A Plan–Do–Check–Act Model for Evaluating Environmental Education Activities in Primary Schools

Environmental education (EE) in primary schools faces implementation challenges because many schools lack effective mechanisms for planning, monitoring, and improving environmental education activities (EEA). This study aimed to propose and evaluate a Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA) model for implementation of EEA in primary school settings in Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 511 teachers in primary schools in Vietnam. A teaching support tool, a questionnaire, was developed based on the Integrated Evaluation Model for Environmental Education (IEMEE) criteria and integrated with provisions of Vietnamese law on environmental protection and school quality assurance criteria. The study data were divided into two groups: (1) exploratory factor analysis (EFA), n = 277; (2) confirmatory factor analysis/structural equation modeling (CFA/SEM), n = 234. The measurement model demonstrated excellent psychometric properties. All factor loadings were above .74. All Cronbach’s alphas were from .91 to .97, and all AVEs were from .64 to .82. The structural model explained 51.6% of the variance in EEA. Of the four components of PDCA, Do and Check had significant positive effects on EEA (β = .47, p .001; β = .24, p .001, respectively). Plan and Act had no significant effects on EEA (β = .12, p = .11; β = .02, p = .39, respectively). This indicates that EE management in Vietnamese primary schools is stronger in implementation and monitoring than in strategic planning and effective use of feedback for improvement. This study presents a model for evaluating the quality of EE management from a unique Vietnamese school–based perspective. The implications of the findings point to the need to enhance all components of the PDCA cycle to support the ongoing improvement of school-based EE practices.