Enhancing Education for Sustainability Using Video Feedback and Playful Learning: A Case Study of North Cyprus Schools

Abstract

In order to improve education for sustainability (EfS) in English-speaking schools in North Cyprus, this study investigates the use of playful learning and video feedback as cutting-edge pedagogical techniques. Engaging students in transformative learning experiences is crucial in an era characterized by environmental issues and the pressing need for sustainable development. Students better understand their learning processes when paired with video feedback, which facilitates reflective practice. This study uses a qualitative case study methodology to investigate how instructors employ video feedback and playful learning activities to help students grasp sustainability ideas. Data were gathered through teacher interviews, classroom observations, and evaluations of student performance and feedback. The results demonstrate how these approaches can promote active learning, boost student enthusiasm, and enhance comprehension of sustainability-related topics. This study’s conclusion includes recommendations for educators and legislators looking to integrate creative, student-centered approaches into EfS curricula.

1. Introduction

Given today’s growing environmental, social, and economic issues, education has become a vital force for change. A generation of students who are not only knowledgeable about sustainability but also possess the skills necessary to act responsibly and creatively in tackling these intricate issues is what Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) seeks to develop [1,2]. As a result, it is now crucial to reconsider teaching methods, especially in educational institutions where students develop their critical thinking skills and core beliefs [3].

While global frameworks like the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) have widely endorsed ESD, traditional, content-heavy, and primarily didactic teaching methods remain the norm in schools in many locations, including North Cyprus [4,5]. These approaches often fail to foster the systems thinking, creativity, and ethical awareness that sustainability education requires [6,7]. Therefore, there is a pressing need to incorporate more learner-centered, interactive approaches considering sustainability challenges’ complexity and interdisciplinary nature.

Playful learning has emerged as a cutting-edge pedagogical strategy that provides a strong substitute for traditional classroom methods in recent years. According to [8] and [9], playful learning is a learning approach that blends enjoyment with in-depth investigation. It encourages student participation, teamwork, and reflective problem-solving—all critical components of ESD [10,11]. This method enhances cognitive, emotional, and social engagement by allowing students to immerse themselves in real-world situations through tools like games, simulations, and creative role-plays [12,13].

Video feedback, a technique that improves student reflection by offering visual records of their learning processes, is a new addition to playful learning. With the help of video feedback, students can review their work, evaluate the contributions of their peers, and gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of group problem-solving [14]. This reflective technique is particularly beneficial in the context of ESD since it pushes students to assess their beliefs, attitudes, and approaches to sustainability-related problems critically [15].

This study examines how to improve sustainability teaching in English-medium schools in North Cyprus by combining playful learning with video feedback as a dual pedagogical approach. When carefully integrated, the idea that these approaches can significantly enhance students’ comprehension of sustainability, develop critical thinking and collaborative skills, and encourage deeper involvement with sustainability themes serves as the foundation for this study. Therefore, this study supports ESD’s changing agenda and its focus on experiential, transdisciplinary, and interactive learning [16].

The main objectives of this research are threefold:

• To examine how much playful learning activities enhance students’ understanding of sustainability concepts.
• To explore the effectiveness of video feedback in supporting reflective practice and skill development.
• To evaluate the combined impact of these methods on student engagement and motivation in sustainability education.

By providing empirical insights from a distinct institutional and geographic setting, this research adds to the growing conversation on sustainable education. It offers educators a valuable framework for enhancing the dynamic, inclusive, and impactful nature of sustainability teaching. We intend to show through this case study how cutting-edge teaching resources may be used to develop a fresh crop of students prepared to take the lead in a sustainable future.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

ESD, or Education for Sustainable Development, is a paradigm shift that gives students the values, attitudes, abilities, and information they need to tackle sustainability issues in a complex, interconnected world [17,18]. ESD promotes holistic thinking and engaged citizenry and is based on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) [19,20], namely Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) [21,22]. In order to develop morally conscious and socially conscious people, scholars emphasize how important it is to incorporate sustainability principles into all aspects of educational institutions [1].

