Environmental education in teaching science on the Wadden Sea ecosystem: What are the effects on environmental psychological constructs?

A study on environmental education using the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea ecosystem reveals that integrating such lessons into science education significantly enhances students' connectedness with nature and environmental attitudes both short-term and long-term. The research, involving 157 students aged around 14 years, employed a pre-post design with follow-up tests to assess changes in these psychological constructs using validated scales. Statistical analysis confirmed the positive impact of thematizing the Wadden Sea in school lessons on promoting pro-environmental attitudes, highlighting its potential as an effective tool for fostering sustainability awareness among students.

Schmäing, T., & Grotjohann, N. (2022). Environmental education in teaching science on the Wadden Sea ecosystem: What are the effects on environmental psychological constructs? Environmental Education Research, 29(2), 232–247. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2102584