FROM ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TO ECO-IDENTITY: A MODEL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPETENCIES IN PHYSICS STUDENTS

As global ecological challenges intensify, the need for comprehensive environmental education in higher education becomes critical, especially in scientific fields like physics. The purpose of the article is to develop and experimentally verify a model for the formation of eco-identity among physics students in the higher education system, as well as to evaluate its effectiveness in improving the level of environmental competence and the formation of sustainable values oriented towards the principles of sustainable development. This paper presents a model for developing ecological identity in physics students. A quasi-experimental study with 46 third-year physics students at Atyrau University (23 experimental, 23 control) was conducted to test the model. The experimental group’s curriculum was enriched with the eco-identity development model, while the control group followed a traditional curriculum. Pre- and post-intervention assessments of environmental competence and ecological identity were carried out. Statistical analysis (ANOVA, t-tests) showed that the experimental group achieved significantly greater gains in environmental competence and stronger ecological self-identification than the control group. The results confirm the hypothesis that embedding a structured eco-identity model in physics education can foster deeper environmental awareness and personal identification with sustainability values. This study’s findings have important implications for physics education and teacher training, demonstrating that cultivating eco-identity alongside scientific knowledge is key to preparing future educators and professionals for sustainable practice. The paper concludes with recommendations for integrating the model in broader educational contexts and suggestions for future research on sustaining eco-identity development.

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