Recent research acknowledges that ESD necessitates both curriculum reform and instructional innovation. It is becoming more widely accepted that multidisciplinary approaches, experiential learning, and interactive teaching techniques are crucial for fostering the growth of sustainability competencies [2,23]. These abilities include anticipatory skills, teamwork, and systems thinking—qualities that traditional lecture-based approaches find difficult to foster.

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) tackles interrelated environmental, social, and economic challenges [24]. This research primarily frames sustainability through the environmental dimension—climate action, resource conservation, and systems thinking—while incorporating social learning aspects such as teamwork and active citizenship. This study employs a comprehensive ESD approach, wherein learners gain information and critically assess their activities’ effects on ecological systems and communities. This study anticipates that using playful learning activities and video feedback approaches may assist students in critically assessing SDG goals like climate action, thus improving the learning experience and educational outcomes while equipping students to contribute to their communities.

2.2. Playful Learning in Sustainability Education

In sustainability education, playful learning has become viable for improving learning outcomes and student engagement. According to [25], playful learning is an educational strategy incorporating play-based components, including games, simulations, and storytelling. It promotes creativity, engagement, and self-motivation. These tactics promote deep learning in sustainability contexts by allowing students to engage with intricate real-world problems in a creative and safe environment [9].

There is evidence that playful learning greatly aids the development of cognitive and socioemotional skills. Interactive simulations and role-playing exercises, for example, help students become more adept at problem-solving, negotiation, and leadership while also increasing their ability to understand and sympathize with different points of view [12,14]. This is in line with the educational movement toward student-centered classrooms that value agency and inquiry over rote memorization.

2.3. Video Feedback as Reflective Practice

Video feedback is another pedagogical innovation becoming more popular in educational research, mainly because it encourages reflective learning [26]. Students can review and evaluate their interactions, choices, and communication techniques using video recordings of their performances, which promotes metacognitive development [15]. Video feedback is valuable to playful learning treatments in group projects since it improves self-awareness and peer assessment [14].

Video feedback might enhance comprehension in sustainability education by helping students critically evaluate their presumptions and actions. Contemplating values and ethical consequences is crucial in this context. By making abstract concepts more concrete, this approach has been shown to enhance learning retention, boost confidence, and encourage ongoing development [9].

2.4. Integrating Playful Learning and Video Feedback in ESD

Even while video feedback and active learning have both shown benefits, their combined use in ESD is a new field of pedagogical study. Combining both approaches creates a multifaceted learning experience: video feedback grounds critical thinking and reflection engagement, while playful learning encourages exploration and participation.

Research on gamified sustainability modules has demonstrated that integrating iterative video-based reflection with active learning greatly improves students’ sense of agency, ethical reasoning, and subject comprehension [2]. In educational settings where the development of soft skills, systems literacy, and participatory thinking is essential to sustainability outcomes, this pedagogical synergy can be very effective.

The literature also reports a lack of context-specific research, particularly in understudied areas like North Cyprus. Most empirical studies concentrate on North American or Western European higher education environments. This study fills that knowledge vacuum by investigating how incorporating video feedback and playful learning into English-medium schools in North Cyprus can improve the effect and delivery of ESD.

2.5. Theoretical Framework

The constructivist theory, prominently promoted by Piaget and Vygotsky, emphasizes that students develop their own knowledge and understanding by having experiences and reflecting on them [27,28]. This idea is essential to sustainability education because it promotes an active, student-centered method of instruction in which students are urged to engage with their surroundings, pose inquiries, and work through sustainability-related problems [29].

Constructivism backs the notion that students can learn more deeply when actively engaged in the process and receive timely, tailored feedback, promoting self-regulation and learning ownership [30]. This is especially true when it comes to video feedback and playful learning.

