Integrating Problem-Based Learning and SSI-ESD Context to Foster Chemical Literacy and Environmental Awareness in Secondary Education
 ),   						Sri Handayani(2),   						Restyani Ramadanty(3)     
  
             |
),   						Sri Handayani(2),   						Restyani Ramadanty(3)     
  
             |  Country:
Country: 
                        
                              
                              
            
   
(1) Chemistry of Education Department, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia
(2) Chemistry of Education Department, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia
(3) Chemistry of Education Department, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia
 Corresponding Author
Corresponding AuthorThis study aimed to examine the differences in students’ chemical literacy and environmental awareness, both jointly and separately, between those taught using problem-based learning (PBL) contextualized with Socio-Scientific Issues and Education for Sustainable Development (SSI-ESD) and those taught using a conventional scientific approach on the topic of climate change. The integration of PBL, SSI, and ESD creates a synergistic learning model that emphasizes real-world problem-solving, critical thinking, and sustainability awareness, which are essential competencies for 21st-century learning. A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test control group was employed to ensure a valid comparison. The research involved 144 Grade X students from two public senior high schools in Yogyakarta City, selected using class-level random sampling, consisting of two experimental classes (n = 72) and two control classes (n = 72). The experimental group was taught using a PBL-based SSI-ESD approach, while the control group received instruction through a traditional scientific approach. Research instruments included a validated chemical literacy test and an environmental awareness questionnaire. Data were analyzed using N-gain, MANOVA, and descriptive statistics to assess both improvement and effect size. The findings revealed significant differences in students’ chemical literacy and environmental awareness between the two groups, as determined by MANOVA (Hotelling’s Trace = 0.392; p < 0.05). The experimental group achieved higher N-gain scores in chemical literacy (0.52) and environmental awareness (0.53) compared to the control group (0.39 and 0.31, respectively). This learning approach demonstrated a large effect size on both skills simultaneously (0.282) and separately (0.183; 0.240). These results indicate that PBL-based SSI-ESD learning effectively enhances both students’ chemical literacy and environmental awareness while supporting the implementation of current educational policies that promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and competency-based learning in Indonesia, aligning with the Merdeka Belajar curriculum framework.
Keywords: chemical literacy, environmental awareness, PBL-SSI-ESD, student worksheet, climate change.
Adriyanto, Y. N., Martono, D. N., Soesilo, T. E. B., & Nadiroh. (2021). Environmental awareness at a senior high school in jakarta. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 716(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/716/1/012046
Al-Ghussain, L. (2018). Global warming: review on driving forces and mitigation. Environmental Progress and Sustainable Energy, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/ep.13041
Alvina, S., Mega, I. C., Handayani, Mellyzar, & Khaira, W. (2024). Tren penelitian literasi Kimia dalam jurnal pendidikan: Analisis bibliometrik dari tahun 2014-2023 [Trends in chemical literacy research in educational journals: A bibliometric analysis from 2014–2023]. Jurnal Review Pendidikan Dan Pengajaran, 7(1), 502–513.
Ambarfebrianti, M., & Novianty, A. (2021). Hubungan orientasi nilai terhadap perilaku pro-lingkungan remaja [The relationship between value orientation and adolescents’ pro-environmental behavior]. Jurnal Ecopsy, 8(2), 149–164. https://doi.org/10.20527/ecopsy.2021.09.015
Amran, A., Perkasa, M., Satriawan, M., Jasin, I., & Irwansyah, M. (2019). Assessing students 21st 21st-century attitude and environmental awareness: Promoting education for sustainable development through science education. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1157(2). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1157/2/022025
Antari, W. D., Sumarni, W., & Basuki, J. (2020). Model instrumen test diagnostik two tiers choice untuk analisis miskonsepsi materi larutan penyangga [Two-tier multiple-choice diagnostic test instrument for analyzing misconceptions on buffer solutions]. Jurnal Inovasi Pendidikan Kimia, 14(1), 2536–2546.
Arwan, J. F., Dewi, L., & Wahyudin, D. (2021). Urgensi pendidikan berbasis perubahan iklim untuk pembangunan berkelanjutan [The urgency of climate change-based education for sustainable development]. Jurnal Pendidikan Lingkungan Dan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan, 22(2), 23–38. https://doi.org/10.21009/PLPB.222.03
