GREEN LEARNING SPACE AS AN AUTHENTIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TO IMPROVE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS' SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT
Published:
2026-07-03Downloads
Abstract
IPAS instruction in elementary schools is still dominated by the lecture method, resulting in students having limited opportunities for hands-on learning experiences. This study aims to analyze the effect of implementing a Green Learning Space through the use of an open green garden on students’ learning outcomes and learning activities in the IPAS subject. The study employed a quantitative approach using a pre-experimental method with a One-Group Pretest–Posttest Design. The study was conducted with 24 third-grade students at SDIT Nurul Iman Pondok Bambu, East Jakarta, who were selected using total sampling. Data were collected through achievement tests, observations of learning activities, and student response questionnaires. The data were analyzed descriptively using mean scores, the percentage of learning mastery, the percentage of learning activities, and Normalized Gain (N-Gain). The results showed that the average learning achievement increased from 64.13 on the pretest to 81.33 on the posttest, with the percentage of learning mastery rising from 8.33% to 87.50%. The N-Gain value of 0.48 falls into the moderate category. Additionally, student learning activity reached an average of 82.64%, indicating an active category during the learning process. Thus, the implementation of the Green Learning Space effectively improves student learning outcomes and learning activity while providing a more contextual, meaningful, and student-centered learning experience.
Keywords:
Green Learning Space green open space learning outcomes learning activities IPAS.References
Baek, C., Saito-Stehberger, D., Nam, A., Lopez, G., Jacob, S., & Warschauer, M. (2025). Empowering Latine elementary school students with disabilities: computer programming through culturally sustaining curriculum. Computer Science Education, 35(4), 669–694. https://doi.org/10.1080/08993408.2024.2396749
Balážová, M., Ciceková, J., Macko, J., & Záhorská, E. (2024). Ecological Literacy of Pupils of Primary Education in Slovakia as a Precondition of Biodiversity Education. European Journal of Educational Research, 13(4), 1791–1803. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.13.4.1791
Cheng, I. N. Y., & So, W. W. M. (2015). Teachers’ environmental literacy and teaching - Stories of three Hong Kong primary school teachers. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 24(1), 58–79. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2014.967111
Craig, C. A., & Allen, M. W. (2015). The impact of curriculum-based learning on environmental literacy and energy consumption with implications for policy. Utilities Policy, 35, 41–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jup.2015.06.011
Demir Yıldız, C. (2025). Raising Climate Heroes: Ecological Game Camp—A Mixed-Methods Study on Experiential Climate Education in Children and Adults. Sustainability (Switzerland), 17(17). https://doi.org/10.3390/su17178043
Erdogan, M. (2015). The effect of summer environmental education program (SEEP) on elementary school students’ environmental literacy. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 10(2), 165–181. https://doi.org/10.12973/ijese.2015.238a
Fernández, A. G., Marín, F. R., Ramírez, E. S., & Díaz, J. E. G. (2022). Validation of a questionnaire about Environmental Literacy through expert judgement. Revista Eureka, 19(3), 310101–310121. https://doi.org/10.25267/Rev_Eureka_ensen_divulg_cienc.2022.v19.i3.3101
Fisher-Maltese, C., Fisher, D. R., & Ray, R. (2018). Can learning in informal settings mitigate disadvantage and promote urban sustainability? School gardens in Washington, DC. International Review of Education, 64(3), 295–312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-017-9663-0
Gal, A. (2025). A hackathon as a promoter of environmental citizenship among fifth-grade students—the attitudes of students, educators, ornithologists, and people working in high-tech. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, 20(2), 319–341. https://doi.org/10.1177/17461979241253556
Gómez-Oliván, L. M., Téllez-López, A. M., Orozco-Hernández, J. M., Juan-Reyes, N. S., Rosales-Pérez, K. E., Elizalde-Velázquez, G. A., Herrera-Vázquez, S. E., & Tapia-Bárcenas, I. A. (2025). Design and validation of an environmental literacy tool for Mexican schoolchildren: guiding curriculum-based interventions on water conservation, recycling, solid waste management, and medication disposal. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 32(47), 27299–27310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-025-37231-4
Gunansyah, G., Zuhdi, U., & Info, A. (2021). Sustainable development education practices in elementary schools. 15(2), 178–187. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v15i2.17091
Handayani, T., & Solihatin, E. (2024). The effectiveness of project based blended learning ecoliteracy E-module to improve environmental care character. In K. D., P. R.M., A. R., & A. R. (Eds.), AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 3148, Issue 1). American Institute of Physics. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0242374
Herrington, J., Oliver, R., & Reeves, T. C. (2003). Patterns of engagement in authentic online learning environments. 19(1), 59–71.