It has long been acknowledged that the Feedback Theory is an essential component of the learning process. Ref. [30] asserts that one of the most potent factors influencing student achievement is feedback. In particular, video feedback allows students to watch and consider their work, enhancing behavioral and cognitive results. Video feedback also supports formative assessment techniques by providing students with immediate visual insight into their progress by encouraging self-reflection and iterative learning [31].

Learning through play, or playful learning, is based on academic research such as [32]. It strongly emphasizes using games, simulations, and entertaining activities to improve social skills, creativity, and engagement. Because it enables students to interact with complex, abstract concepts in an enjoyable and approachable way, playful learning is an essential tool for teaching sustainability [33]. By enabling students to investigate ecological concerns in an interactive and hands-on manner, playful learning strategies can promote a deeper connection to them in the context of sustainability education [32].

A teaching strategy known as “Education for Sustainability” encourages students to think critically about the economy, society, and environment while integrating sustainability themes from other academic fields. According to [34], EfS seeks to encourage active citizenship, in which people become change agents in building a sustainable future [35]. This project evaluates how video feedback and playful learning support EfS objectives, specifically in developing students’ critical thinking and sustainability literacy.

The relationship between the use of video feedback, playful learning, and the improvement of education for sustainability is represented by the conceptual framework for this study. The fundamental tenet of EfS is that these two teaching approaches can improve students’ interest in sustainability subjects and foster the growth of vital skills for sustainable futures. Video feedback and playful learning are two important teaching techniques that let students interact with sustainability knowledge in a playful, thoughtful, and participatory way. These tactics will likely increase students’ likelihood of sustaining an interest in sustainability issues through interactive media and entertaining activities.

Given the potential of video feedback, which encourages self-reflection, students can evaluate their own comprehension and performance in sustainability-related tasks. Collaborative play-based learning activities foster social skills and group problem-solving, both critical in tackling global sustainability issues. Students are inspired to critically consider complex sustainability problems and develop original solutions using entertaining and feedback-based teaching strategies.

Notwithstanding the myriad benefits of playful learning and video feedback, these approaches have limitations. For instance, while playful learning is deemed enjoyable, it may be considered deficient in academic rigor and may not accommodate all learners, especially those who like structured classrooms. In addition, the innovation of these methods may lead to erratic execution without sufficient instructor assistance. While advantageous for reflection, video feedback might provoke anxiety in students who are uneasy with being recorded and may necessitate considerable time and technological resources for efficient implementation. Recognizing these obstacles is crucial for equitable implementation and underscores the necessity for deliberate educational planning.

Below is a diagram illustrating the conceptual framework for this study. This study analyzes how these instructional strategies affect student outcomes in terms of both behavioral outcomes (adopting sustainable practices) and knowledge acquisition (understanding sustainability concepts). Playful learning, education for sustainability, and video feedback are shown to be interrelated components that improve student outcomes. The conceptual framework of this study is presented in Figure 1.

In English-speaking schools in North Cyprus, this theoretical and conceptual framework serves as the basis for investigating the relationship between video feedback, active learning, and education for sustainability. Specifically, the conceptual framework provides a lens to gain insights into the efficacy of integrating playful learning and video feedback-based learning approaches to enhance students’ educational outcomes.

2.6. The Present Study

Evidence from research shows that the systems thinking, creativity, and ethical awareness that sustainability education requires are frequently not fostered by these approaches [36]. Moreover, while research affirms the potential of playful learning in improving students’ learning outcomes in primary education [37,38], there is scarce evidence for implementing this strategy in higher education settings. Additionally, given the structured nature of higher education institutions, fewer studies focus on integrating this approach with effective feedback mechanisms, especially in sustainability education. Furthermore, video feedback is unpopular among teachers and students, with minimal application in teaching and learning in sustainability education.

