RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEMOGRAPHIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ON NATURAL DISASTERS

The subject of quantitative research is to examine the connection between demographic (gender, age) and environmental factors (family, school and media) with knowledge and perceptions of students about natural disasters. Bearing in mind the orientation of the research design on determination of character and strength of relationships of demographic and environmental factors with the knowledge and perceptions of students about natural disasters, research has explicative goal. The authors use the method of interviewing high school students to identify demographic and environmental factors associated with the knowledge and perceptions of students about natural disasters. The study included 3063 students of secondary schools in the city of Belgrade. Results suggest the existence of links between gender, success achieved in school, and education of parents with the knowledge of students about natural disasters. The results also indicate that the education of students at school and within family does not affect the knowledge, but affects their perception on natural disasters. Bearing in mind the geographical space of Serbia, the study is based only on the Belgrade region, so that the findings can be generalized only to the population of students in this area. Research findings indicate potential ways to influence students to raise level of knowledge about natural disasters to a higher level. Given the evident lack of education about natural disasters in Serbia, the study results can be used for policies of educational programs, which would contribute to improving the safety of youth culture.

In examining the connection between certain demographic and environmental factors with knowledge of students on natural disasters, we came to the following results: there is a correlation between gender of students and their knowledge on natural disasters. Results showed that female students are better informed about natural disasters. On the other hand, we found that gender has no influence on the perception and familiarity with safety procedures for responding to natural disasters. Therefore, special attention to raising awareness should be directed towards male students; results showed no relationship between  age of  students and their knowledge, perceptions and familiarity with safety procedures for responding to natural disasters. Education about natural disasters should include students of all ages, without special attention to particular categories of age. Results indicate that education of parents is related to knowledge, perception and familiarity with safety procedures for responding to natural disasters. Especially noteworthy is equal correlation of education of father and mother with the above dependent variables. Significantly it is to conduct additional research to more clearly examine the association of education level of parents and students' knowledge on natural disasters. Bearing in mind the importance of education about natural disasters at school and within family, we wanted to examine what kind of education is more effective and produces better results. Regardless of our desire and the expected differences, we get similar results, indicating that education in school and family only affects the perception on natural disasters. The question remains, whether the results are consequences of the lack of participation of schools and families in development of security culture of young people. Furthermore, the results indicate that achieved success in school is associated with knowledge and familiarity with safety procedures for responding to natural disasters. The excellent students are more informed and known better the procedures for reacting in such situations. Whether it is a result of their attitude towards personal development and desire to know better the world around them, or it is something completely different, it remains to researchers to investigate. Starting from the fact that education in school and family about natural disasters only affects the perception, we wanted to examine whether the media influence the knowledge on natural disasters. The results showed that television and the Internet influence students' knowledge on natural disasters. Therefore, this argument should be used in a better conception of the role of television and the Internet to disseminate knowledge about natural disasters.

    Since 1997 until 1993, in our educational system there was the subject Defense and protection in within which students, among other things, acquired this kind of knowledge. Today, again occurs initiative of introducing the subject with similar topics. However, it is necessary to do a detailed analysis of the curricula for primary and secondary school and determine to what extent these educational activities are incorporated into the curriculum. On that basis, it is necessary to conclude whether it is only necessary to revise existing curricula in order to amend the contents of natural disasters or it is needed to introduce a new subject. Surely, it obliges us to continue to conduct research on this topic and find strategies of affecting the students in order to raise the level of their preparedness to respond to natural disasters. If we talk about the functionality of knowledge and knowledge that will be of benefit to students, then the curricula must include contents related to emergency response, as well as knowledge related to familiarity with first aid, health care and safety in the household. These are the topics that will be the focus of our future researches.

Key words: natural disasters, high schools, knowledge, perception, demographic factors, environmental factors.

For citation: Cvetković, V., & Stanišić, J. (2015). Relationship between demographic and environmental factors with knowledge of secondary school students on natural disasters., SASA, . Journal of the Geographical Institute Jovan Cvijic, 65(3).