Sustainability program and sustainable behavior among high school students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23711247Keywords:
education, sustainability, behavior, studentsAbstract
Education for sustainability seeks to strengthen environmental knowledge and promote responsible behaviors aimed at reducing waste, optimizing resources, and protecting the school environment. However, the available evidence on the changes observed following these programs in Amazonian secondary schools is limited. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of a sustainability education program on the sustainable behavior of students in Tambopata, Peru. A quantitative, applied, and explanatory-evaluative study was conducted using a pre-experimental single-group design with pre- and post-tests, involving a sample of 310 students selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Sustainable behavior was assessed using a Likert-scale questionnaire across four dimensions: environmental stewardship of the school environment, responsible use of resources, waste management and responsible consumption, and participation in sustainable actions. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, normality tests, sample comparisons, the Wilcoxon test, effect sizes, and structural equation modeling. The results showed a significant increase in overall sustainable behavior, rising from a mean of 39.95 on the pretest to 51.71 on the posttest, with a mean difference of 11.76 points and a standardized effect size (d_z = 1.94). All dimensions showed significant improvements, particularly in the responsible use of resources and waste management. A positive change was confirmed, and there was no multicollinearity among the formative indicators (VIF < 3). It is concluded that context-specific sustainability programs promote significant improvements in students’ environmental behavior, although they require validation through quasi-experimental designs.
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