DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.184677.2 ISSN: 2046-1402

ESD-Integrated Digital Learning for Geographic Literacy in Coastal Secondary Schools: Development and Evaluation

Muhammad Ikhsan, Epon Ningrum, Mamat Ruhimat, Iwan Setiawan, Sony Nugratama Hijrawad, Irwan Abdullah, Salman Alparis Sormin, Tuti Purwati, Dwi Nanda Akhmad Romadhon
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Background Coastal ecosystems are among the most productive and socioeconomically important environments globally. However, students in coastal communities often exhibit limited geographic literacy regarding the ecological processes that sustain these ecosystems. Contextualized digital learning resources integrating sustainability principles may help address this challenge. Objective This study aimed to develop, validate, and evaluate the effectiveness of ESD-integrated digital teaching materials (DTMs) on coastal ecology in improving geographic literacy among senior high school students in coastal areas. Method This research and development (R&D) study employed the ADDIE model and a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design. Participants were 148 Grade XI students from four coastal-area schools selected through purposive sampling. The DTMs were evaluated by four subject-matter experts and three instructional technology specialists. Geographic literacy was assessed using a 40-item instrument covering spatial thinking, environmental knowledge, geospatial skills, and sustainability orientation. The experimental group used ESD-integrated DTMs, whereas the control group received conventional textbook-based instruction. Results The DTMs demonstrated high validity, with mean scores of 3.82/4.00 for content and 3.76/4.00 for media quality. Students in the experimental group showed a significant improvement in geographic literacy following the intervention (d = 0.84, p < .001), while the control group exhibited no significant change (p = .21). Among the assessed dimensions, sustainability orientation recorded the strongest effect (d = 0.91). Conclusion The findings indicate that ESD-integrated DTMs are a promising approach to supporting geographic literacy in coastal secondary education. However, because the quasi-experimental comparison involved digital materials in the experimental group and conventional textbooks in the control group, the independent contribution of ESD integration cannot be separated from the effects of digital modality and instructional novelty. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether the observed improvements, particularly in sustainability orientation, persist over time and translate into sustained environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

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