San Jose State University
From the SelectedWorks of Eugene C. Cordero
2002
Is the Ozone Hole Over Your Classroom?
Eugene Cordero, Monash University
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/eugene_cordero/38/
Biographical Resume
Eugene Cordero is a researcher and
lecturer at Monash University.
His
Is the ozone hole
over your classroom?
areas of research include stratospheric
dynamics and ozone depletion .
Recently, Eugene has become interested in students' perceptions of
DR . EUGENE C. CORDERO
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Monash University
environmental issues such as ozone
depletion and global warming. Eugene
completed his Ph.D. at University of
California, Davis in 1995. after which
he worked at NASA Goddard Space
Flight Center before coming to Monash
University.
rather than Antarctica !Bureau of Industry
INTRODUCTION
Economics. 1995}
he depletion of the ozone layer is
Based on the prevalence of misconcep-
recognised as one of the Earth's
tions in the general publiC, 1t IS not
T
most Important environmenta l
surprising that students may have Similar
issues The realisation that anthropogenic
ideas. Studies of British and American
irst year university science
chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons
students found that only 10% held the
students are surveyed about
!CFCs) could potentially destroy the Earth's
correct conceptual model for the relatiOn-
their understanding of the ozone
protective sh1eld. known as the ozone layer.
ship between ozone depletion, global
layer, ozone depletion and the effect of
prompted sw1ft action internationally to
warming and UV radiation !Boyes and
ozone depletion on Australia. Although
reduce these ozone depleting chem1cals.
Stanisstreet, 1997) Similar findings were
students seem to understand the basic
The signing of the Montreal Protocol and
found in Australian students. who also
function of the ozone layer, over 65% of
further amendments aim to restore ozone
appear to confuse the relationship between
students incorrectly believe that the
levels to their pre 1970s distnbut1ons by
the ozone hole and the greenhouse effect
ozone hole is over Australia, and over
somet1me 1n the m1ddle of the 21st century
(F1sher. 1998). However. Austral1an
90% of students Incorrectly believe
!World Meteorological Organization. 1999)
students also have slightly different ideas
that the ozone hole is present during
Australia is a country w1th a particular
about the relationship between ozone
the summer Together these ideas seem
interest 1n sun-related issues because of
depletion and Australia. For example. a
to explain why nearly 75% of students
the population's h1gh incidence of skin
recent pilot study of Austral1an students
blame the ozone hole for Australia's
cancer !Australian Institute of Health and
(Year 5 through Year 11) found that over
high rate of skin cancer. Survey results
Welfare. 1998). Campa1gns about sun
75% believed that the ozone hole is over
also indicate that students seem
safety have been highly effective in getting
Australia, and that ozone depletion 1s
confused about global warming, and
across the message about the sun's
largely responsible for Australia's h1gh rate
the connection with ozone depletion.
potential harm !Dobbinson and Borland,
of skin cancer (Cordero. 20001. These ideas
Conclusions from this study suggest
19981. Although the terms 'ozone depletion'
may be rn part due to Australia's relative
that better teaching resources for envi-
and 'ozone hole' are also well recogn1sed
proximity to the Antarctic ozone hole. and
ronmental issues such as ozone
depletion and global warming are
by the Australian public. it is not clear that
the public has a realistic understanding of
the country's h1gh incidence of skin cancer
The goal of this paper 1s to further
needed before improvements in
how ozone depletion influences Australia.
investigate student understanding of
students' understanding can be
For example. in 1995, a survey of the
concepts related to ozone depletion using
ABSTRACT
expected.
34
general public found that more than 40% of
questionnaires. The study group w1ll be
Australians m1s1dentified the locat1on of
first year un1vers1ty sc1ence students, a
the ozone hole as being over Australia
population that may serve as an 111d1cator
AUSTRALIAN
SCIENCE
TEACHERS'
JOURNAL
Total Ozone on September 29, 1997
for how well secondary school students
understand th1s enVIronmental 1ssue. The
400.()
mot1vauon for better understanding
student 1deas 1s that pnor 1dent1ficat10n
371 4
and awareness of student m1sconcept1ons
...I
can be useful 1n ass1stmg teachers 1n
342.9 0
cz
producing more effective study programs
314 3
(Fisher. 1998) Before the sect1ons describmg the student quesuonna1res and results.
