Scientific Reasoning and Waste Management Awareness Among Grade 6 Learners
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19709528Keywords:
scientific reasoning, waste management awareness, Grade 6 learners, environmental education, science learning, elementary educationAbstract
Environmental responsibility among elementary learners has drawn increasing attention as schools are expected to cultivate both scientific understanding and sustainable daily practices. The investigation focused on the relationship between scientific reasoning and waste management awareness among Grade 6 learners at Dappat Integrated School in the City of Ilagan, Isabela. It determined the level of scientific reasoning, assessed the level of waste management awareness, tested the significance of the relationship between the variables, and examined whether scientific reasoning significantly predicted awareness levels. A cross-sectional explanatory nonexperimental design was employed. Data were gathered using a validated researcher-developed instrument with an overall Content Validity Index of 0.94 and an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.90. Mean and standard deviation were used for descriptive analysis, while Kendall’s tau-b and ordinal logistic regression were applied for inferential analysis. Results indicated that scientific reasoning was moderately evident, particularly in areas involving logical conclusion-making and the application of scientific explanations to everyday situations. Waste management awareness was likewise moderately evident, with stronger awareness in segregation and disposal practices but lower awareness in recycling, reuse, and environmental consequences. The findings further revealed a significant moderate positive relationship between scientific reasoning and waste management awareness. Scientific reasoning also significantly predicted higher levels of waste management awareness. These findings highlight the importance of integrating reasoning-focused science instruction with school-based environmental education to strengthen responsible waste management behavior among elementary learners.
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