Developing Instructional Activities through a Community and Problem-Based Learning Approach to Promote Environmental Literacy in Student Teachers

Abstract

This action research aimed to develop instructional activities through a community- and problem-based learning approach to promote environmental literacy in student teachers and to assess the outcomes of implementing such activities. A total of 25 student teachers enrolled in a general science program at the Faculty of Education at Phetchabun Rajabhat University were purposively selected as research participants during the first semester of the 2023 academic year. The research instruments included: 1) lesson plans (PQF3) designed using a community- and problem-based learning approach for a course in environmental science; 2) reflective journals on the instructional activities; 3) a test assessing three aspects of environmental literacy in the participants, including knowledge of, attitudes toward, and behaviors toward the environment;    4) an operational guideline. Data analysis was performed using content analysis, and data collection was validated through data triangulation. The findings were as follows:            1) There were eight steps for implementing instructional activities through a community- and problem-based learning approach to promote environmental literacy in student teachers, consisting of Step 1—exploring and identifying the community’s environmental problem; Step 2—seeking knowledge; Step 3—studying the causes and effects; Step 4—analyzing the circumstances and determining alternatives; Step 5—planning to solve the community’s environmental problem; Step 6—working on a solution to the problem; Step 7—presenting and publicizing the outcome to the community; and Step 8—discussing and reflecting. 2) After participating in such instructional activities, the student teachers exhibited very high levels of the three aspects of environmental literacy, including knowledge of, attitudes toward, and behaviors toward the environment, at 26.00 (S.D. = 0.56), 4.72 (S.D. = 0.28), and 4.72 (S.D. = 0.28), respectively. 3) Such instructional activities can increase the level of environmental literacy from a moderate to a high level at the end of the research cycle.