Digital-Based Environmental Education Model in Fostering Social Entrepreneurship in Junior High Schools

This study examines how a digital-based sustainable environmental education model can contribute to the development of social entrepreneurship among junior high school students. Social entrepreneurship is understood as the creation of social value through innovative activities that combine economic practices with social objectives. To examine this relationship, a qualitative design was employed involving three public junior high schools in Bekasi, West Java. Data was collected through observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation, engaging twenty-seven participants including students, principals, vice principals, and teachers. The findings reveal that schools actively integrate environmental education into their programs, despite its absence as a separate subject in the national curriculum. Initiatives such as waste banks, composting projects, school gardens, and water conservation practices demonstrate how ecological awareness is embedded in institutional culture. Teachers further enhance this process by linking subject content to environmental contexts, while digital learning materials create opportunities for interactive and student-centered engagement. The study integrates Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory, and digital pedagogy frameworks to explain how digital learning enhances environmental understanding and fosters entrepreneurial initiative. The analysis suggests that these practices not only increase ecological literacy but also nurture entrepreneurial mindsets among students. By reframing environmental challenges as opportunities for innovation and community empowerment, schools serve as platforms for cultivating future social entrepreneurs who are both environmentally responsible and socially engaged.