Enhancing climate change understanding through system dynamics tools: An empirical study on middle school students
Journal of Environmental Education, cilt.57, sa.4, ss.354-373, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 57 Sayı: 4
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1080/00958964.2026.2674703
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Environmental Education
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Periodicals Index Online, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), Environment Index, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Greenfile, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest), Education Collection (ProQuest), Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Pharma Collection (ProQuest), Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (EBSCO), Sociology Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.354-373
- Anahtar Kelimeler: climate change education, middle school students, system dynamics, systems thinking
- İnönü Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study uses system dynamics tools to investigate middle school students’ systems thinking skills in climate change education. A one-group study was conducted with 120 eighth-grade students (62 females, 58 males aged 13–14) at a public school in Turkey during a four-week climate change unit. Students’ dynamic, stock-flow, and causal thinking skills were assessed using structured worksheets and evaluated with a four-level rubric. Results revealed varying proficiency levels across the three skills. Students demonstrated the highest level in stock-flow thinking, followed by dynamic thinking and causal thinking. The findings provide insight into how students interact with system dynamics tools in climate education and identify common student challenges in different thinking skills, offering empirically-based considerations for the design of middle school climate change curricula.