Effectiveness of PBL on knowledge, attitudes, and waste-sorting behaviors among primary school students in Thailand

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) as an innovative pedagogical approach to enhancing knowledge, environmental attitudes, and waste-sorting behaviors among primary school students in Thailand. A multi-site quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control groups was employed in urban and rural settings. Data were collected from 400 students across Bangkok, Suphanburi, and Lampang, equally divided into experimental and control groups. Instruments included a validated knowledge test, an environmental attitude scale, and a behavioral checklist. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results indicated significant improvements in the experimental group: knowledge increased by 2.23 points (Cohen’s d=1.52), attitudes by 0.59 points (d=0.68), and behaviors by 1.78 points (d=1.67). Mediation analysis confirmed that attitudes partially mediated the relationship between knowledge and behavior (β=0.35, 95% CI=[0.28, 0.43]). No significant differences were observed among the three study sites (p>0.05), suggesting that PBL is equally effective in urban and rural schools. These findings provide empirical support for integrating PBL in environmental education, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4 and SDG 12).