An action research towards improving the ecological citizenship levels of 8th grade students

Purpose: It is aimed to develop the ecological citizenship levels of the 8th grade primary school students with the activities prepared for the "Sustainable Development" subject achievements in the "Energy Conversions and Environmental Science" unit. Method: This study used the qualitative research method. The research was designed as an action research. Weekly lesson plans and activity worksheets were reviewed weekly by the action committee in line with the activity work action plans and their final form was given. The research was conducted with 10 8th grade students attending a public school in the Alpu district of Eskişehir province in the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. During the process, the data of the research were collected through the ecological citizenship scale (EVÖ), researcher diary, student diaries, activity worksheets, in-class audio recordings, student homework and studies, semi-structured student interview forms, and focus group interviews conducted with the students. The ecological citizenship scale was applied in order to determine the ecological citizenship levels of 8th grade students. The data obtained to determine the ecological citizenship levels of 8th grade students were analyzed using descriptive analysis. Findings: The findings of the study were grouped under four headings based on the sub-problems of the study. The data obtained from the study indicated that activities supported by ecological citizenship and its sub-dimensions improved students' ecological citizenship levels. Conclusion and Suggestions: It was concluded that, through activities supported by ecological citizenship and its sub-dimensions, students acquired the sub-dimensions of ecological citizenship (participation, sustainability, responsibility, rights, and justice), increased their awareness of these issues, established a relationship between the environment and these sub-dimensions, and were able to explain the definition and characteristics of ecological citizenship. In line with the sustainability-based science education goal of the new science curriculum, action research can be conducted to improve the ecological citizenship levels of secondary school students at different grade levels.