Specifically, despite North Cyprus’s commitment to the SDGs within this educational setting, it has not fully integrated EfS into national curricula, especially in English-medium schools. Teachers primarily rely on extracurricular activities to introduce sustainability concepts without considering playful learning strategies or feedback mechanisms like video-based feedback. Cultural factors, limited resources, and the lack of teacher training in reflective pedagogies are believed to pose challenges. This study addresses these gaps by contextualizing global ESD methods to fit local realities.

Given these knowledge and evidence gaps across the scientific literature, there is a need to implement novel teaching approaches to determine their efficacy in improving students’ learning outcomes. On this premise, this study examines how to improve sustainability teaching in English-medium schools by combining playful learning with video feedback as a dual pedagogical approach. When carefully integrated, the idea that these approaches can significantly enhance students’ comprehension of sustainability, develop critical thinking and collaborative skills, and encourage deeper involvement with sustainability themes serves as the foundation for this study. To achieve the studys’ objectives, these research questions were investigated:

• To what extent do playful learning activities enhance students’ understanding of sustainability concepts?
• How effective is video feedback in supporting reflective practice and skill development?
• What is the impact of these methods on student engagement and motivation?

This study investigates how creative teaching strategies might promote sustainability literacy in students by combining theories from constructivism, feedback, playful learning, and sustainability education. The objective is to inform educational methods that equip students for the challenges of a sustainable future and add to the expanding body of literature on the use of play and technology in promoting sustainability education.

3. Methodology

3.1. Research Design

The integration of playful learning and video feedback in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in English-medium schools in North Cyprus was examined using a qualitative case study design. The case study methodology makes a thorough examination of teaching methods and student experiences in actual classroom environments possible [39]. According to [40], this design was chosen because it effectively conveys the intricacies and contextual subtleties of integrating cutting-edge teaching techniques in sustainability education.

3.2. Selection of Case and Participants

Two English-medium schools in North Cyprus’s cities served as this study’s sites. Purposive sampling was used to choose these institutions because they demonstrated involvement in extracurricular activities with a sustainability theme and their willingness to try new teaching methods. Four teachers who teach ESD-related courses (such as science, geography, and citizenship) were among the participants. Eighty students from four Year 9 classrooms (two each school) ranging in age from 13 to 15. According to ethical research norms, teachers and students were recruited willingly, and all participants and guardians gave their informed consent [41].

3.3. Intervention Overview

During the spring 2025 term, the pedagogical intervention was carried out for eight weeks. Two interrelated teaching styles made up the intervention. Before teaching, the teachers engaged in a two-day preparation course that familiarized them with playful learning concepts and video feedback methodologies. The researchers developed all playful learning resources, covering role-play scenarios, board games, and environmental simulations. Teachers offered contextual insights to synchronize activities with localized curriculum.

All four teachers had more than three years of instructional experience. Nevertheless, only one had previous familiarity with playful or video-based pedagogies. The games utilized were derived from recognized sustainability modules and enhanced with custom-designed exercises pertinent to the local environmental context.

Playful learning activities were created. Games with a sustainability theme, problem-solving scenarios, simulations (such as role-plays on climate change), and cooperative board games were all included in the lessons. To integrate the board games, a sustainability-based game, CO₂: Second Chance, was used. This game is designed so that players assume multiple roles as company employees tasked with developing sustainable energy projects. The interesting part of this is that while students compete to acquire points, they must cooperate to achieve the project’s aim. Consequences of not achieving the goal result in the loss of points acquired by different team members. This game incorporates elements of playful learning while transferring essential 21st-century skills required for achieving the SDGs. Aside from the games, systems thinking, anticipatory decision-making, and teamwork are among the basic ESD competencies that these were created to support [2]. During this period, the students were taught using these activities for two hours thrice every week.

Students used brief videos taken during their group projects to participate in peer-to-peer feedback sessions after each entertaining learning exercise. Class discussion of these videos included structured reflection questions like, “What sustainability principle did we apply?” and “How may we make better choices the next time?” This procedure promoted critical reflection, self-awareness, and iterative learning

3.4. Data Collection Methods

A triangulated technique was used to guarantee the depth and credibility of the data [38]. A defined rubric was used for weekly observations to evaluate the sustainability issues covered, student involvement, and the quality of interactions.

