Environmental Education: A Systematic Review on the Use of Digital Tools for Fostering Sustainability Awareness
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Contribution
1.1.1. Digital Maps and EE
1.1.2. Video Podcasts and EE
1.1.3. Computer-Assisted Virtual Environments and EE
1.1.4. Video Games and EE
1.1.5. Augmented Reality (AR) and EE
2. Objectives and Research Questions
- RQ1: What does the literature reveal about the state of the art of digital tools used for environmental awareness and education?
- RQ2: Does digital tool use foster better scientific knowledge gains about environmental issues?
- RQ3: What role can digital tools play in the fostering of sustainability awareness among learners?
3. Methods
- (a)
- documents that included in their title, abstract, and keywords (from the author and/or plus), the words: (environmental education OR sustainability education OR climate change education OR ecology education Or SDGs education Or sustainable development education) OR (environmental awareness OR sustainability awareness OR climate change awareness OR ecology awareness Or SDGs awareness Or sustainable development awareness) OR (environmental literacy OR environmental concerns OR environmental responsibility OR ecofriendly awareness Or green awareness) AND (ICT OR “Video gam*” OR “Google Earth” XR OR VR OR MR OR AR OR “Virtual reality” OR “Mixed reality” OR “augmented reality” OR “Extended reality” OR digital OR “online platforms”). Keywords were identified after developing an understanding of key concepts, compiling a complete list of synonyms related to the study subject, and confirming the usefulness of natural language terms by testing them out and finding controlled vocabulary;
- (b)
- studies covering all educational levels (K-12, primary school, college education, secondary education, university education, lifelong learning, adult education);
- (c)
- reporting empirical studies;
- (d)
- publication dates between 2013 and 2023 following the 10-year rule proposed by Robinson, A. [44] to cover the aforementioned literature gap.
4. Results
4.1. Digital Tools Integrated for Environmental Awareness and Education
4.2. Digital Tools Affect Students’ Scientific Knowledge of Environmental Issues
- students’ EE learning in seated settings is more efficient than in embodied settings;
- learning EE using digital tools foster students’ sense of presence and enjoyment;
- students’ have very positive opinions on immersive EE experiences.
4.3. The Role Digital Tools Play in the Fostering of Sustainability Awareness
5. Discussion
5.1. State of the Art of Digital Tools for Fostering Environmental Awareness
5.2. Digital Tools Can Promote Learning in Environmental Education
5.3. Digital Tools Can Foster Sustainability Awareness
6. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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N | Authors | Year | Journal or Book | Country | Topic | Method | Sample | Education Level Target | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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[47] | Zhou, Y.; Zhengyan L.; Meng Wang, R.; Kechen D. & Xiao-Guang Y. | 2023 | Ekonomska Istraživanja | Japan | Renewable energy demand. | Qt | (Old data sought for linear regression)—sample not identified. | Evaluating the impacts of education and digitalization on renewable energy demand behavior: new evidence from Japan, Economic Research- | |
[48] | Sajjadi, P., Bagher, M. M., Myrick, J. G., Guerriero, J. G., White, T. S., Klippel, A., & Swim, J. K. | 2022 | Frontiers in Environmental Science | USA Philadelphia | Soil. | Qt | 152 participants. | Adult learning | Promoting systems thinking and pro-environmental policy support through serious games. |
[49] | Ricoy, M.; Sánchez-Martínez, C. | 2022 | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health | Spain | Ecological awareness. | Qt | 156 students. | Primary school | Raising Ecological Awareness and Digital Literacy in Primary School Children through Gamification. |
[50] | Álvarez N.; Álvarez-García C.; Anguita, L.; Sanz-Martos, S. & López-Medina, I. | 2022 | BMC Nursing | Spain | Climate change. | Qt | 81 pairs of students throughout their four-year academic university. | University education | Effectiveness of scenario-based learning and augmented reality for nursing students’ attitudes and awareness toward climate change and sustainability. |
[51] | Barnidge, M.; Sherrill, L.A.; Kim, B.; Cooks, E.; Deavours, D.; Viehouser, M.; Broussard, R.; & Zhang, J. | 2021 | Mass Communication and Society | USA | Climate change. | Qt | 133 participants. | University learning | The Effects of Virtual Reality News on Learning about Climate Change |
[52] | Diolaiuti, G.; Maugeri, M.; Senese, A.; Panizza, M.; Ambrosini, R.; Ficetola, G.; Parolini, M.; Fugazza, D.; Traversa, G.; Scaccia, D.; Franceschini, M.; Citron, L.; Pelfini, M. | 2021 | Geografia Fisica e Dinamica Quaternaria | Italy | Climate change impacts on glaciers. | Qt | 150 first-year students. | University learning | Immersive and virtual tools to see and understand climate change impacts on glaciers: a new challenge for scientific dissemination and inclusive education. |
[53] | Guo, S. | 2021 | International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies | Taiwan | Environmental protection. | Qt | 32 students between grade three and grade six. | Elementary school | Utilizing Digital Storytelling to Foster Pupil’s Language and Environmental Awareness and Action. |
