An experiential, metacognitive and computational sentiment analysis of pro-environmental latency in household food waste composting

This study examines how experiential learning, metacognitive reflection, and computational sentiment analysis activate latent pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors among Filipino youth through a household food waste composting intervention. Grounded in Experiential Learning Theory and ethnoecology, the research advances a three-pillar framework. Students engaged in hands-on composting, produced reflective narratives, and analyzed peer experiences, enabling a transition from abstract ecological knowledge to embodied, affective engagement with environmental stewardship. A custom Python-based sentiment analysis tool using the AFINN lexicon quantified emotional valence across 55 reflection papers and a secondary coded dataset (n = 35), providing empirical validation of qualitative insights. Results revealed consistently positive affect across both direct and vicarious engagement groups, indicating the resilience of eco-centric identity regardless of pedagogical mode. Negative sentiment reflected moral concern rather than disengagement. Thematic analysis surfaced culturally grounded virtues including sustainability ( pananatili ), stewardship (pagkalinga sa kalikasan ), communal responsibility ( pananagutan ), sense of humanity (pagkatao) , ingenuity and resourcefulness ( diskarte ). Findings suggest that pro-environmentalism among students is not merely taught but awakened—an inherent disposition activated through lived experience, reflective cognition, and computational corroboration. This study proposes a multidimensional pedagogical model that repositions sustainability as a foundational element of Filipino identity and higher education practice.