An academic team from the Christian University of Indonesia (UKI) led by Dr. Familia Novita Simanjuntak and her colleagues organized a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) program and an interactive evaluation regarding water pollution and thermodynamics at Sandikta Senior High School, Bekasi City, on May 20, 2026. This activity is crucial for measuring the extent of students' understanding of scientific mechanisms in building comprehensive environmental awareness amidst the challenges of urban water crises.
Bekasi City, as a satellite buffer zone for Jakarta, faces serious ecological pressure due to accumulated industrial, agricultural, and domestic waste polluting water bodies. Unfortunately, school science subjects frequently teach the laws of thermodynamics merely as abstract mathematical formulas that are difficult to connect with students' daily environmental realities.
To bridge this gap, the research team designed an interactive educational program divided into two main material sessions. The first session thoroughly examined the definitions of laws and sources of water pollution based on applicable regulations, while the second session linked the first and second laws of thermodynamics as well as Gibbs free energy with real-world phenomena of water pollution. Each session concluded with a gamified quiz through the Kahoot! platform consisting of 10 questions, which were simultaneously participated in by 60 student participants.
Based on quantitative data analysis using data processing systems, several prominent main findings were discovered:
- On Quiz I regarding the basics of water pollution, the average correct answer rate reached 61.33%, with 85% of students successfully entering the medium to high competency category.
- On Quiz II testing ecosystem thermodynamics material, the correct answer rate plummeted sharply to 39.44%, where 71.7% of participants fell into the low category.
- A pairwise analysis of 47 students who took both quizzes showed a decrease in the average accuracy rate of 42.3% (from 6.49 to 3.74 points), with 78.7% of students experiencing score drops due to the high difficulty level of conceptual thermodynamic reasoning.
According to researchers from the Christian University of Indonesia, these results indicate that students' affective care or awareness of the dangers of pollution has been well established, but technical understanding regarding the scientific mechanisms behind it still needs to be strengthened. The implementation of this collaborative educational model between universities and high schools provides a real contribution in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly quality education and clean water and sanitation.
Author Profile
- Dr. Familia Novita Simanjuntak, SP, M.Si – Lecturer at the Chemistry Education Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), Christian University of Indonesia.
- Dr. Bintang Simbolon, M.Si – Lecturer at the Biology Education Study Program, FKIP, Christian University of Indonesia.
- Alfa Graciani Kase – Researcher at the Chemistry Education Study Program, FKIP, Christian University of Indonesia.
- Yuliana Casria – Researcher at the Chemistry Education Study Program, FKIP, Christian University of Indonesia.
- Novita Veronica – Educator/Representative from Sandikta Senior High School, Bekasi City.
Research Source
- Article Title: Environmental Awareness Based on Knowledge and Understanding: Thermodynamics Learning in the Context of Water Pollution in Forum Group Discussion (Fgd) Activities at Smas Sandikta, Bekasi City
- Journal Name: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Bestari (JPMB)
- Publication Year: 2026
- DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55927/jpmb.v5i7.53 - Official URL:
https://journaljpmb.my.id/index.php/jpmb
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