Aryani, S. A., Susilowati, E., & Utami, B. (2022). Analisis kemampuan literasi kimia dan higher order thinking skills (HOTS) siswa MIPA pada materi asam basa di SMA Batik 1 Surakarta [Analysis of chemical literacy and higher order thinking skills (HOTS) of science students on acid-base material at SMA Batik 1 Surakarta]. Jurnal Pendidikan Kimia, 11(1), 60–67. https://jurnal.uns.ac.id/JPKim/article/view/49995
Asad, A., Hidayati, S., & Fridiyanto, F. (2022). Education and human resources: retaining future human resources’ behaviours to nature through environmental education. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 22(2), 128–141. https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v22i2.5043
Azizah, D. N., Irwandi, D., & Saridewi, N. (2021). Pengaruh model pembelajaran problem based learning berkonteks socio scientific issues terhadap kemampuan literasi sains siswa pada materi asam basa [The effect of the problem-based learning model with a socio-scientific Issues context on students’ scientific literacy in acid-base material]. JRPK: Jurnal Riset Pendidikan Kimia, 11(1), 12–18. https://doi.org/10.21009/jrpk.111.03
Baga, S., Khoiri, A., Aqil, D. I., & Taufiqurrahman. (2024). Kondisi pendidikan berbasis perubahan iklim ditinjau dari kesadaran lingkungan di sekolah [The condition of climate change-based education in terms of environmental awareness in schools]. Jurnal Pendidikan MIPA, 14(3), 746–756. https://doi.org/10.37630/jpm.v14i3.1826
Bascopé, M., Perasso, P., & Reiss, K. (2019). Systematic review of education for sustainable development at an early stage: Cornerstones and pedagogical approaches for teacher professional development. Sustainability (Switzerland), 11(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030719
Bozoglu, M., Bilgic, A., Kilic Topuz, B., & Ardali, Y. (2016). Factors affecting students' environmental awareness, attitudes, and behaviors at ondokuz mayis university, Turkey. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin, 25(4), 1243–1257.
Capraro, R. M., & Slough, S. W. (2013). Why PBL? Why STEM? Why now? An Introduction to STEM Project-Based Learning. STEM Project-Based Learning, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6209-143-6_1
Celik, S. (2014). Chemical literacy levels of science and mathematics teacher candidates. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2014v39n1.5
Cigdemoglu, C., & Geban, O. (2015). Improving students’ chemical literacy levels on thermochemical and thermodynamics concepts through a context-based approach. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 16(2), 302–317. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5rp00007f
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (Second Ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
de Haan, G. (2006). The BLK ‘21’ programme in Germany: A ‘Gestaltungskompetenz’-based model for Education for Sustainable Development. Environmental Education Research, 12(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620500526362
Dolmans, D. H. J. M., De Grave, W., Wolfhagen, I. H. A. P., & Van Der Vleuten, C. P. M. (2005). Problem-based learning: Future challenges for educational practice and research. Medical Education, 39(7), 732–741. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2929.2005.02205.x
Dina, D., Purtadi, S., & Sari, R. L. P. (2024). Profile of first-year prospective chemistry teachers’ ability to develop SSI-oriented chemistry learning videos related to ESD issues. AIP Conference Proceedings, 3106(1). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0215420
Guerra, A. (2017). Integration of sustainability in engineering education: Why is PBL an answer? International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 18(3), 436–454. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-02-2016-0022
Günter, T., Akkuzu, N., & Alpat, Ş. (2017). Understanding ‘green chemistry’ and ‘sustainability’: an example of problem-based learning (PBL). Research in Science and Technological Education, 35(4), 500–520. https://doi.org/10.1080/02635143.2017.1353964
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis (Seventh Ed). Pearson Prentice Hall. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12123016
Hairida, H., & Setyaningrum, V. (2020). The development of students' worksheets based on local wisdom in substances and their characteristics. Journal of Educational Science and Technology (EST), 6(2), 106–116. https://doi.org/10.26858/est.v6i2.12358
Hake, R. R. (1998). Interactive-engagement versus traditional methods: A six-thousand-student survey of mechanics test data for introductory physics courses. American Journal of Physics, 66(1), 64–74. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.18809
Hanifha, S., Erna, M., Noer, A. M., & Talib, C. A. (2023). Socioscientific issue-based undergraduate student worksheets on scientific literacy and environmental awareness. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 12(4), 504–513. https://doi.org/10.15294/jpii.v12i4.45817
Imansari, M., Sudarmin, & Sumarni, W. (2018). Analisis literasi kimia peserta didik melalui pembelajaran inkuiri terbimbing bermuatan etnosains [Analysis of students’ chemical literacy through guided inquiry learning with ethnoscience integration]. Jurnal Inovasi Pendidikan Kimia, 12(2), 2201–2211.
