Phenomenon-Based Learning in Sustainable Learning Environments: Effects on Autonomous Learning and Metacognitive Awareness

This study explored the effectiveness of the Phenomenon-Based Learning (PheBL) model in fostering students’ autonomous learning behaviors and metacognitive awareness as important dimensions of sustainable learning. Employing a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design, the study was conducted with 48 fifth-grade students in Türkiye. The experimental group participated in PheBL-based instructional practices structured around real-life phenomena, collaborative inquiry, student-generated questioning, reflective learning activities, and interdisciplinary problem-solving processes, whereas the control group received conventional teacher-centered instruction. Data were collected using the Autonomous Learning Scale and the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory and analyzed through ANCOVA and paired-samples t-tests. The findings revealed that students in the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher levels of autonomous learning and metacognitive awareness than those in the control group. Within-group analyses also indicated substantial improvements from pre-test to post-test across all measured dimensions. These findings suggest that PheBL may enhance students’ capacity for self-regulation, reflective thinking, and learner autonomy by engaging them in active, inquiry-oriented, and reflective learning processes. Furthermore, the results indicate that learning experiences grounded in authentic real-life phenomena may support the development of transferable competencies associated with lifelong and adaptive learning. Nevertheless, the findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the relatively small sample size, the short duration of the intervention, and the reliance on self-report measures. Despite these limitations, the study contributes to the growing body of research on learner-centered pedagogies by providing empirical evidence that autonomous learning and metacognitive awareness may be simultaneously fostered through phenomenon-based instructional practices. Future research is recommended to investigate the long-term effects and broader contextual applicability of PheBL across diverse educational settings and learner populations.