Alongside qualitative instruments, organized observation rubrics and numerical grading scales were employed to collect quantitative data. Educators assessed each student weekly using a 5-point scale (1 = very low, 5 = very high) on engagement, understanding of sustainability, and reflective practice. Each concept was assessed using a three-item rubric. Engagement included (1) involvement in discussions, (2) response in activities, and (3) cooperation with peers. These constructs were measured using multiple items under each construct. For the first construct, six questions were posed, while the second and third constructs had 9 and 11 question items, respectively.

Following the intervention, a sample of 16 students (four per class) and all four teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Students analyzed the videos during peer-feedback sessions, prompted by questions such as “What principle did we apply?” and “What improvements could we implement next time?” The reflective journal entries were semi-structured, with weekly prompts related to ESD abilities, including systems thinking and future planning. This method facilitated uniformity while promoting unrestricted reflection.

The interviews were used to investigate perceptions of teaching strategies, student engagement, learning outcomes, and the role of video feedback in reflective practice. To track the dynamics of collaboration and learning development, samples of classroom video recordings and the peer feedback conversations that accompanied them were also gathered and examined.

3.5. Data Analysis

Thematic analysis was employed to interpret the data, following [1] a six-phase framework. Coding was inductive (emerging themes) and deductive (based on pre-defined ESD competencies and playful learning characteristics). The interview transcripts were transcribed and systematically coded to identify recurring themes related to critical reflection development and feedback application. Codes were grouped into broader themes to uncover patterns across the interviews. Thematic analysis is widely used in qualitative research due to its flexibility and ability to capture the richness and complexity of qualitative data [1].

To ensure the reliability of the coding process, two researchers independently coded the transcripts, and then their findings were compared. Any discrepancies were discussed to reach a consensus on the final codes and themes. This inter-coder reliability process helped ensure that the analysis was robust and that the findings accurately reflected pre-service teachers’ perspectives.

Additionally, member checking was used to validate the themes. After the initial analysis, some participants were invited to review the summary of themes to verify the accuracy of the interpretation. This process helped to confirm that the findings were consistent with teachers’ views and experiences. Member checking is a valuable strategy for enhancing the credibility and trustworthiness of qualitative research.

3.6. Ethical Considerations

This study was approved ethically before it started. Every piece of data was anonymized, safely stored, and used only for research. With guarantees that participation would not impact students’ grades or evaluations, participation was entirely voluntary. Ethical approval was also received from the institution’s ethical committee before commencing this study.

4. Findings and Analysis

The intervention’s outcomes, derived from both quantitative and qualitative data sources, are shown in this section. A thematic analysis of qualitative data obtained from student reflections, video feedback discussions, and interviews follows a summary of improvements in student scores according to engagement, comprehension of sustainability, and reflective practice.

4.1. Quantitative Results

Table 1. Mean scores before and after intervention.

Construct	Pre-Intervention Mean	Post-Intervention Mean	Mean Increase
Engagement	3.2	4.1	0.9
Understanding of Sustainability	2.9	3.9	1.0
Reflection (via Video Feedback)	2.8	4.2	1.4

presents the mean scores before and after intervention. The mean scores for three important constructs before and after the intervention are summarized in the following table. These scores were derived from structured teacher assessments using a 5-point scale (1 being very low and five being very high), observation rubrics, and journal content ratings. The engagement level significantly increased from a moderately low average (3.2) to a high level (4.1), indicating increased student interest and participation.

Students’ comprehension of sustainability improved by 1.0 points, indicating that engaging in entertaining activities aided their understanding of complex sustainability concepts. Reflective practice saw the most significant increase, going from 2.8 to 4.2. This suggests that students’ ability to analyze and evaluate themselves critically was greatly enhanced by video feedback.

