Turning Chemistry into Care: Building Environmental Sensitivity Through Atmospheric Chemistry

The escalating severity of environmental issues such as air pollution, climate change, and ozone depletion underscores the urgent need for effective environmental education that fosters both scientific understanding and affective responsibility among learners. In this context, Atmospheric Chemistry provides a critical framework for understanding the underlying mechanisms of these environmental challenges. However, conventional instructional approaches often fail to meaningfully connect scientific concepts with students lived experiences, thereby limiting the development of Environmental Sensitivity. The present study aimed to develop and evaluate an Instructional Module on Atmospheric Chemistry for enhancing Environmental Sensitivity among secondary school students. A pre-experimental design employing a single-group pre-test–post-test approach was adopted. The sample comprised 41 secondary school students selected through simple random sampling. The investigator developed an Instructional Module that served as the independent variable, while Environmental Sensitivity was treated as the dependent variable and measured using a standardised Environmental Sensitivity Test. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, a paired-samples t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA to determine the significance of differences between pre-test and post-test scores. The results indicated a statistically significant improvement in students’ Environmental Sensitivity following the intervention. Furthermore, all dimensions of Environmental Sensitivity - cognitive awareness, emotional responsiveness, adaptive plasticity, and behavioural commitment demonstrated substantial enhancement. The study concludes that integrating Atmospheric Chemistry with experiential and value-based pedagogical strategies effectively promotes Environmental Sensitivity among students. The findings highlight the potential of subject-specific Instructional Modules to strengthen environmental education and foster the development of responsible, environmentally conscious individuals.