«Environmental responsibility on primary education schools and participation in outdoor activities. The case of primary pupils at the area of Thessaloniki region»

Outdoor activities contribute to bringing students into contact with nature, through experiential actions. Strengthening the human-nature relationship cultivates a sense of respect for it, highlights its value, and pushes people more easily into ecological behavior. The purpose of the current study was to find out whether the different place of residence of students and the different frequency of their participation in outdoor activities are related to the extent of their environmental awareness. The sample consisted of 261 pupils of the 5th and 6th grades, in Primary Schools from the Thessaloniki region. The pupils filled out the scale for the Environmental cognitive beliefs (Zafeiroudi & Hatzigeorgiadis, 2013). Based on the results, both the place of residence and the participation in outdoor activities affect pupils’ environmental cognitive beliefs and pro-environmental behavior. The affective beliefs were influenced only by the place of resistance. In conclusion, outdoor activities in combination with environmental education, develop knowledge and related skills, and enhance pupils’ connection with nature.