The Effect of a Nature-Based Environmental Education Program on Children’s Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors: A Randomized Experiment with Primary Schools

Improvement impact of nudges incorporated in environmental education on students' environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors

This study conducted randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of an environmental education class and the impacts of nudges and boosts implemented in this program on high school students' basic knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding environmental issues in Japan. This environmental education class consisted of a lecture on reducing the use of plastic products for energy conservation in daily life, a board game for learning how to reduce plastic waste, and a worksheet for reflection. Four types of worksheets were randomly distributed: nudges, in which students were asked to set a goal regarding their level of effort in not throwing away plastic products such as plastic bags, wet wipes, and plastic bottles; boosts, in which participants were asked to write an essay to help increase their empathy for the parties impacted by environmental issues; both nudges and boosts; and none (neither nudges nor boosts). After environmental education, an end-line survey was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this class. This study found that the environmental education class significantly improved students' basic environmental knowledge and promoted their concerns about plastic waste. Although there was no evidence that nudges and boosts amplify the effects of the environmental education class on the students' knowledge, nudges were successful in making them more concerned about plastic waste. The results showed that students who received nudges or boosts were more likely to refuse free wet wipes offered at convenience stores but were not more likely to refuse plastic bottles. These results also indicated that interventions through environmental education can change students' pro-environmental behaviors only if the cost of behavioral change is low. The environmental education class not only increased students' environmental knowledge and attitudes, but the use of worksheets in administering nudges and boosts ensured the effectiveness of environmental education.

Ecolabel with Augmented Reality on the Website to Enhance Student Environmental Awareness

Industrial Revolution 4.0, accompanied by an environmental crisis, shows that modernization and technological sophistication do not make harmonization between nature and humans more closely intertwined. This harmony needs ecological consciousness nurtured from an early age which is a challenge for the Industrial Revolution 4.0. Using technology in this research aimed to examine enhancing student environmental awareness affected by ecolabel with web-based augmented reality at elementary schools in Setia Budi subdistrict in South Jakarta in Indonesia. Environmental awareness of the students was indicated by student environmental action related to solving the environmental problems, environmental manner of doing environmental activities, and noble values of sustainability to have conservation. This research population is elementary school students in Setia Budi subdistrict in South Jakarta in Indonesia with simple random sampling utilizing the Slovin Formula sampling technique. Data analysis procedure executed independent samples t-test. The decisions reveal that the average value for environmental awareness for the experimental class arrives at 56.406, significantly larger than that for the control group of 55.063 at a 0.05 significance level. The investigation found that ecolabel using augmented reality attached on the website can raise student environmental awareness.

Raising Ecological Awareness and Digital Literacy in Primary School Children through Gamification

Environmental education, at least in northwest Spain, is often overlooked in the education system from infant schooling onwards and interventions are needed to raise the profile of this subject. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of a learning program designed for primary school students to broaden their ecological awareness and improve digital literacy using gamification tools. The research was developed using a qualitative approach, with data obtained from 156 subjects, including teachers, students and families. The results show that the children assimilated new habits on the better usage of water and electricity and recycling paper and plastic. Moreover, they acquired more efficient strategies for finding information online, by using apps and developing content with digital tools. Gaming dynamics and resources were the key to students’ learning, with the tablet proving an essential tool for boosting motivation, interaction and problem solving.

Design of a Pedagogical Model of Education for Environmental Citizenship in Primary Education

Education for Environmental Citizenship plays an important role in social change toward sustainable development, achieving economic, social, and environmental balance through informed, cooperative, and participative citizens. There are several pedagogical models with the potential to involve students in environmental activities, but no specific model suitable for primary education is found. This article describes the preliminary investigation phase of a Design-Based Research that resulted in the development of the first prototype of a Pedagogical Model of Education for Environmental Citizenship in Primary Education (students aged 6 to 10 years), in Portugal. This preliminary investigation phase was based on a systematic analysis and literature review on the topic (thesis, articles, projects, and curricular guidelines for primary education), seeking to answer the following research questions: (1) According to the current world characteristics, which learning outcomes should an environmental citizen achieve, and which of them can be promoted in primary education? (2) What are the most appropriate teaching methodologies and strategies for promoting environmental citizen learning outcomes in primary education? The methodology used is presented, and the proposed prototype is described, along with the desired learning outcomes that are considered necessary for the formation of an Environmental Citizen and the most appropriate methodologies and educational activities to promote them.

Environmental Attitudes and Recycling Behaviour in Primary School Age: The Role of School and Parents

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between environmental attitudes and recycling behaviour in primary school age, and to evaluate the role that school and parents play in the prediction of children’s attitudes and behaviour. Primary school pupils aged 8–11 years (n = 116), their parents and their class teachers participated in the study. During the structured face-to-face interviews, children answered questions about their recycling behaviour and environmental attitudes (i.e. eco-affinity and eco-awareness). Parents provided answers on their recycling behaviour, verbal modelling of the behaviour, incentives used when a child recycles waste, and environmental attitudes, while class teachers provided information about the recycling in children’s school. Structural equation models were tested with a purpose to evaluate the role of different independent variables, i.e. only school, only parental factors, or both, when predicting child recycling behaviour. Results of the study showed that children’s environmental attitudes had no significant links to their recycling behaviour. The only factor that appeared to be significant in the prediction of child behaviour was parental recycling behaviour. Furthermore, recycling in schools predicted pupils’ eco-awareness. Based on the study findings, it would be worthwhile to promote more practical training of pro-environmental behaviour, and to strengthen children’s eco-affinity.