Action Research of Ecological Transition Education Using Smart Devices for Cultivating Ecological Citizenship: Focusing on the topic elective classes of a middle school free-semester

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to clarify how the process of planning, actioning, reflecting, and improving the ecological transition education plan using smart devices to foster ecological citizenship in the subject selection class of middle school free semesters affects learners' ecological citizenship. The authors tried to examine what role smart devices can play as teaching tools in the ecological transition education action process to foster ecological citizenship. Methods: Based on the action research method, the first and second classes were conducted for twenty first-year learners of A middle school in 2023, and the third class was conducted for eighteen first-year learners of A middle school in 2024. Literature reviews interviews, and questionnaire analysis were conducted. Results: The subject selection class plan using smart devices to foster ecological citizenship consisted of a total of six sessions and twelve sessions for each topic. The influence on the cultivation of ecological citizenship was knowledge and understanding, virtue, responsibility and relationship, sustainability, changes in the degree of interest in ecological issues, experience and willingness to practice across the participation areas. It was confirmed that the use of smart devices was meaningful in terms of improving interest and participation, providing various expressions, providing broad information, diversity in sharing paths, storing works, and in saving paper. Conclusion: Through this research process, it can be confirmed that fostering ecological citizenship is important in ecological transition education, and there is a close connection between the elements that make up ecological citizenship. Measures to increase the usefulness and decrease negative aspects of using smart devices, along with the role of teachers as guides and collaborators were presented.