Examination of Gifted Students' Perceptions Regarding Air Pollution, A Socio-Scientific Issue

Abstract

This study, which examined gifted students’ perceptions of air pollution, was conducted using a phenomenological design, a qualitative research method. This study was conducted with 23 gifted students. Data were collected using the draw-write-tell method. Data were collected two hours a week for a total of eight hours. In the first and second weeks, data on the causes of air pollution were collected, and in the third and fourth weeks, data on the solution of air pollution were collected. An inductive content analysis method was used to analyze the data. According to gifted students, smoke from chimneys of factories and residences, gases emitted from car exhaust, 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.