Structured Studio-Based Sustainability Integration in Planning Education: Analysis of Multidimensional Sustainability Perceptions and Conceptual Change

This study examines the associations between integrating sustainability principles into early-stage planning education and changes in students’ sustainability perceptions within a studio-based course. Conducted in the Urban Design Planning Studio 3 course between 2021 and 2024, the research involved 63 second-year urban and regional planning students. Using a mixed-methods, one-group pre-test–post-test design, the study combined quantitative data from the Sustainable Urban Environment Perception Scale (SUEPS)—covering ecological, transportation, and semi-structured dimensions—with qualitative analyses of open-ended responses via content analysis and thematic clustering. Findings reveal a statistically significant improvement in overall sustainability perception, with the most notable gains in ecological sustainability and solid waste management. Moderate improvements were also observed in social and economic dimensions, while transportation was comparatively more limited. Qualitative results indicate a clear shift from fragmented, resource-based understandings toward more integrated, system-oriented, and multi-scalar interpretations of sustainability. Students demonstrated increased conceptual diversity, stronger connections between ecological, infrastructural, and social themes, and more frequent use of planning-related terminology. The consistency between quantitative and qualitative findings suggests that structured studio-based learning processes may be contribute to the conceptual development of sustainability literature. Overall, the study highlights the potential of early-stage sustainability education to support ecological literacy and sustainability-oriented planning perspectives within urban planning curricula.