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Enhancing Sustainability Awareness Through Experiential Stem Learning: a Community-based Polymer Education Approach
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A program teaching 35 pre-university students about plastics and rubber sustainability through talks, hands-on activities, and exhibits led to higher survey scores on plastic and carbon sustainability awareness after the program compared to before. Students also showed better understanding of sustainable material practices and more interest in related STEM topics.
Environmental sustainability has become the main focus of STEM education in preparing students to address global environmental challenges. However, many pre-university students still have limited knowledge of polymer sustainability. Their understanding of plastics and rubber is often linked mainly to environmental pollution, as they have limited opportunities to learn about sustainable material management and how polymers are used in real-life applications. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an experiential STEM learning approach in improving sustainability awareness through a community-based polymer technology education programme. The programme involved 35 science stream students from a pre-university institution and was facilitated by final-year undergraduate students specialising in polymer technology. The intervention consisted of an interactive sustainability talk addressing environmental pollution, responsible material management, misconceptions about polymers, and the role of recycling and the circular economy, followed by hands-on STEM activities and exhibition booths showcasing undergraduate research on sulfur devulcanisation, recycled polymer products, nanotechnology, waste-based polyurethane synthesis, and sustainable 3D printing. A pre- and post-intervention survey was conducted to assess students’ sustainability awareness and understanding of polymer-related environmental issues. The findings showed that awareness of plastic sustainability increased from 3.49 to 4.32, while awareness of carbon sustainability improved from 3.29 to 4.32. Students also demonstrated greater familiarity with STEM-related activities, improved understanding of sustainable material practices, and increased interest in sustainability-related STEM topics after participating in the programme. The findings indicate that experiential and community-based STEM learning is an effective educational approach for enhancing sustainability awareness, correcting misconceptions about polymers, and making complex scientific concepts more meaningful and accessible to pre-university students, while strengthening their appreciation of the role of polymers in sustainable development.
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