28!. I
0
N
c
=
...
~
.c.,
1 =
=
£
22e.6
an update on the current status of ozone
C'"
0
deplet1on over Australia. and the relation-
~!)7
ship between ozone deplet1on and skm
cancer, is prov1ded
UPDATE ON OZONE DEPLETION
AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO
SKIN CANCER
2 ()(1.0
\ustralia
Decreasmg levels of stratosphenc ozone.
Figure 1. Southern Hem1sphere v1ew of total o1one on September 29. 1997 as calcu-
mcludmg the Antarctic ozone hole. have
lated usmg the Monash Un1vers1ty Transport Model Large values of total ozone are
been pnmanly linked w1th the production of
md1cated in the l1ghter tones. while the low values of ozone are 1nd1cated by the darker
anthropogenic chem1cals such as CFCs
tones and black. Note that the ozone hole 1s defmed as a reg1on where total ozone 1s
(WMO 1999) A gradual phase-out of these
below 220 Dobson un~ts
chem1cals has been Initiated by the s1gn1ng
of the Montreal Protocol (and further
amendments). an 1nternat1onal agreement
1ng meteorological conditions. the ozone
as outlmed by the Montreal Protocol.
that aims to restore ozone levels to the1r
hole has never passed over the Australian
pred1cl that ozone will return to pre 1970s
pre-1970s level
The AntarctiC ozone hole IS
cont1nent
levels by somet1me after 2050. although
recogn~zed
Although the ozone hole 1s generally
large uncertamues st1ll exist. Recent obser-
confmed to the h1gh southern latitudes.
vatiOns show that trends m global chlonne.
decreasmg levels of ozone have been
which 1s ultimately responsible tor ozone
observed throughout the middle latitudes
depletion. have leveled off and are now
(Northern and Southern hermsphere). while
declmmg 111 part due to the Montreal
in the Trop1cs (20N - 20S) ozone trends are
Protocol How fast chlonne levels will
essent1ally zero. For example, ozone levels
decline is hard to estimate due to uncer-
over Melbourne and Bnsbane have been
tainties in em1Ss1on of CFCs and other
decreasmg at 2 5 and 1 7 percent per
ozone depleting gases. In add1tion to these
decade, respectively, wh1le there are no
uncerta111t1es. sc1ent1sts are also concerned
trends over Ca1rns and Darw1n (trend not
about how changmg temperatures 1n the
The locatiOn of the ozone hole. as shown 111
statiStically significant) Therefore. 11 is
lower atmosphere. assoc1ated w1th global
F1gure 1 1s generally confined to the
only 111 Australia's southern latitudes where
warmmg, may affect upper atmosphere
latitudes over Antarctica. although there
negat1ve trends of two to three percent per
temperatures and thus ozone levels These
are occas1ons when the ozone hole can
decade have been recorded
questions make accurate pred1ct1ons of
as one of the most stnkmg mdicators of
ozone depletion The recipe for producing
an ozone hole can be compared to that of
hakmg a cake During winter. the necessary
Ingredients for ozone deplet1on are
prepared 1n the h1gh latitude Southern
Hem1sphere JUSt like puttmg 1n the sugar.
eggs and self -ra1s1ng flour In the spnng,
the returnmg sunlight 1111t1ates the chem1cal
reactions that destroy ozone. JUSt as the
heat of an oven causes the dough to nse
move over lower latitudes locations such
The estimates of future ozone levels.
future ozone levels dift1cult. Even so. the
as South America However. due to prevail-
using emiSSion scenanos of CFC and halons
prom1se of decl1n1ng chlonne levels should
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Ozone Questions
100
-......
80
( ,)
~
60
0
(,) 40
'#.
20
1/Vhat are Au
ozone trends?
Ozone hole
over Au?
Season of
ozone hole?
