Month: May 2025

The ERC publishes today a new report: Environmental knowledge and attitudes in Ireland’s schools: Findings from TIMSS 2023.

This report presents new findings for Ireland on two aspects of students’ environmental awareness that were captured for the first time in the 2023 cycle of TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study):

• environmental knowledge – part of the science assessment, drawing on selected items related to environmental and climate issues, and
• attitudes towards environmental preservation.

The report presents data for Fourth Class (primary) and Second Year (post-primary) students from the TIMSS 2023 study. It also explores environmentally relevant practices and attitudes of their parents, teachers, and principals, as recorded via questionnaires.

Key findings include:

• A significant gender difference in environmental knowledge among Second Year students, but not at Fourth Class;
• More positive attitudes and practices towards environmental education in primary than in post-primary settings;
• A need expressed by both primary and post-primary teachers of science for dedicated professional learning related to the teaching of environmentalism and sustainability.

The findings, which are novel in an Irish context, are discussed with reference to the broader national policy context of environmental awareness in schools.

The report is authored by Aidan Clerkin, George Piccio, Sylvia Denner, Vasiliki Pitsia and Gráinne McHugh.

It can be downloaded here, with an infographic summary here.