Jannah, M., Halim, L., Meerah, T. S. M., & Fairuz, M. (2013). The impact of an environmental education kit on students' environmental literacy. Asian Social Science, 9(12 SPL ISSUE), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v9n12p1
Kalkan, S., & Demirbas, E. (2017). An empirical assessment on environmental awareness of school managers and teachers as stakeholder of private schools. Pressacademia, 4(3), 310–325. https://doi.org/10.17261/pressacademia.2017.709
Lelieveld, J., Klingmüller, K., Pozzer, A., Burnett, R. T., Haines, A., & Ramanathan, V. (2019). Effects of fossil fuel and total anthropogenic emission removal on public health and climate. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 116(15), 7192–7197. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1819989116
Lemke, C. (2002). EnGauge 21st-century skills: Digital literacies for a digital age. NCREL. https://www.weforum.org/whitepapers/cyber-resilience-in-the-oil-and-gas-industry-playbook-for-boards-and-corporate-officers%0Ahttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnca.2018.04.004%0Ahttp://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2007/73
Mandler, D., Mamlok-Naaman, R., Blonder, R., Yayon, M., & Hofstein, A. (2012). High-school chemistry teaching through environmentally oriented curricula. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 13(2), 80–92. https://doi.org/10.1039/c1rp90071d
Muflikhah, I. K. (2023). Implementasi pbl berorientasi esd dalam meningkatkan literasi dan sustainable awareness peserta didik madrasah ibtidaiyah Soko Pekalongan [Implementation of ESD-oriented PBL to improve literacy and sustainable awareness of students at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Soko Pekalongan]. Akselerasi : Jurnal Pendidikan Guru MI, 4(1).
Naibaho, S., Arsih, F., Fadhilah, M., & Rahmi, F. O. (2025). Pengaruh LKPD berbasis pbl terintegrasi ssi terhadap literasi lingkungan siswa SMAN 2 Batang Anai [The effect of SSI-integrated PBL-based student worksheets on the environmental literacy of students at SMAN 2 Batang Anai]. 03(04), 717–723.
Nurmasita, N., Enawaty, E., Lestari, I., Hairida, H., & Erlina, E. (2023). Pengembangan e-LKPD berbasis Problem-Based Learning (PBL) pada materi reaksi redoks [Development of Problem-Based Learning (PBL)-based e-worksheets on redox reaction material]. Jambura Journal of Educational Chemistry, 5(1), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.34312/jjec.v5i1.15991
Orbanić, N. D., & Kovač, N. (2021). Environmental awareness, attitudes, and behavior of preservice preschool and primary school teachers. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 20(3), 373–388. https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/21.20.373
Pachauri, R. K., Allen, M. R., Barros, V. R., Broome, J., Cramer, W., Christ, R., Church, J. A., Clarke, L., Dahe, Q., Dasgupta, P., Dubash, N. K., Edenhofer, O., Elgizouli, I., Field, C. B., Forster, P., Friedlingstein, P., Fuglestvedt, J., Gomez-Echeverri, L., Hallegatte, S., … Ypersele, J.-P. van. (2014). Climate change 2014: Synthesis report. Contribution of working groups I, II, and III to the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. IPCC. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716295541001010
Perkasa, M., & Aznam, N. (2016). Pengembangan SSP kimia berbasis pendidikan berkelanjutan untuk meningkatkan literasi kimia dan kesadaran terhadap lingkungan [Development of sustainable education-based chemistry SSP to improve chemical literacy and environmental awareness]. Jurnal Inovasi Pendidikan IPA, 2(1), 46–57. https://doi.org/10.21831/jipi.v2i1.10269
Pituch, K. A., & Stevens, J. P. (2016). Applied multivariate statistics for the social sciences: analyses with SAS and IBM’s SPSS, (Sixth Ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315814919
Prayunisa, F., & Mahariyanti, E. (2022). Analisa kesulitan siswa SMA kelas X dalam pembelajaran kimia pada pendekatan contextual teaching and learning berbasis two-tier multiple choice instrument [Analysis of 10th-grade high school students’ difficulties in chemistry learning using a contextual teaching and learning approach based on a two-tier multiple-choice instrument]. Jurnal Ilmiah Global Education, 3(1), 24–30. https://doi.org/10.55681/jige.v3i1.167
Rahmadani, R. (2019). Metode penerapan model pembelajaran problem-based learning (PBL) [Method of implementing the problem-based learning (PBL) model]. Lantanida Journal, 7(1), 75–86. https://doi.org/10.22373/lj.v7i1.4440
Rahman, A., Munandar, S. A., Fitriani, A., Karlina, Y., & Yumriani. (2022). Pengertian pendidikan, ilmu pendidikan dan unsur-unsur pendidikan [Definition of education, educational science, and elements of education]. 2(1), 1–8.
Rahmawati, Y., Akbar, M. J., Budi, S., & Ridwan, A. (2023). Exploring value-based learning environment for sustainable development in education: Integration of socioscientific issues in chemistry learning. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2540(1). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0106206
