Enhancing environmental awareness through 3 R-Based Earthcomm learning: a quasi-experimental study in Indonesian higher education

Sustainable waste management education is essential for addressing growing urban environmental challenges. This study examines the effectiveness of a 3 R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)-based EarthComm learning model in promoting sustainable waste management practices, environmental awareness, behavioral engagement, and spatial literacy among geography education students in Malang City, Indonesia. A quasi-experimental pretest – posttest control group design was employed involving 120 undergraduate students divided equally into experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in a six-week EarthComm intervention integrating place-based waste management learning, geospatial analysis, waste audits, recycling projects, and community-based environmental activities, while the control group received conventional environmental instruction. Results showed that students exposed to the EarthComm model demonstrated significantly greater improvements in waste management knowledge, environmental awareness, pro-environmental behaviors, and spatial problem-solving skills than those in the control group. Including a 16.2-point increase in self-reported environmental knowledge and awareness, pro-environmental behaviors improved by 41.8%, and 82% of participants-initiated community-based waste management projects using spatial mapping techniques. These findings demonstrate that the EarthComm learning model is an effective pedagogical approach for developing sustainable waste management competencies and translating environmental knowledge into practical action. The study highlights the potential of EarthComm-based environmental education for strengthening sustainability-oriented curricula in higher education.