THE IMPORTANCE OF GENDER, GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND TYPE OF HIGH SCHOOL, IN THE ACQUISITION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPTS IN NORTHEASTERN SPAIN

The subject of environmental consciousness is not a recent one. In the last decades, national and international organizations have increased their efforts for a better environmental education and for raising ecological consciousness. Despite these efforts, a lack of attitudes and knowledge of concepts was detected in the province of Castellón, located in the north-east of Spain. In this article, we evaluate the acquisition of concepts proposed by the current legislation with regards to ecological consciousness among 12-16 years old students and their relation to different parameters such as geographical location, type of school and students gender. Students answered a questionnaire where a wide range of concepts which are part of the syllabus in the Spanish high schools were enquired. This study evidences that students attain a significant number of ecological consciousness concepts as proposed by the legislation. Furthermore, the degree of acquisition is related to the students gender - there are some differences between female and male students – and geographical location – greater in inland regions than in the coastal ones- however, not with the type of high school –state or non-state high school.