4.2. Statistical Significance Testing

Table 2. Paired t-test results.

Construct	t-Statistic	p-Value
Engagement	15.85	<0.001
Understanding of Sustainability	14.79	<0.001
Reflection (via Video Feedback)	21.22	<0.001

presents paired t-test results. Paired sample t-tests were used to compare the mean scores for each construct before and after the intervention to evaluate the observed improvements’ reliability. According to the results, all three domains show statistically significant improvements. Following the playful learning intervention, students’ level of participation in lessons increased significantly and consistently, as evidenced by their engagement score (t = 15.85, p < 0.001).

Additionally, there was a substantial improvement in the understanding of sustainability (t = 14.79, p < 0.001), indicating that playful activities were an effective way to develop conceptual grasp. The most significant impact was seen in reflection, where video feedback produced extremely significant improvements (t = 21.22, p < 0.001), demonstrating its transformative potential to foster metacognitive development. These findings demonstrate that the impacts of the intervention are not the result of chance and reflect significant advancements in education.

4.3. Qualitative Analysis

Table 3. Emergent themes from qualitative data.

Theme	Key Codes	Frequency (n = 80)
Increased Engagement through Play	enjoyment, game mechanics, playful	72
Enhanced Understanding of Sustainability	systems thinking, SDG links, relevance, knowledge about sustainability	66
Improved Team Collaboration	group work, negotiation, listening, collaborate	61
Deeper Reflection through Video Feedback	self-awareness, feedback, behavior analysis	70
Increased Motivation to Act	personal impact, change mindset, future goals, action-oriented, action competence	58

presents emergent themes from qualitative data. Five main themes emerged from the thematic analysis of reflection diaries, video review conversations, and interview transcripts. These are shown in Table 3, together with the number of students whose data contributed to each subject and the most common associated codes.

4.3.1. Theme 1: Increased Engagement Through Play

From the theme, there was a feeling of engagement through play-based learning. Students consistently expressed increased enthusiasm during the playful learning sessions. Games and simulations created an enjoyable and competitive atmosphere, promoting active participation. The following are some of their comments that reflect this theme:

“All anticipated the outcome of the climate challenge game.”

Other students also shared the level of engagement they received from this approach. Some of their comments are shared below:

“Normally, I doze off in class, but I could not stop thinking about our next move during the game.”

“I felt like a real decision-maker, not just a student, after the simulation.”

“It did not feel like school—we were laughing and studying simultaneously!”

These remarks show that emotional and cognitive involvement increased learning’s memorability and appeal.

4.3.2. Theme 2: Enhanced Understanding of Sustainability Concepts

This theme suggests that integrating play-based learning and video feedback enhanced understanding of sustainability concepts. Students reported a deeper grasp of sustainability principles through hands-on and scenario-based learning. Here are some of their comments;

“Until we had to lower it in the game, I had no idea what carbon footprint meant.”

“They made more sense when we linked the SDGs to our group project.”

Others explained that this approach taught them specific ways of influencing sustainability. The following are their comments:

“I can now see how a single small action can greatly impact the entire system.”

“I learned everything is connected through the food supply chain activity.”

“Every time I brush my teeth, I think of the water usage game.”

These comments demonstrate how conceptual knowledge is absorbed and used to inform practical reasoning.

4.3.3. Theme 3: Improved Team Collaboration

The playful activities encouraged cooperative behavior and improved students’ ability to communicate and negotiate within teams. Some of their comments that reflect this theme are presented below:

“To win the sustainability simulation, we had to listen to each other.”

“I became more adept at compromising than I usually am.”

“We had many arguments as a team at first, but by the end, we were able to work well together.”

“We decided to allow everyone to speak before making a decision.”

Another student indicated that he enjoyed how they handled their roles. The following is his comment:

“I liked that each of us had a distinct role, just like in a real company.”

One important result of collaborative, sustainable learning is enhanced interpersonal skills, which these samples demonstrate.

