An Environmental Awareness Model Based on Scientific Learning of Environmental Pollution Issues
Abstract
Human activities cause numerous environmental problems, including pollution of the environment as well as harm to living organisms. This is the reason why environmental problems should be reduced and resolved immediately for sustainability. In the educational sector, teachers must prepare students to have awareness of environmental problems in daily life. The focus of environmental problems in this research is water pollution. The problem-based learning model can be used to raise environmental literacy and awareness of environmental issues, enabling sustainable environmental management. The purposes of this study are two-fold: (1) to analyze information about environmental awareness among students, and (2) to propose an environmental awareness model. This study is based on a questionnaire survey of junior high school students and a literature review. The survey with seven Coefficients (C) was conducted in Salatiga city, Central Java, with 112 Grade 10 students from three senior high schools who had completed integrated science learning at the junior high school level. The results show that students were aware of waste in their environment and of ways to reduce it. Students were aware enough of recycling and sorting waste; reusing water, in terms of using wastewater and collecting rainwater, in their environment. Further analysis showed that students were aware of water conservation and reducing water consumption in their environment. From the correlation between the Coefficient(s), the Environmental awareness model was outlined. This model can be used in science learning curriculum development and in advancing the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) by 2030.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/jsl.v8i4.88309
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