A practice-oriented qualitative classroom study on the value of saving in the context of sustainability: the example of the station technique

Today, increasing environmental problems, unconscious consumption, the depletion of natural resources, and concerns regarding sustainable living highlight the importance of developing students’ awareness of saving and environmental responsibility from an early age. In this context, the social studies course is an important area of learning for sustainability and values education. This study aims to examine how middle school students interpret the concepts of saving, the environment, and sustainability through station-technique-based activities implemented in the social studies course, explore their learning experiences during this process, and investigate how they relate the value of saving to daily life. The study was conducted using a practice-oriented qualitative classroom research design. The participants consisted of 24 middle school students (13 girls and 11 boys) attending a public middle school in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye. Participants were selected through convenience sampling, a purposive sampling method. Data were collected through student products, teacher observation forms, and process evaluation forms, and were analyzed using content analysis. The findings indicate that students tended to interpret concepts related to saving, recycling, environmental pollution, and sustainable living through a variety of classroom activities. Student products and process evaluation findings indicate that students associated environmental problems with examples from daily life, developed environmental awareness, and used expressions of responsibility regarding saving behaviors. Observation findings suggest that students displayed participation, cooperation, and interaction during the activity. However, these findings should not be directly interpreted as evidence of permanent behavioral change. Overall, the findings suggest that station technique-based activities may provide a practice-oriented learning environment that supports students’ participation, awareness, and meaning-making processes within the context of sustainability-based values education.