MaxW
season?
canoer
relatiOnship
ozone
greenhouse
gas?
v.armng
Figure 2. Results from the survey of first year university students enrolled in an introductory atmosphenc sc1ence subject in semesters
1 and 2. Numbers indicate the percentage of students who answered the particular question correctly. The survey sample size is 120
students.
allow ozone levels to slowly recovP.r
1nd1genous population. wh1ch has had
through the 21st century
thousands of years to adapt. Therefore. 1t
OZONE QUESTIONNAIRES
Initial survey
While decreasing ozone levels alone
1s not surpnsing that a m1grat1ng popula-
would produce higher levels of ultraviolet
tion essentially from Britarn and Europe
Over the course of a year. 120 first year un1-
radiation (UV). the relationship between
would be at risk to sun-related illnesses In
ve1sity sc1ence students enrolled 1n an
ozone depletion and skin cancer is more
addition, sc1ent1fic evrdence now suggests
Introductory atmospheric sc1ence subject
complicated. Damage to the skrn is related
that many of today's cases of skrn cancer
were surveyed at the beg1nning of the
to a number of factors 1nclud1ng exposure
can be traced back to prolonged exposure
semester The students were questioned
levels and skin type Therefore human
over many years (Armstrong, 1997)
about issues related to ozone deplet1on and
behaviour can have as great or greater
Therefore, today's sufferers of skin cancer
global warm1ng. In addition. one student
influence on exposure levels as changes rn
should blame their skin type and/or sun
group was also asked more detailed
ozone concentrations The people of
exposure dunng their youth rather than
questions about their rdeas on ozone
Australia are a pnme example. Although it
blame any changes 1n ozone d1stribut1on
depletron in order to 1nvest1gate the rnterre-
is likely that over the last 20 years, UV
over the last 20 years. Havrng sa1d this, it
latlonshrp between students' vanous ideas
levels have risen over Australia due to
should be acknowledged that today's youth
and concepts. Although the survey sample
decreasrng ozone levels, this IS clearly not
is at h1gher rrsk to sun-related illnesses
s1zes are relatively small. and only restrict-
the major cause of Australia's h1gh rate of
compared to 20 years ago, due to today's
ed to a population near Melbourne. the
skin cancer. A more important factor
higher UV levels This argument. therefore,
outcomes of th1s pilot study may serve as
appears to be the prevalence of a fa1r
1s not intended to d1min1sh the real and
indicators of nat1onaltrends.
sk1nned population ltvrng in a h1gh sunlight
Important concerns about 01one depletion.
Figure 2 1s a summary of the results
environment Evidence that Australia 1s a
rather to put rn perspective the 1mpact
from the initial questionnaire. A large
natural high sunlight env1ronment can be
ozone depletion has had on Australia's pop-
ma1orrty of the students correctly identified
found by look1ng at the skm colour of the
ulation
summer as the season when UV radiation
36
AUSTRALIAN
SCIENCE
TEACHERS '
JOURNAL
is at its max1mum. Students also did fairly
100%
well on questions related to the concept of
good and bad ozone and whether ozone is
80%
also a greenhouse gas. However, students
• Dont beie.oe
eb
did not do so well on questions relating to
-e
60%
the ozone hole. Over 60% of the students
~
40%
Q..
• Dontknow
QJ
QJ
incorrectly Identified the ozone hole as over
oBeiew
20%
Australia, and over 90% of the students
bel1eved that the ozone hole is present
5unmef lN
'VI <>All
preoeri al
"""
dunng summer, Instead of spring. In
Australa rue
to o3 tde
VB llrgesl
Attan:toca IU
can !1"" a«
Ozone tde
cl.rrg wnmer
addition. students also believed that ozone
Ozcre tclle
Au
depletion 1s largely responsible for
Australia's h1gh rate of skin cancer. and that
Figure 3. Percentage of students who believe, don't know, or don't believe in particu-
the ozone hole is responsible for global
lar statement.
warming
These results, which agree with
Ozone hole
previous surveys of pre-university students.
suggest that Australian students have particular misconceptions about ozone. Some
of these misconceptions appear to be interrelated, and were further studied using a
r------------,
' High UV radiation 'I
I
' during summer •
~------------·
more detailed questionnaire.
