Development and psychometric properties of an environmental literacy in secondary school.

Abstract

Concurrently, the amount of research dedicated to mitigating the effects of environmental issues is increasing. Environmental Education has emerged as one of the most promising research fields in preventing and addressing environmental problems. Nevertheless, it is important to note that environmental literacy is not limited by age, education level, or occupation, particularly in the Indonesian context. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of an environmental literacy questionnaire for secondary school students. The sample consisted of 1,021 students from both public and private schools in Indonesia, ranging from grades 7-9. A three-factor model, including environmental consciousness, environmental anxiety, and environmental awareness, was validated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Model fit was assessed using a variety of fit indices, such as the chi-squared test, comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), Good-Fit Index (GFI), root mean square approximation error (RMSEA), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), and KMO index. Cronbach Alpha and McDonald's Omega were used to evaluate the reliability of the three factors, with values ranging from 0.66 to 0.78 and 0.68 to 0.79, respectively. The results indicate that the environmental literacy questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the environmental literacy of secondary school students in the Indonesian context.