FEASIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF CULTURALLY SUSTAINING INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING INTEGRATED WITH SOCIO-SCIENTIFIC ISSUES FOR ENHANCING CRITICAL THINKING ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Amid the global climate crisis, science education must move beyond neutral knowledge delivery toward fostering critical thinking, environmental ethics, and scientific agency. This study explores the feasibility and effectiveness of a Culturally Sustaining Inquiry-Based Learning model integrated with Socio-Scientific Issues (CSIL-SSI) to enhance upper-secondary students’ critical thinking on climate change (CC). The model combines inquiry-based learning and SSI while incorporating students’ local culture and indigenous knowledge. A mixed-method approach involved classroom observations and pre-post critical thinking tests analyzed using a right-tailed paired-sample t-test. Results showed high feasibility (M= 4.00) in most aspects, though some challenges were noted in group dynamics and student reflection. The t-test indicated a significant improvement in post-test scores (p < .05), confirming the model’s effectiveness. These findings support CSIL-SSI as a feasible and impactful framework that promotes culturally relevant, critical engagement with climate issues. Broader implementation and further research are recommended to explore its long-term impact and adaptability in varied educational settings. Keywords: culturally sustaining pedagogy, inquiry-based learning, socio-scientific issues, climate change, critical thinking.