Investigation of Gifted Students' Perceptions Towards Air Pollution, One of the Socio-Scientific Issues

Abstract

This study, which examined gifted students' perceptions towards air pollution, was conducted within the scope of phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods. The research was conducted with 23 gifted students. Data were collected with the Draw -Write-Tell technique. The data were collected two hours a week for a total of eight hours. In the first and second weeks, data were collected on the causes of air pollution, and in the third and fourth weeks, data were collected on the solution of air pollution. The inductive content analysis method was used to analyze the data. According to gifted students, smoke from the chimneys of factories and residences, gases emitted from car exhausts, forest fires, cutting down forests/trees, industrial and domestic wastes, use of non-renewable energy sources, uncontrolled fires, ship wastes, water pollution, airplane fuels, running generators, and smoking cause air pollution. In addition, they think that installing filters on car exhausts and residential/factory chimneys, afforestation, not cutting down forests, limiting the use of cosmetic products or not using these products, recycling, using renewable environmentally friendly energy sources, reducing or eliminating smoking, using public transportation, and using bicycles instead of motor vehicles can be reasonable solutions to reduce air pollution.