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Towards an Active Environmental Citizen: Science Education as a Catalyst for Sustainability in Students' Thinking and Behavior

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Title: Towards an Active Environmental Citizen: Science Education as a Catalyst for Sustainability in Students' Thinking and Behavior
Language: English
Authors: Sarah Alotaibi (ORCID 0009-0004-9795-6662), Tahani Alrosaa (ORCID 0009-0002-2594-1950), Jawaher Alrashood (ORCID 0009-0003-3368-6977), Rommel AlAli (ORCID 0000-0001-7375-4856), Ali Al-Barakat (ORCID 0000-0002-2709-4962), Ali Abdullatif (ORCID 0000-0001-9218-5097), Ashraf Zaher (ORCID 0009-0007-9051-4046), Mamdouh Mosaad Helali (ORCID 0000-0002-2271-9708)
Source: Journal of Baltic Science Education. 2025 24(6):1017-1032.
Availability: Scientia Socialis Ltd. 29 K. Donelaicio Street, LT-78115 Siauliai, Republic of Lithuania. e-mail: scientia@scientiasocialis.lt; e-mail: mail.jbse@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.scientiasocialis.lt/jbse/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Science Education, Sustainability, Student Behavior, Science Teachers, Teacher Role, Elementary School Teachers, Foreign Countries, Teacher Student Relationship, Environmental Education, Teacher Attitudes, Conservation (Environment)
Geographic Terms: Saudi Arabia
ISSN: 1648-3898
2538-7138
Abstract: Amid growing global environmental concerns, education plays a critical role in shaping students' understanding and attitudes toward sustainability. Science education, in particular, is uniquely positioned to foster environmental awareness and encourage responsible behaviors. This research was conducted to identify science teachers' perspectives regarding their role in instilling environmental sustainability values and reinforcing responsible behaviors among their students. A qualitative approach was employed through conducting interviews with a purposive convenience sample of 51 primary-stage science teachers in Saudi Arabia. Collected data was analyzed based on the grounded theory approach to facilitate the extraction of core ideas and themes. The findings demonstrated that teachers are deeply aware of their role in the reciprocal relation between human and the environment, which extends beyond knowledge transmission to shaping students' environmental behaviors, and that their environmental practices function as a model that strongly influences students' practices. Teachers' awareness of modeling, intellectual empowerment, and capability to link learning to real life situations demonstrated their deep understanding of how environmental education shapes long-term environmental attitudes. They highlighted empowering students to expect environmental challenges through integrating science curricula into real-life concerns. The findings strongly support integrating sustainability across disciplines to provide a comprehensive understanding of the concept and demonstrate science teachers' advanced educational vision to facilitate values and critical thinking rather than knowledge transmission.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1492308
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: Towards an Active Environmental Citizen: Science Education as a Catalyst for Sustainability in Students' Thinking and Behavior
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarah+Alotaibi%22">Sarah Alotaibi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9795-6662">0009-0004-9795-6662</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tahani+Alrosaa%22">Tahani Alrosaa</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2594-1950">0009-0002-2594-1950</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jawaher+Alrashood%22">Jawaher Alrashood</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3368-6977">0009-0003-3368-6977</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rommel+AlAli%22">Rommel AlAli</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7375-4856">0000-0001-7375-4856</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ali+Al-Barakat%22">Ali Al-Barakat</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2709-4962">0000-0002-2709-4962</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ali+Abdullatif%22">Ali Abdullatif</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9218-5097">0000-0001-9218-5097</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ashraf+Zaher%22">Ashraf Zaher</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9051-4046">0009-0007-9051-4046</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mamdouh+Mosaad+Helali%22">Mamdouh Mosaad Helali</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2271-9708">0000-0002-2271-9708</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Baltic+Science+Education%22"><i>Journal of Baltic Science Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 24(6):1017-1032.
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  Data: Scientia Socialis Ltd. 29 K. Donelaicio Street, LT-78115 Siauliai, Republic of Lithuania. e-mail: scientia@scientiasocialis.lt; e-mail: mail.jbse@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.scientiasocialis.lt/jbse/
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  Data: 16
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Education%22">Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainability%22">Sustainability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Behavior%22">Student Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Teachers%22">Science Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Role%22">Teacher Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Teachers%22">Elementary School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Student+Relationship%22">Teacher Student Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+Education%22">Environmental Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Conservation+%28Environment%29%22">Conservation (Environment)</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Saudi+Arabia%22">Saudi Arabia</searchLink>
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  Data: 1648-3898<br />2538-7138
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Amid growing global environmental concerns, education plays a critical role in shaping students' understanding and attitudes toward sustainability. Science education, in particular, is uniquely positioned to foster environmental awareness and encourage responsible behaviors. This research was conducted to identify science teachers' perspectives regarding their role in instilling environmental sustainability values and reinforcing responsible behaviors among their students. A qualitative approach was employed through conducting interviews with a purposive convenience sample of 51 primary-stage science teachers in Saudi Arabia. Collected data was analyzed based on the grounded theory approach to facilitate the extraction of core ideas and themes. The findings demonstrated that teachers are deeply aware of their role in the reciprocal relation between human and the environment, which extends beyond knowledge transmission to shaping students' environmental behaviors, and that their environmental practices function as a model that strongly influences students' practices. Teachers' awareness of modeling, intellectual empowerment, and capability to link learning to real life situations demonstrated their deep understanding of how environmental education shapes long-term environmental attitudes. They highlighted empowering students to expect environmental challenges through integrating science curricula into real-life concerns. The findings strongly support integrating sustainability across disciplines to provide a comprehensive understanding of the concept and demonstrate science teachers' advanced educational vision to facilitate values and critical thinking rather than knowledge transmission.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1492308
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 1017
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Science Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sustainability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Science Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Student Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Conservation (Environment)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Saudi Arabia
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Towards an Active Environmental Citizen: Science Education as a Catalyst for Sustainability in Students' Thinking and Behavior
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