Ozone depletion
-Au skin cancer
Detailed questionnaire
A second quest1onna1re was given to the
Semester 2 student group (65 students)
with the a1m of further probing student
ideas about the ozone hole and skin cancer,
3nd the relationship between ozone
jepletion and global warming. Students
Figure 4. A concept map showing how some students relate ozone depletion to
Australia's high skin cancer rates. The misconceptions. identified as the ozone hole
residing over Australia, and the ozone hole occurring during the summer, together with
the correct concept that UV radiation is maximum during summer all support the notion
that ozone depletion is responsible for Australia's high rate of skin cancer.
were given a variety of statements which
they would support or refute. using their
3ppropriate level of confidence (eg a) I am
more confident that during summer UV
Figure 4. The pnmary ozone misconcep·
sure this is correct; b) I think this is correct;
radiation is high over Australia because of
tions. 'ozone hole over Au · and 'ozone hole
c) I don't know; d) I don't think this is correct
the ozone hole. Of these students. over
occurs during summer' seem to lmk up with
and e) I am sure this is incorrect). In this
50% supported the statement that the
the correct concept that maximum UV
way, the support of different models of
ozone hole is over Antarctica, but grows
occurs in summer Together. these miscon-
understandmg could be identified.
and moves over Australia, while 40%
ceptions lead to a further misconception
believed the ozone hole IS always over
about the connect1on between ozone
Australia, but gets larger during summer.
depletion and Australia's h1gh rate of skin
Responses from some of the questions
are shown m Figure 3. Over 50% of the
students incorrectly believed there was a
From these results there appears to be
cancer.
relationship between ozone depletion and
a relationship between student concepts
Australia's high rate of skin cancer. while a
about UV radiation. the ozone hole and skin
tionship between ozone depletion and
further 27% didn't know. Students were
cancer. as outlined in the concept map in
global warming. Over 40% of students
ASTJ
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A further point is made about the rela-
37
bel1eved that holes 1n the ozone layer were
conceptions may serve to help modify
environmental 1ssues such as ozone
responsible for global warm1ng. whlle over
soc1al behavior. in particular protecting
depletiOn and global warmtng, with the
60% believed that automobile pollution
oneself from the sun, tt is the role of educa-
1ntent of developing more effective
was responsible for ozone depletion. Ttlis
tional institutions to present the correct
teaching materials. A search for support for
suggests that the confusion between these
sc1ent1f1c models of understanding It also
such a project 1s currently underway. If
two environmental issues IS not only wJth
appears that the lessons of enwonmental
readers are interested in further Informa-
younger students as identified in other
issues. such as ozone depletion. are not
tion. have suggestions, or would l1ke
stud1es (Francis, 1993: Potts. Stan1sstreet
being communicated to students For
tnformation about obtain1ng teaching
and Boyes. 1995. Franc1s, 1998). but1s also
example. the message of the Montreal
matenals, please contact the author.
prevalent w1th university students.
Protocol and further amendments, although
not yet confirmed as a success story, serves
SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION
Questionnaires g1ven to f1rst year university
SCience students were used to explore
student misconcep11ons about ozone
depletion The results indicate that while
students seem to have a good understanding of general ozone concepts. they poorly
understand the ozone hole and how 1t mfluences Australia In particular, a maJority of
students mcorrectly bel1eve a) the ozone
hole ex1sts over Australia b) the ozone hole
is largest during summer c) ozone depletiOn
IS
respons1ble for Australia's h1gh rate of
Contact details
as an excellent illustration that indeed
Or Eugene C. Cordero
something can be done to protect the env1·
Address Department of MathematiCS and
ronment
However. tn the above
StatistiCS
questionnaire. almost 80% of the students
PO Box 28M
felt that during the last decade the ozone
Monash University. Victoria 3800
hole had been growing rapidly, which is not
true (WMO 1999). Putting resources into
Email
ecc@vortex shm monash edu au
the teaching of environmental issues would
Fax
03 9905-3870
therefore seem a good approach. espectally
s1nce many of today's youth rank environmental issues h1gh in their ltst of concerns
(Connell. Fien, Sykes and Yencken, 1998)
Explaining the lessons we have learned to
today's students should prov1de an under-
skin cancer and d) a direct relatiOnship
standing and capacity for the potentially
ex1sts between ozone depletion and global
difficult decisions individuals will need to
warming The f1rst three misconceptions
make with regards to future environmental
appear to be interrelated , and are
issues.
