Abstract:
The objective of this research was to study the levels of perception of the
importance of indirect energy conservation and the factors which affect the perception
of the importance of indirect energy conservation of Mathayomsuksa grade three
students at 14 government schools administered by the Dept. of General Education,
Ministry of Education in Bangkok. The data were collected by questionnaires from a
sample of 650 students in Mathayomsuksa-Three in the second semester of the 2002
school year. Stepwise Multiple Regression was performed for data analysis.
The results showed that 73.8 percent of the students had a low level of
perception of the importance of indirect energy conservation and showed that
realization of the value of energy and environment and receptivity of students towards
information on environment and energy conservation influenced perception of the
importance of indirect energy conservation at the 0.05 level of significance. However,
gender, grade point average, experience of participating in energy and environment
activities, knowledge on environment and energy conservation, parents’ educational
levels, parents’ occupations, parents’ incomes, and teachers’preparedness for teaching
environment and energy conservation in school did not influence the perception of the
importance of indirect energy conservation.
According to the findings, it is recommended that the perception of the
importance of indirect energy conservation should be fostered by enabling students to
learn about energy and the environment through direct experience and not only
through instruction. For example, schools should support students to initiate various
environment and energy conservation projects in the community. This would help to
build their understanding of indirect energy use and its implications for the
environment.