Sustainable environmental education using virtual reality: A module for improving environmental citizenship competences in secondary schools

Abstract

Sustainable environmental education (SEE) can develop global citizens. However, environmental education in schools does not develop environmental citizenship (EC). Virtual reality (VR) could provide authentic immersive experiences to evoke emotions for positive action for EC. A SEE module, designed to include VR experiences, was evaluated at a secondary school to determine if it could improve students’ EC. A quasi-experimental single-group pre-test post-test design was conducted with 30 students, followed by focus group interviews with the students. The findings indicated the module was effective in improving EC scores. Analysis of interview transcripts indicated students were engaged and motivated to learn with VR and improved in EC competences. However, the future actions for EC were limited to individual actions and not community-based actions. Although there was some potential in the SEE module, some improvements are needed. Future studies could investigate strategies for making students agents of change in the community.