Exploring the Underlying Constructs of Basic Concepts in Environmental Education

Abstract

In this cross-cultural study, underlying constructs for environmental education were compared using faculty responses from The Ohio State University (OSU) and the National Taiwan University (NTU). A systematic sampling of 120 faculty members each from OSU and NTU was conducted and a Q-sort technique used. Through factor analysis with a varimax rotation on data obtained from each university, two sets of constructs were identified. The following five factors, or constructs, identified by the OSU faculty explained 38.5% of the total variance: Environmental Ethics, Population and Quality of Life, Interdependence, Environmental Management, and Socio-Culture. Five constructs identified by the NTU faculty explained 38.5% of the total variance: Environmental Ethics, Environmental Management, Interdependence, Population and Quality of Life, and Resource Conservation.