Non-formal secondary students’ education to develop environmental insight

Earth and the human species' sustainability are threatened, being necessary to promote a collective shift in how we think about our relationship with the Earth to minimise anthropic impacts.Earth System Education (ESE) and geoethics can promote competencies development, such as environmental insight and systemic thinking.This research aimed to develop a holistic and geoethical view of the Earth.A mixed methods approach was adopted to evaluate this intervention's impact.The quantitative phase consisted of a quasi-experimental study to assess knowledge about the Earth system and geoethics of 59 secondary students (n=59).The cognitive tests revealed that students developed environmental insight competency and knowledge regarding geoethics, with an increase of 21.4% in the classifications.The t-test for paired samples was performed, obtaining statistical significance.In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were carried out with six students to determine the potential of their participation in developing pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours.All interviewees expressed that their involvement in the study contributed to an attitudinal and behavioural change through more excellent reflection and knowledge.The results revealed that the development of non-formal activities on ESE and geoethics can enhance scientific literacy towards actions aligned with sustainability.