MATI — Escalating environmental degradation and global climate change demand that higher education institutions actively shape ecologically responsible student behavior. Addressing this imperative, Jessalyn C. Verzosa from Davao Oriental State University conducted an evaluative study in 2026 measuring the impact of academic coursework on students' ecological attitudes and habits. Published in the East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, this paper provides concrete evidence that structured sustainability education in universities drives tangible pro-environmental action.
Environmental degradation, pollution, and resource depletion represent critical threats that require action-oriented educational responses. In the Philippines, the Science, Technology, and Society course titled STS 11 People and the Earth's Ecosystem was designed to connect theoretical knowledge with ethical student responsibility. Historically, the main hurdle in environmental education has been the gap between awareness and practice, where academic knowledge frequently fails to translate into daily sustainable routines.
To evaluate these shifts, the researcher from Davao Oriental State University implemented a descriptive-correlational research design using a pre-assessment and post-assessment framework. The study sampled 202 students enrolled in the STS 11 course during the second semester of Academic Year 2024-2025 at Davao Oriental State University. Data collection relied on validated survey instruments measuring four key environmental attitude dimensions and four sustainability practice indicators before and after the instructional intervention. The gathered data were evaluated using descriptive statistics and Pearson r correlation analysis.
The findings revealed positive improvements across all measured indicators. The overall mean score for students' environmental attitudes increased from 3.68 prior to the course to 3.99 following its completion. The most pronounced increase occurred in the domain of environmental knowledge and technological beliefs, which rose from 3.04 to 3.80. Personal environmental responsibility and behavioral commitment also advanced from 3.64 to 3.96, proving that students moved from passive awareness to acknowledging personal accountability.
Regarding actionable behavior, students' overall sustainability practices score rose from 3.78 to 3.88. Waste reduction practices maintained the highest mean, reaching 3.99 in the post-assessment. Furthermore, energy and water conservation behaviors demonstrated the largest behavioral gain, shifting from 3.64 to 3.86. Pearson correlation analysis yielded a coefficient of 0.91 with an R2 value of 0.8234. This demonstrates an extraordinarily strong positive relationship, indicating that environmental attitudes directly account for 82.34 percent of the variance in sustainable actions.
The implications of this research provide a strategic foundation for university curriculum design and sustainability policies. Interactive discussions, reflective tasks, and structured instructional modules effectively empower students to adopt sustainable lifestyle choices. University administrators and educational policymakers are encouraged to further integrate experiential learning and community immersion programs to ensure these eco-friendly habits persist well beyond the classroom.
Author Profiles
Jessalyn C. Verzosa — Davao Oriental State University
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