[54] | Pratiwinindya, R.; Alfatah, N.; Nugrahani, R.; Triyanto, T.; Prameswari, N. & Widagdo, P. | 2021 | IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering | Indonesia | Animal conservation education. | Mx | 32 students in the 4th grade. | Children education | The use of interactive multimedia to build awareness against animal exploitation in environmental conservation education for children. |
[55] | Lo, Jung-Hua & Lai, Yu-Fan & Hsu, Tzu-Lun. (2021). | 2021 | Sustainability | Taiwan | Ecological environment protection. | Mx | 30 students in a primary school in a rural area. | Primary school | The Study of AR-Based Learning for Natural Science Inquiry Activities in Taiwan’s Elementary School from the Perspective of Sustainable Development. |
[56] | Fernández, A. | 2020 | Texto Livre: Linguagem E Tecnologia | Spain | EE broadly. | QL | 300 students of the Master’s Degree in Teacher Training at an Andalusian University. | Higher education | Relation of the ICT with neuroeducation, inclusion, pluriculturality and environmental education through a Confirmatory Factorial Analysis study. |
[57] | Sebastián-López, M.; de Miguel González, R. | 2020 | Sustainability | Spain | Eco-citizenship. | Qt | Documentation of 188 academic works as a result of training teacher workshops for primary education at the University of Zaragoza, Spain. Each of these works, used to assess and grade students. | Lifelong learning | Mobile Learning for Sustainable Development and Environmental Teacher Education. |
[58] | Huh, J.; Park, I.; Sunwoo, Y.; Choi, H. & Bhang, K. | 2020 | Sustainability | Korea | Air pollution. | Qt | 182 female, first-year high school students. | High school | Augmented Reality (AR)-Based Intervention to Enhance Awareness of Fine Dust in Sustainable Environments |
[59] | Fokides, E., & Chachlaki, F. | 2019 | Technology, Knowledge, and Learning. | Greece | Protection of the Mediterranean monk seal. | Qt | 326 students (10–12-years old). | Primary school students | 3D Multiuser Virtual Environments and Environmental Education: The Virtual Island of the Mediterranean Monk Seal. |
[60] | Weng, T. | 2019 | Proceedings of the 3rd—ICEMT | Taiwan | Environmental protection. | QL | 56 students. | university students | Life-Changing Digital Education on Environmental Protection and LOHAS. |
[61] | Ouariachi, T.; María Dolores O.; José, G. & Edward, M. | 2018 | Environmental Education Research | Netherlands | Climate change. | QL | 12 key experts 17 students aged from 12 to 18 years. | School education | A framework for climate change engagement through video games, Environmental Education |
[62] | ** Markowitz, D. M., Laha, R., Perone, B., Pea, R., & Bailenson, J. N. | 2018 | Frontiers in Psychology | USA | Climate change, particularly ocean acidification. | Qt | 270 participants from four different learning settings. | High school, college students, adults learning | Immersive Virtual Reality Field Trips Facilitate Learning About Climate Change. |
[63] | Schönfelder, M. L., & Bogner, F. X. | 2017 | International Journal of Science Education | Germany | Awareness for pollinator conservation in education. | Qt | 354 students. | Secondary school | Two ways of acquiring environmental knowledge: by encountering living animals at a beehive and by observing bees via digital tools. |
[64] | Kleinhenz, P. N., & Parker, M. S. | 2017 | Applied Environmental Education & Communication | USA | Animal protection from the Endangered Species Act. | Qt | 140 students. | School education | Video as a tool to increase understanding and support for the Endangered Species Act. |
[65] | ** Fuller, I. C., & France, D. | 2016 | Journal of Geography in Higher Education | New Zealand | Physical Geography field experiments. | Qt | 58 students. | University education | Does digital video enhance student learning in field-based experiments and develop graduate attributes beyond the classroom? |
[66] | Diniz dos Santos, A. D., Strada, F., & Bottino, A. | 2016 | Games and Learning Alliance | Italy | Raising awareness on sustainability topics | QL | Alpha testers. | Not identified | The Design of an Augmented Reality Collaborative Game for Sustainable Development. |
Study Number | Digital Tool Used for EE | Tested Variables | Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|
[50] | Augmented reality | Augmented reality use and environmental awareness. |
|
[51] | Virtual reality and 360 videos | Immersive VR news story and 360°-video learning. |
|
[52] | Immersive 360-degree videos | See and understand the consequences of climate change on Alpine environments. |
|
[66] | Augmented reality collaborative game | Augmented reality, collaborative gaming, and raising awareness on sustainability topics. |
|
[56] | ICT | ICT with neuroeducation, educational inclusion, environmental education, and pluriculturality. |
|
[59] | 3D Multiuser virtual environments | Measure students’ views and environmental attitudes. |
|
[65] | Digital videos | Fieldwork experience and development of attributes. |
|
[53] | Digital story | digital environmental storytelling and traditional presentations. |
|
[58] | Augmented reality | Augmented reality (AR) and attitudes regarding fine dust-related matters. |
|
