STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT KASETSART UNIVERSITY, KAMPHAENG SAEN CAMPUS

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) study the environmental awareness and factors affecting environmental awareness; 2) study the factors affecting environmental awareness of undergrad students; and 3) propose the strategies for promoting environmental awareness of undergraduate students at Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus. The sample was 388 undergraduate students, derived by multi-stage sampling. The data were collected by a questionnaire. The statistics used for quantitative data analysis were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The qualitative data were analyzed by SWOT analysis and TOWS Matrix.

The results of the study were as follows: 1) overall the environmental awareness (Y) of students was at a high level. Specifically, the environmental knowledge (X₅) and the environmental experience (X₆) were at a high level. Environmental value (X₇) was at the highest level, while the environmental perception (X₈) was at a moderate level. 2) The two factors affecting environmental awareness of students were environmental experience and environmental values, which together predicted the environmental awareness at the percentage of 48.10. The prediction equation of raw scores was:  = 66.700 + 1.446X₇ + .748X₆, and the prediction equations of standard scores was: Z_y = .564 Zx₇ + .372. Zx₆. 3) The strategies for promoting environmental awareness of undergraduate students at Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus were enhancing value and participatory environmental experiences, expanding environmental learning area and improving monitoring and evaluation, developing environmental awareness among students, and raising consciousness for environmental awareness.