A Network Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Environmental Education Programs

This study aimed to examine the overall effectiveness of early childhood environmental education programs on young children’s environmental attitudes and to compare the relative effectiveness of different program types using a network meta-analysis. Sixteen Korean empirical studies were included, and the programs were categorized into General Class(N0), Media-literacy-based(N1), Nature/Experience-based(N2), Maker/Production-based(N3), and Project/Problem-solving-based(N4). The results indicated that environmental education programs had a significantly greater effect than general classes, with an overall effect size of SMD=2.0686(95% CI=1.3195~2.8176). Maker/Production-based and Nature/Experience-based programs showed relatively higher effectiveness. Consistency analysis confirmed agreement between direct and indirect estimates, and sensitivity and influence analyses supported the stability of the findings.