Promoting environmental literacy in teaching ecology using self-directed inquiry based environmental learning activity

The study aimed to develop and implement a self-directed inquiry based learning activity thaw will have impacts on the students’ environmental literacy. The study utilized the PDSA action research paradigm and was conducted in two iterations. The first implementation of the SDIBELA was with a BS Biology class as part of their General Ecology laboratory class. The iteration of the SDIBELA was to another BS Biology class for the same subject. Since the study evaluated the impact of the SDIBELA on the students’ environmental literacy level, their environmental literacy levels were assessed using the environmental literacy questionnaire before and after the SDIBELA implementation. The SDIBELA involve learning tasks that required students’ inquiry-based activities. The learning outcomes were assessed using scoring rubrics and these ratings serve as the basis of determining the student performances. On the first implementation of the SDIBELA, the general average rating performance of the student-participants are as follows: environmental scanning activity was Satisfactory, identifying the prevailing environmental problem or issue had a Not Sufficient rating, environmental project proposal stage was Good, environmental projects implementation was Good, environmental projects impact assessment was Good and production of the OBL outputs was Good. Enhancement and modifications were done on the SDIBELA based from the outcomes of its first implementation. On its iteration on a new set of student participants with the same subject. The students’ environmental literacy levels were re-evaluated after the implementation of the SDIBELA. The result of the t-test analysis suggested that there is significant difference between the students’ environmental knowledge and action level before and after the implementation of the SDIBELA. However, no significant difference on the environmental attitude level before and after the implementation of the SDIBELA