one among the other environmental literacy components (affect, cognitive skill, and behavior). Moreover, the most highlighted environmental literacy components in the environmental issue topics were knowledge and behavior. Therefore, the study’s recommendation is to work on updating the Lebanese science curriculum and textbooks to include more current environmental issues and to give all components of environmental literacy equal attention.