Refmidawati, & Megahati S, R. R. P. (2023). Integration of sustainability literacy in digital learning in chemistry education: a review. Journal of Digital Learning and Distance Education, 2(5), 625–629. https://doi.org/10.56778/jdlde.v2i5.256
Rubini, B., Ardianto, D., Setyaningsih, S., & Sariningrum, A. (2019). Using socio-scientific issues in problem-based learning to enhance science literacy. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1233(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1233/1/012073
Sadler, T. D., & Zeidler, D. L. (2009). Scientific literacy, PISA, and socioscientific discourse: Assessment for progressive aims of science education. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(8), 909–921. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20327
Salsabila, E. R., Wijaya, A. F. C., & Winarno, N. (2019). Improving students’ sustainability awareness through argument-driven inquiry. Journal of Science Learning, 2(2), 58. https://doi.org/10.17509/jsl.v2i2.13104
Sanchez, J. M. P., Picardal, M. T., Fernandez, S. R., & Caturza, R. R. A. (2024). Socio-Scientific issues in focus: a meta-analytical review of strategies and outcomes in climate change science education. Science Education International, 35(2), 119–132. https://doi.org/10.33828/sei.v35.i2.6
Sari, D. R., Saputro, S., & Sajidan. (2025). A systematic review on integrating SSI into science education: Its impact on 21st-century skills (2014-2024). Educational Studies and Research Journal, 2(1).
Sari, R. M., & Wiyarsi, A. (2021). Inquiry learning using local socio-scientific issues as context to improve students’ chemical literacy. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Research, Implementation, and Education of Mathematics and Sciences (ICRIEMS 2020), 528, 201–208. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210305.031
Shwartz, Y., Ben-Zvi, R., & Hofstein, A. (2006a). Chemical literacy: What does this mean to scientists and school teachers? Journal of Chemical Education, 83(10), 1557–1561. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed083p1557
Shwartz, Y., Ben-Zvi, R., & Hofstein, A. (2006b). The use of scientific literacy taxonomy for assessing the development of chemical literacy among high-school students. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 7(4), 203–225. https://doi.org/10.1039/B6RP90011A
Srirahmawati, A., Deviana, T., & Kusuma Wardani, S. (2023). Peningkatan lketerampilan abad 21 (6C) siswa kelas IV sekolah dasar melalui model project-based learning pada kurikulum merdeka [Improving 21st-century skills (6C) of fourth-grade elementary school students through project-based learning model in the Merdeka curriculum]. Pendas : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Dasar, 08(01), 5283–5294.
Stevens, J. P. (2009). Applied multivariate statistics for the social sciences (Fifth Ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203843130
Summers, M., Childs, A., & Corney, G. (2005). Education for sustainable development in initial teacher training: issues for interdisciplinary collaboration. Environmental Education Research, 11(5), 623–647. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620500169841
Susilawati, Aznam, N., Paidi, & Irwanto, I. (2021). Socio-scientific issues as a vehicle to promote soft skills and environmental awareness. European Journal of Educational Research, 10(1), 161–174. https://doi.org/10.12973/EU-JER.10.1.161
Thummathong, R., & Thathong, K. (2016). Construction of a chemical literacy test for engineering students. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 13(3), 185–198. https://doi.org/10.12973/tused.10179a
Tuerah, M. S. R., & Tuerah, J. M. (2023). Kurikulum merdeka dalam perspektif kajian teori: analisis kebijakan [The Merdeka curriculum in the perspective of theoretical studies: A policy analysis]. Jurnal Ilmiah Wahana Pendidikan, Oktober, 9(19), 979–988. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10047903
Turiman, P., Omar, J., Daud, A. M., & Osman, K. (2012). Fostering the 21st century skills through scientific literacy and science process skills. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 59, 110–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.253
Xu, Y., Ramanathan, V., & Victor, D. G. (2018). Global warming will happen faster than we think. Nature, 564(7734), 30–32. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07586-5
Yustin, D. L., & Wiyarsi, A. (2019). Students’ chemical literacy: A study in chemical bonding. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1397(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1397/1/012036
Zulfah, N. L. N., Purnamasari, S., & Abdurrahman, D. (2024). Implementasi problem-based learning (PBL) terintegrasi Education for sustainable development (ESD) terhadap literasi lingkungan siswa pada topik energi [Implementation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) integrated with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) on students’ environmental literacy in the topic of energy]. JKPI: Jurnal Kajian Pendidikan IPA, 4(1), 299–304. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.52434/jkpi13424
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
 



 
         
         
         
        