We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Students’ attitudes towards the environment and marine litter in the context of a coastal water quality educational citizen science project
Summary
Middle school students who participated in a citizen science project monitoring coastal water quality and microplastic pollution showed significantly more positive environmental attitudes afterward compared to a control group. The study suggests that hands-on engagement with real microplastic research can be an effective way to build environmental awareness in young people.
Abstract This research focus on the evaluation of the impact on students’ attitudes towards the environment, fostered by their involvement in an educational citizen science project related to the monitoring of physicochemical properties and the detection of (micro)plastics in Portuguese coastal waters. We developed an attitude scale, comprising four dimensions (Collective, Personal, Recycling and Reuse and Microplastics), which was applied, as a pre-test and post-test, to 574 middle school students (aged 12–14): 442 in the experimental group and 132 in the control group. Initially, based on pre-test results, both groups revealed positive attitudes. In the experimental group, the post-test results revealed that significantly positive attitude changes were promoted in all dimensions, whereas, in the control group, this occurred only in the Personal dimension. The control group also exhibited significantly negative attitude changes in the collective dimension. Students’ engagement in sustainability-related citizen science projects can enhance environmentally literate society.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Students’ Attitudes Towards Science: the Contribution of a Citizen Science Project for Monitoring Coastal Water Quality and (micro)plastics
This study found that middle school students participating in a citizen science project monitoring coastal water quality and microplastic pollution showed improved attitudes toward science, particularly in critical thinking and perceived scientific self-efficacy. Hands-on engagement with real environmental monitoring activities can effectively improve science literacy and positive attitudes toward environmental issues in young people.
Desenvolvimento da literacia química de alunos do ensino básico
A Portuguese citizen-science project engaged over 500 middle-school students in testing coastal water quality and learning about microplastic pollution through hands-on chemistry investigations. The program significantly improved students' attitudes toward chemistry and their conceptual understanding of water parameters and polymers compared to a control group, demonstrating that microplastic science can be an effective hook for building broader scientific literacy in young people.
Marine litter education: From awareness to action
An educational intervention on marine litter designed for students from primary to high school level, incorporating lab work and a beach clean-up, significantly changed participants knowledge, perceptions, and behavioral intentions as measured by pre- and post-questionnaires.
Schools against plastics: Schooling environmentally conscious students and supporting research on marine litter and microplastics
A citizen science initiative engaged Greek students in monitoring plastic pollution on two coastal beaches, finding macrolitter densities of 0.6 to 5.9 items per square meter and microplastic concentrations of 4.6 to 102.5 particles per kilogram of sand. Single-use plastics, especially bottle caps and cigarette butts, made up over 25% of collected items, and microplastics were also found inside sea urchins at both sites. The project demonstrates that student participation can generate scientifically valuable pollution data while building environmental awareness.
Can we investigate microplastic pollution with school students? Experiences from eight years of citizen science research
Researchers reported on eight years of citizen science microplastic research conducted with school students through the Plastic Pirates program, sharing methodological experiences and lessons learned from involving more than 24,000 participants across Germany and other European countries in rigorous environmental monitoring.