Transformative Green Chemistry-Based STEM Education In The Formation Of Students' Eco-Scientific Identity And Sustainability Agency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66249/edukatalis.v1i2.66Keywords:
eco-scientific identity, green chemistry, STEM education, sustainability agency, transformative learningAbstract
Twenty-first-century chemistry education faces the challenge of not only improving students’ scientific conceptual understanding but also fostering ecological awareness and the capacity to act on sustainability issues. However, chemistry learning in schools still tends to emphasize concept memorization and mathematical problem-solving, limiting students’ ability to connect chemical knowledge with real-world environmental challenges. This study aims to analyze how the implementation of Transformative Green Chemistry-Based STEM Education shapes students’ eco-scientific identity and develops their sustainability agency. This research employed a qualitative approach with a phenomenological framework involving 15 students from SMA Pencawan Medan, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, documentation, and written reflections, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The novelty of this study lies in integrating transformative learning, green chemistry, and STEM through case-based analysis, household chemical investigations, problem-solving activities, and critical reflection without focusing on product creation. The findings revealed three major outcomes: (1) students experienced a transformation in their perspective of chemistry from abstract to contextual; (2) eco-scientific identity developed, marked by increased scientific confidence and ecological awareness; and (3) sustainability agency emerged through concrete actions at personal, social, and academic levels. These findings suggest that transformative green chemistry-based STEM learning has strong potential as an effective pedagogical model for advancing sustainability education.
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