Assessing the Environmental Mental Models of Grade School Students in Negros Oriental, Philippines

Abstract

Understanding how environmental perceptions evolve among younger generations is crucial for developing effective educational curricula and policies that promote sustainable environmental practices. This study explored the ecological perceptions of Grade 7 and Grade 10 students in Negros Oriental using a mental model. A total of 60 students who volunteered were selected for the study, comprising 39 females and 21 males. Among the participants, 30 were in Grade 7 and 30 were in Grade 10. Participants were selected based on their willingness and availability to participate in the study voluntarily. A mixed-method approach combining quantitative and qualitative methods was employed. The Draw-an-Environment Test-Rubric (DAET-R) was used to quantify students' environmental mental models. The DAET-R scores were computed and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test to assess statistical differences by grade level.  Semi-structured interviews, such as “What comes into your mind when you think about our environment?” and “What do you think constitutes the environment?”, were used to examine students’ mental representations of the environment qualitatively. The results of this study showed a significant difference in the climate models between Grade 7 and Grade 10 students (p=0.019). Students' ecological awareness increases with age, evolving from simple depictions of nature (Grade 7) to more complex themes that incorporate human impact and technology (Grade 10).  However, a significant gap in environmental literacy and systems thinking was observed, as no students demonstrated the highest level of conceptual integration. To address this, educational curricula need to prioritize experiential and systems-based learning, fostering critical thinking and ecological responsibility. Students should engage with real-world issues through interdisciplinary approaches. Furthermore, teacher training in experiential methods, technology integration, and hands-on activities is crucial to equip educators with the skills to facilitate this learning effectively.