4.3.4. Theme 4: Deeper Reflection Through Video Feedback

This theme shows that using this strategy enhanced deeper reflection among the students while using video feedback. Students gained new perspectives on their learning behaviors by reviewing video clips of their participation. Some of their comments are as follows:

“I want to listen more; I did not realize I talked so much until I watched the video.”

“Observing myself disregard someone’s suggestion changed my perspective on teamwork.”

Another said,

“I could recall what I did and why it worked, thanks to the video.”

“Watching myself felt strange, but I learned how to get better.”

“We discussed it and made the necessary corrections after I realized I was repeating the same thing.”

This theme indicates that the participants thought video analysis created a feedback loop that promoted self-correction, critical thinking, and behavioral development. The students’ comments reflect this theme.

4.3.5. Theme 5: Increased Motivation to Act

Finally, students expressed a newfound desire to make personal and community-based sustainability decisions. The following are some of their comments:

“I now advise my family to sort waste properly.”

“I would like to initiate a recycling initiative at our school.”

“I felt like I could genuinely make a difference.”

“I care more about the environment now than I did before.”

“I want to study more about nature after learning this way.”

In line with the more general objectives of Education for Sustainable Development, these statements demonstrate a change in perspective from passive learning to active citizenship. According to both quantitative and qualitative data, the combination of playful learning and video feedback greatly improved student outcomes in engagement, comprehension, and reflective practice. The results show a life-changing educational experience that promoted teamwork, sustainability-focused values, and conceptual knowledge and deepened it.

5. Discussion

This study investigated the incorporation of playful learning and video feedback as cutting-edge pedagogical tools to improve Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in English-medium schools in North Cyprus. Significant improvements in all evaluated domains—student involvement, comprehension of sustainability ideas, and reflective capacity—provide strong evidence of the intervention’s efficacy. These findings add to ESD’s theoretical and practical understanding while consistent with previous research.

The gains in student participation and conceptual knowledge of sustainability that have been noted agree with previous studies. By presenting learning as an interactive and exploratory process, playful learning techniques like role-playing and simulations have been demonstrated to improve motivation and comprehension [12,13]. As evidenced by the statistically substantial increase in engagement levels (t = 15.85, p < 0.001), students in this study reported enjoying the sessions and feeling more immersed in the subject.

Similarly, research highlighting the importance of experiential and systems-based learning in developing ESD competencies is consistent with improved comprehension of sustainability [2,16]. The literature on emotionally engaged learning in sustainability education supports the finding that students not only gained cognitive comprehension but also formed emotional bonds with topics like resource management and climate change.

Additionally, themes like a greater drive to act are emerging, supporting previous studies on ESD’s transformative power in fostering moral, forward-thinking attitudes [16]. Students’ opinions about wanting to start recycling programs or alter their routines are consistent with results from comparable treatments in classes with a sustainability focus.

One of the most innovative features of this study is the incorporation of video feedback into sustainability teaching. Video as a feedback and metacognitive tool is underutilized in school-level sustainability teaching, even though reflective practice is acknowledged as a fundamental component of effective learning, especially in ESD [21]. With qualitative data indicating increased self-awareness, collaborative review, and behavioral modifications, this study showed a significant rise in reflection ratings (t = 21.22, p < 0.001), indicating that video feedback enhances sustainability education’s breadth and individual relevance.

Furthermore, this study offers insightful information from North Cyprus, an area neglected in education and geopolitics. Higher education institutions in Western environments comprise much of the ESD literature. This study broadens the institutional and geographic diversity of ESD implementation studies by providing fresh empirical data from secondary schools in a Mediterranean region.

The scope of thought induced by peer-reviewed video analysis is one area of departure, even though most findings are consistent with the existing literature. The peer-facilitated, video-based reflection employed here produced richer, dialogic engagement, in contrast to previous studies concentrating on instructor-led or written self-assessment. This raises the possibility of improving the reflective processes outlined [1,13,42], which have not taken into consideration the social and visual dynamics seen in this investigation.

