Change in the Environmental Literacy of German Students in Science Education between 2006 and 2015

This empirical study intends to present core results of the change in environmental literacy of German students by analysing PISA 2006 and 2015 data. The study is carried out within the scope of environmental literacy in science education. The data are based on findings of both PISA 2006 data (N= 4891) and PISA 2015 data (N= 6504) of German students which were published in the official PISA site (http://www.pisa.oecd.org). In this study, a valid and a reliable 'environmental literacy' scale is developed. In addition, students' attitudes towards science affecting their environmental literacy are compared between 2006 and 2015. The study is conducted based on the paradigm of a descriptive field study survey. The validity and reliability of the 'environmental literacy' scale is tested in two stages by applying exploratory factor analysis with SPSS and confirmatory factor analysis with AMOS. In addition, parametric tests (ANOVA) and correlation are used to assess the data obtained from the analysis of quantitative data. The findings demonstrate a positive and meaningful relationship between 'environmental literacy' and the sub-factors (Environmental Awareness (EA), Environmental Responsibility (ER), and Development of Environmental Behavior (DEB)) (r[subscript EA] = 0.73, r[subscript ER] = 0.43, r[subscript DEP] = 0,37, p < 0.01). Moreover, there is an increase in the mean of the environmental literacy ([X-bar][subscript 2006] = 2,55; [X-bar][subscript 2015] = 2,58). According to the results, the major of students (63 % and over) indicate that 'they can describe the role of antibiotics in the treatment of disease' and 'they can predict how changes to an environment will affect the survival of certain species' easily on their own in both 2006 and 2015. However, approximately 20 % of German students point out that they cannot recognize the science question that underlies a newspaper report on a health issue' on their own. In addition, the majority of German students (80 %) point out that they have information about the consequences of clearing forests for other land use in 2006 and 2015. On the other hand, more than 60 % of German students think that they do not have sufficient knowledge about the use of GMO in 2006 and 2015. In the light of the results of this study some suggestions related to environmental issues for the development of science curricula are discussed. For instance, one of the suggestions is that the subject of genetically modified organisms an