[58] | Gamification tools | Examine the impact of a learning program on ecological awareness. |
|
[64] | Video learning | Environmental issues learning environmental attitudes. |
|
[55] | Mobile learning Augmented reality | Acceptance of the augmented reality and awareness of environmental protection. |
|
[62] | Immersive virtual reality (VR) | The efficacy (VR) and climate change knowledge gain and awareness. |
|
[61] | Video games | Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement in environmental education. |
|
[54] | Interactive multimedia | Interactive multimedia and environmental conservation awareness. |
|
[46] | Virtual reality | Students learning and climate change behavior. |
|
[48] | Digital serious game “CZ investigator” | Assess student’s learning experience, systems thinking about the FEW nexuses and support for policies. |
|
[63] | eLearning tool connected to a remote beehive | Environmental knowledge of bee’s attitudes and perception in regard to bee conservation and dangerousness. |
|
[57] | Mobile learning | Potential of mobile devices and their applications in environmental education. |
|
[60] | E-books | Environmental conservation and digital e-books. |
|
[47] | ICT | Digitalized education and renewable energy demand. |
|
Study Number According to Table 1 | Findings on Sustainability Awareness |
---|---|
[50] | Integrating mainstreaming sustainable healthcare, raising awareness, and changing attitudes and increasing attitudes and environmental awareness toward climate change and sustainability. |
[51] | Increase knowledge about climate change and other environmental issues, garner public support for climate policy, and formation of attitudes and perceptions to policy support. |
[52] | Knowledge about the glacier environment, awareness about the crucial role that glaciers have for water storage and availability, and understand the impacts of climate change on the cryosphere. |
[56] | Embed in the natural sciences, geography, geology, or biology beyond the traditional classroom fosters sustainable development. |
[59] | Facilitate reflection on environmental conservation, and awareness about environments that are free of pesticides. |
[65] | Foster environmental awareness by facilitating sustainability instruction in ecology, economics, politics, and culture |
[53] | Study the environment and find solutions for environmental problems, raise awareness and concern for the marine environment, and protect the marine environment. |
[58] | Protection of the Mediterranean monk seal and how the natural environments function to help them develop behaviors that will enable them to treat the ecosystems in a sustainable manner |
[64] | Awareness of environmental issues in environmental fieldwork, foster environmental attributes and competencies. |
[55] | Raise awareness about the importance of the ecological environment, and put into practice the protection of the ecological environment in plant teaching activities. |
[62] | Awareness of loss of biodiversity, raise awareness on pollinator conservation, fostering students’ environmental attitudes and perception of bees in regard to conservation and dangerousness. |
[61] | Awareness about the consequences of climate change and ocean acidification. |
[54] | Raise awareness about the preservation of biological resources, flora, fauna, and the environment, as well as awareness against animal exploitation. |
[46] | influence climate change behavior, and increase ocean acidification awareness. |
[49] | raise environmental awareness, develop pro-environment behaviors, improve sustainable development, assimilate habits on the better usage of water and electricity, and recycling paper and plastic |
[48] | Understand interconnections, solve environmental problems, develop systems thinking about the environment, and support policies to protect the environment. |
[63] | Awareness about environmental issues and the protection of endangered species |
[57] | (AR)-based intervention enhances awareness about fine dust. |
[60] | Awareness of climate change, sustainability issues, energy issues by facilitating the development of helpful thoughts, feelings, and actions. |
[47] | Reduce and control CO2 emissions, increase renewable energy consumption awareness, and facilitate the renewable energy demand. |
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Hajj-Hassan, M.; Chaker, R.; Cederqvist, A.-M. Environmental Education: A Systematic Review on the Use of Digital Tools for Fostering Sustainability Awareness. Sustainability 2024, 16, 3733. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093733
Hajj-Hassan M, Chaker R, Cederqvist A-M. Environmental Education: A Systematic Review on the Use of Digital Tools for Fostering Sustainability Awareness. Sustainability. 2024; 16(9):3733. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093733
Chicago/Turabian StyleHajj-Hassan, Mira, Rawad Chaker, and Anne-Marie Cederqvist. 2024. "Environmental Education: A Systematic Review on the Use of Digital Tools for Fostering Sustainability Awareness" Sustainability 16, no. 9: 3733. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093733
APA StyleHajj-Hassan, M., Chaker, R., & Cederqvist, A. -M. (2024). Environmental Education: A Systematic Review on the Use of Digital Tools for Fostering Sustainability Awareness. Sustainability, 16(9), 3733. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093733