New Perspectives in Science Education

One of the main aims of education at De La Salle Lipa (DLSL) is to mold students to become socially responsible citizens, who in part are expected to act as advocates for environmental protection and sustainability. The advent of unparalleled modernization at present inevitably poses risks to the richness of biodiversity inherent to the Philippines. As there is proof that the predisposition and attitude to act on something help motivate an individual to actually make an initiative to do it, this study looks into the attitudes of DLSL STEM students and their parents towards biodiversity, particularly with regard to its meaning and what they can do to help prevent biodiversity loss. A descriptive method of research was utilized. A hypothesized model on the relationship between experiences of nature and the willingness to conserve biodiversity has been used as the theoretical framework. A validated questionnaire combining items from the Attitude toward Biodiversity survey and the European Commission’s Attitudes towards Biodiversity questionnaire were utilized as the data gathering instruments. Findings revealed that both the STEM students and their parents have positive levels of knowledge on and attitude towards biodiversity, and a high level of willingness to participate in activities relevant to biodiversity conservation. It was likewise determined that the attitudes of parents towards biodiversity affect the respective attitudes of their children, a finding deemed useful for Filipino senior high school Science teachers to consider in planning for effective curriculum and instruction in the future.