Enhancing students’ environmental awareness in rural and urban schools through problem and design process based learning model with steam

The problem of this research is that the environmental awareness of students in Indonesia is low. To address this challenge, a learning model that emphasizes problem identification, design processes, and interdisciplinary integration is considered essential. Therefore, a learning experiment was conducted using the Problem and Design Process Based Learning (PDP-BL) model through the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) approach. This study aims to (1) determine the effect of the PDP-BL model on students' environmental awareness and (2) examine its effectiveness in improving environmental awareness. The research employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest with two groups (experimental and control). The population consisted of grade X high school students in Central Java Province, Indonesia (N = 6,183,910), with a total sample of 136 students, consisting of 70 from rural areas (School X) and 66 from urban areas (School Y). Each included an experimental group (rural = 35, urban = 33) and a control group (rural = 35, urban = 33), aged 15–16 years with a balanced gender ratio. The experimental group (EG) received instruction using the PDP-BL model through the STEAM approach, focusing on problem identification, design-based solutions, and interdisciplinary learning, whereas the control group (CG) was taught through conventional, teacher-centered methods. Data were analyzed using normality, homogeneity, MANOVA, N-Gain, and Effect Size tests. The findings showed significant improvements in students’ environmental awareness (MANOVA, p = 0.00 < 0.05), with an effective N-Gain and moderate Effect Size. It is concluded that implementing the PDP-BL model through the STEAM approach effectively enhances students’ environmental awareness while fostering scientific attitudes, problem-solving skills, and self-efficacy.