Istiq Faroh, N., & Yasin, F. N. (2025). Effectiveness of local culture supplement books in improving students’ ecoliteracy in coastal areas. Perspektivy Nauki i Obrazovania, 73(1), 202–216. https://doi.org/10.32744/pse.2025.1.13
Kroufek, R., Chytrý, V., & Uhrinová, M. (2018). The effect of the type of the finished high school on the nature relatedness of pre-service primary teachers. New Educational Review, 54(4), 231–243. https://doi.org/10.15804/tner.2018.54.4.19
Lovren, V. O., & Jablanovic, M. M. (2023). Bridging the Gap: The Affective Dimension of Learning Outcomes in Environmental Primary and Secondary Education. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086370
Nieto-Ramos, M., Puig-Gutiérrez, M., Rodríguez-Marín, F., & Dos Santos Miranda-Pinto, M. (2025). Learning Progressions on Pro-Environmental Behaviors for Building Resilient Citizenship through Instagram. Edutec, 2025(94), 371–390. https://doi.org/10.21556/edutec.2025.94.4295
Ninsiana, W. (2024). Introducing eco-literacy to early childhood students through digital learning. Journal of Education and Learning, 18(1), 89–96. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v18i1.20678
Noviana, E., Kurniaman, O., Salwa, N., Hermita, N., Afendi, N., Zufriady, Z., & Misliati, M. (2019). Ecological Knowledge of Elementary School Students Through the Use of Ecoliteracy Teaching Materials in Curriculum 2013. In S. null, D. of P. Universitas Riau Jl. HR. Soebrantas, Pekanbaru, N. T.T., D. of C. Universitas Riau Jl. HR. Soebrantas, Pekanbaru, T. S., G. D. University of Malaya Jalan Universiti, Kuala Lumpur, E. null, J. H. R. S. Universitas Riau Pekanbaru, L. R., J. H. R. S. Universitas Riau Pekanbaru, F. null, B. D. Universitas Riau Jl. HR. Soebrantas, Pekanbaru, H. N., F. Universitas Riau Jl. HR. Soebrantas, Pekanbaru, N. null, F. Universitas Riau Jl. HR. Soebrantas, Pekanbaru, D. null, & F. Universitas Riau Jl. HR. Soebrantas, Pekanbaru (Eds.), Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1351, Issue 1). Institute of Physics Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1351/1/012071
Omidi, M., Jafarkhani, F., & Shirkarami, A. (2025). Impact of Ashiyan Board Game on Iranian Students’ Understanding of Native Vertebrates. In S. H.D.I. & M. R.I. (Eds.), Proceedings of the European Conference on Games-based Learning (Vol. 19, Issue 2, pp. 1020–1026). Dechema e.V. https://doi.org/10.34190/ecgbl.19.2.4037
Petkou, D., Andrea, V., & Anthrakopoulou, K. (2021). The impact of training environmental educators: Environmental perceptions and attitudes of pre-primary and primary school teachers in Greece. Education Sciences, 11(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060274
Rodríguez Pérez, L., Azcárate Goded, M. D. P., & García-González, E. (2024). Environmental Literacy in Initial Teacher Training: Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of the Socio-Environmental Impact of Food. Education Sciences, 14(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14080912
Schmidt, C., & Häggström, M. (2022). Sensing, Naming, and Narrating About the Lived World: Places as Textual Resources. In Sustainable Development Goals Series: Vol. Part F2697 (pp. 81–92). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84510-0_6
Setiadi, H. W., Dwiningrum, S. I. A., & Mustadi, A. (2023). Portrait of Ecoliteracy Competence in Elementary School Students: Relationship of Ecoliteracy Competence on Environmental Sustainability in Indonesia. Environment and Ecology Research, 11(6), 993–1001. https://doi.org/10.13189/eer.2023.110610
Shakirova, N., Berechikidze, I., & Gafiyatullina, E. (2024). The effects of immersive AR technology on the environmental literacy, intrinsic motivation, and cognitive load of high school students. Education and Information Technologies, 29(8), 9121–9138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12144-2
Shume, T. (2016). Teachers’ perspectives on contributions of a prairie restoration project to elementary students’ environmental literacy. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 11(12), 5331–5348. https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84982239361?origin=resultslist
Siringo Ringo, S. (2025). Systematic Literature Review dengan Metode Prisma: Pembelajaran Berdiferensiasi pada Pendidikan Dasar. In Jurnal Didaktika Pendidikan Dasar (Vol. 9, Issue 1, pp. 209–226). SCAD Independent. https://doi.org/10.26811/didaktika.v9i1.1760
Suhartini, E., & Haerani, R. P. R. (2024). Environmental literacy profile of primary teacher candidates in tropical rainforests environment context. In R. E., W. A., W. P., T. N.K., H. S., F. F., & D. W.S.B. (Eds.), AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2622, Issue 1). American Institute of Physics. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0134012
Svobodová, S., & Kroufek, R. (2022). Environmental Literacy of ISCED 2 Pupils in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 10(4), 519–528. https://doi.org/10.30935/scimath/12361
Syofyan, H., & Rachmadtullah, R. (2019). Increasing ecoliteracy on the impact of organic waste management using a problem a problem-solving the model. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 8(9), 1981–1983. https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85073437066?origin=resultslist
Uhrinová, M., Balážová, M., Kroufek, R., & Synaková, E. (2021). Selected Aspects of Environmental Literacy Among Pupilswith Regard to the Aims of Primary Education. New Educational Review, 66, 57–70. https://doi.org/10.15804/tner.2021.66.4.05
Vioreza, N., Supriatna, N., & Hakam, K. A. (2023). The effect of utilizing Betawi local food in the implementation of Pancasila student profile strengthening project on increasing ecoliteracy of elementary school students. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 44(4), 1115–1126. https://doi.org/10.34044/j.kjss.2023.44.4.16
Wang, G., Zhang, Y., & Wang, W. (2026). Evaluating the performance of informal learning spaces in higher Education : an integrated methodological framework combining Space Syntax and Post-Occupancy Evaluation. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 00(00), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2026.2664276
Ward, N. M., Garrard, G., Gregg, E. A., May, B., Wandin, D., Harrison, M., Pascoe, M., McConachie, F., Moggridge, B., Kusmanoff, A., & Bekessy, S. A. (2023). “Totemic species” can be an effective lens for engaging students with Indigenous knowledge and biodiversity conservation. Conservation Science and Practice, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12904
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Jaka Waluya, Amin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
