Evaluating the impact of citizen science programs on environmental awareness and attitudes among secondary school students

ABSTRACT Aligned with the Malaysia’s strategic commitment to biodiversity conservation, public engagement – particularly among the youth demographic – is an essential component of environmental preservation frameworks. This study evaluates the efficacy of a citizen science initiative, implemented under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, in enhancing environmental literacy and attitudinal shifts among secondary school students (n=155) across four states, namely Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu. Utilising a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design, the program integrated theoretical instruction with experiential field activities, specifically bird watching and systematic data collection. Preliminary findings indicate a statistically increase in students’ interest in local biodiversity and a heightened proclivity for active participation in scientific data procurement. Furthermore, students exhibited a transition toward pro-environmental attitudes, emphasizing the intrinsic value of wildlife and the efficacy of individual agency in promoting ecological sustainability. These results underscore the potential of citizen science as a transformative pedagogical too, congruent with the National Policy on Biological Diversity 2022-2030.