The impact of place-based STEM education on primary school students’ environmental awareness

This study aims to investigate the effects of place-based STEM (PB-STEM) and classroom-based STEM (C-STEM) education on the environmental awareness of primary school students. A quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest control groups was employed. A total of 91 third-grade students from a public primary school in Türkiye participated in the study. Participants were divided into three groups: the C-STEM group engaged in STEM activities in the classroom, and the PB-STEM group participated in STEM activities in parks, gardens, forests, and other natural settings. Students in the control group continued their learning through routine classroom practices. Data were collected using the Environmental Awareness Scale. The findings revealed that both the C-STEM and PB-STEM groups showed significantly greater improvements in environmental awareness than the control group. Furthermore, PB-STEM was more effective than C-STEM in raising environmental awareness.