Furthermore, prior research has frequently assumed that playful learning may make it difficult to maintain academic rigor in secondary-level settings. Nonetheless, this study discovered that using entertaining approaches improved students’ comprehension of technical and systemic sustainability concepts while increasing enjoyment, raising the possibility that these worries are exaggerated or context-dependent.

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

6.1. Conclusions

This study investigated the combination of playful learning and video feedback as a dual pedagogical technique to improve Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in English-medium secondary schools in North Cyprus. The results, which are based on both qualitative and quantitative data, offer strong proof that this combination works very well to encourage learners’ deeper involvement, better conceptual understanding, and more meaningful reflection.

According to the quantitative data, all three of the evaluated domains showed statistically significant improvements. Engagement increased as students discovered happiness and meaning in interactive, game-based sustainability activities. Students’ comprehension of sustainability concepts improved as they applied abstract concepts to real-world situations and systems thinking exercises. Most significantly, video feedback encouraged deep reflective practice, allowing students to assess their actions, ideas, and collaboration in a way that was impossible with only written comments or verbal discussion.

Students reported increased motivation, a stronger sense of responsibility, and a renewed desire to act sustainably in their daily lives, all of which were supported by the qualitative study. Thanks to the incorporation of video feedback, students were able to identify and modify their learning practices in real-time, which promoted metacognitive awareness. Instructors also observed gains in students’ cooperation, focus, and capacity to explain complex sustainability-related topics.

This study offers new insights into culturally adaptive and context-sensitive methods to ESD by putting these ideas into practice in an area and school setting that are rarely included in global sustainability research. It demonstrates that video feedback and playful learning are effective strategies for fostering engagement and developing sustainability’s core abilities, which include ethical reasoning, critical thinking, teamwork, and systems analysis.

6.2. Recommendations

Sustainability is a multidisciplinary topic for educators. Educators in science, geography, citizenship, and even the literature might use entertaining techniques (such as board games, simulations, and design challenges) to relate curriculum content to actual sustainability issues. Brief, targeted recordings of student presentations, conversations, or projects can be adequate resources for encouraging introspection. Teachers should model positive peer feedback and use thoughtful prompts to foster this process. Students’ creativity, ownership, and involvement can be further increased by letting them build games or simulations that deal with sustainability issues.

School administrators and leaders must train instructors in game-based learning and digital technologies for video feedback. They must also encourage time for interdisciplinary planning and cooperative teaching methods. Video analysis must be presented as a constructive, nonjudgmental process in classrooms where errors are viewed as chances for improvement. School administrators must integrate sustainability into school principals, operations (such as recycling and energy use), and community participation initiatives to transcend individual lessons.

More explicit integration of ESD into national curricula with particular learning outcomes, assessment systems, and teacher support mechanisms is required of policymakers and curriculum architects. Active, hands-on learning strategies should be encouraged by policy. Funding must be set aside for teacher capacity building and classroom supplies (such as gaming kits and recording tablets). It is important to stress context-sensitive tactics, understanding that what is effective in one area might need to be modified in another. This is particularly important in places like North Cyprus that are multicultural and multilingual.

Future research might examine whether the improvements in comprehension, introspection, and motivation here last over time and affect students’ long-term behavior or academic decisions. Extending this study to more schools, including those with less access to technology, would test the model’s scalability. Professional learning ecosystems could be better understood by looking into how teachers change as a result of using playful and reflective pedagogies.

Schools have a significant role in preparing young people to lead sustainable transformation and adapt to an uncertain environment, social injustices, and rapid technological change. This study confirms that when used effectively, video feedback and playful learning may do more than increase student engagement in the classroom; they can also inspire a sense of purpose, curiosity, and critical consciousness in the next generation of changemakers. This dual method reimagines education as a dynamic, participatory act of creating a better future rather than a passive delivery of knowledge by fusing delight with introspection.