References
Armstrong B K.. The human health consequences of
ozone depleuon - an overv1ew Aust Met Mag.. 46.
1997 223 230.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABSl. Envtronmental
tssues People's vtews and practtces. 4602 0. March
1998
Australian lnst1tute of Health and Welfare IAIHW) and
Australas1an Association of Cancer Reg1stnes IAACR)
1998 Cancer m Austr.11ta i 995. lnctdence and
morraltty data for 1995 and selected data f01 1996.
AIHW cat No. CAN !:1 Canberra Australian Institute
of Health and Welfare !Cancer Series No 10). 1998
supported by the correct student concepts
However. one of the difficulties 111
that summer has the h1ghest UV levels of
teaching envtronmental toptcs such as
radiation and that Australia has a high rate
ozone depletion and global warming is a
of sk111 cancer Earlier stud1es of pre-univer-
lack of good teachtng resources Because
sity students (primary and secondary
these topics are current and constantly
school) show that similar misconceptions
changing, textbooks may be out of date,
ex 1st. thus it does not appear that students
and thus teachers could feel uncomfortable
are advancing thetr understanding of envi-
or ill-prepared to teach these subjects In
ronmental issues such as ozone depletion
the development of effective teaching
48. 1998
and global warming much through
matenals, it seems important to Jdenttfy
secondary school
and understand the existtng concepts
Cordero. E C. Misconceptions tn Australian students·
understandmg of ozone deplet1on. Melbourne Studtes
111 Educat1on. 2001 In press
While many Australian students know
students have about these tssues From the
when to slip, slop slap. slogans of the suc-
results of th1s and previous studies. 1t
cessful Sun Smart campaign. they also
seem to blame ozone depletion for the1r
seems clear that a more comprehensive
effort 111 Australia should be undertaken to
sktn cancer concerns. Although these mis-
better understand students' ideas about
38
AUSTRALIAN
Boyes. E and M Stamsstreet. Children's models of
understanding of two maJor global enwonmental
Issues (ozone layer and greenhouse effect) Research
in sctenco and technologtcat educatton. 15. 1997. 19
28
Bureau of Industry Econom1cs. Sctence understandmg
and a~.,.areness_ Occas1onal paper 30. Australian
Government Publish111g SArv1ce. Canberra. 1995
Connell. S. J F1en. H Sykes and 0 Yencken. Young
people and the environment tn Australia beliefs.
knowledge. commument and educauonal Implication.
Australian journal of enwronmentaleducation. 14. 39·
Dohbinson. S and R Borland. Reactton to the
1996/1991 SunSman campatgn Results from a represenrarwe household survey of Victonans. SunSmart
E.valuahon Studies No 6 Published by the AnttCanr.er Cmmcd of Australia. 1998
F1sher. 8 W. Australian students' apprec1a11on of the
greenhouse effect anrl the ozone hole. Australian
SCIENCE
TEACHERS'
JOURNAL
sctence teachers·Journal. 44. 1998. 46-55.
Fisher. B W There·s a hole rn my greenhouse effect
School sc1ence rewew. 79. 1998. 93-99
Francrs. C. E Boyes. A Oualter. and M Stanrsstreet.
Ideas of elementary students about reducrng the
Greenhouse Effect' Sc1ence educatton. 77 1993.
375-392
Potts. A. M. Stanisstreet and E. Boyes. Children's
rdeas about the ozone layer and opportunrtres for
physrcs teachrng School sc1eoce rev1ew. 78. 1996 '57-
62
World Meteorologrcal Organrzatron (1999). Sctent1flc
assessment of ozone depletiOn
1998 World
Meteor ol Org . Rep. 44 cvt1
Oul' Mission:
Pl'omoting oul' ppofession: enl'iching science teaching
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The Australian Association for Environmental Education, Inc. 12 Biennial Conference
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Sustaining Environmental Education: Celebrating Diversity
The Conference will provide an opportunity for environmental educators from universities, national parks, preschools and schools, private industry, government agencies and community groups to take part in lectures,
roundtables, workshops, forums and poster presentations that celebrate our diversity as educators and that
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