Vol. 12 No. 4 (2026): In Progress
Open Access
Peer Reviewed

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Project-based Learning to Enhance Students’ Multiliteracy on Renewable Energy: A Comparative Study between Urban and Rural Schools

Authors

Liandha Arieska Putri , Ida Kaniawati , Anna Permansari , Diana Rochintaniawati

DOI:

10.29303/jppipa.v12i4.14679

Published:

2026-04-25

Downloads

Abstract

Early renewable energy education has become increasingly vital since the urgency of sustainability in the energy sector continues to grow. This study provided a comparative analysis of students’ multiliteracy enhancement between urban and rural schools in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Project-Based Learning (STEM-PjBL) setting. A quasi-experimental design was employed involving 120 students from one urban and one rural secondary school, selected using stratified random sampling. Multiliteracy was measured using pre- and post-tests and analyzed through normalized gain (N-gain) scores. Results indicated that both schools demonstrated moderate improvement in multiliteracy after the intervention. However, the urban school achieved relatively stronger performance compared with the rural school.  It is found that urban students were associated with greater access to digital teaching and learning facilities. Conversely, rural students benefited from rich local knowledge and community practices related to natural resource management, which supported contextual understanding of renewable energy concepts. Future research is recommended to integrate sustainability education at earlier educational stages and further embed renewable energy applications within the formal curriculum to promote sustained multiliteracy development.

Keywords:

Renewable energy education Rural STEM-PjBL Urban

References

Al Hamad, N. M., Adewusi, O. E., Unachukwu, C. C., Osawaru, B., & Chisom, O. N. (2024). A Review on the Innovative Approaches to STEM Education. International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 11(1), 244–252. https://doi.org/10.30574/ijsra.2024.11.1.0026

Alkautsar, S., Nuryady, M. M., Husamah, H., Wahyono, P., & Miharja, F. J. (2023). STEM-PjBL Worksheet: Ways to Improve Students’ Collaboration, Creativity, and Computational Thinking. Jurnal Kependidikan: Jurnal Hasil Penelitian dan Kajian Kepustakaan di Bidang Pendidikan, Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran, 9(2), 681–695. https://doi.org/10.33394/jk.v9i2.7587

Amoah, A., & Addoah, T. (2021). Does Environmental Knowledge Drive Pro-Environmental Behaviour in Developing Countries? Evidence from Households in Ghana. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23(2), 2719–2738. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00698-x

Astalini, Darmaji, Kurniawan, D. A., Wirayuda, R. P., Putri, W. A., Rini, E. F. S., Ginting, A. A. B., & Ratnawati, T. (2023). Impact of Science Process Skills on Thinking Skills in Rural and Urban Schools. International Journal of Instruction, 16(2), 803–822. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2023.16242a

Bahri, A., Bin Jamaluddin, A., & Novia Arifin, A. (2022). Students’ and Teachers’ Digital Literacy Skill: A Comparative Study between Schools, Classes, and Genders in Urban and Rural Areas. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 11(2), 184–191. https://doi.org/10.21275/SR22130101519

Berry, G., Beckman, I., & Cho, H. (2023). A Comprehensive Review of Particle Loading Models of Fibrous Air Filters. Journal of Aerosol Science, 167(April), 106078. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci .2022.106078

Borchardt, R., Salcedo, T., & Bentley, M. (2019). Little Intervention, Big Results: Intentional Integration of Information Literacy into an Introductory-Level Biology Lab Course. Journal of Biological Education, 53(4), 450–462. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2018.1494029

Cole, L. B. (2019). Green Building Literacy: A Framework for Advancing Green Building Education. International Journal of STEM Education, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-019-0171-6

Deckanio, A., Pratiwi, A. M., Ililiyun, D., Nuriyah, S., & Cahyani, T. D. (2023). Analisis Dampak Pencemaran Limbah Industri PT. S Terhadap Kehidupan Masyarakat di Kabupaten Sidoarjo. Jurnal Ilmiah Multidisiplin, 1(4), 141–151. Retrieved from https://jurnal.penerbitdaarulhuda.my.id/index.php/MAJIM/article /download/97/105

Ekene, O. G., & Oluoch-Suleh, E. (2015). Role of Institutions of Higher Learning in Enhancing Sustainable Development in Kenya. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(16), 91–103. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id =EJ1079963

Han, S., Capraro, R. M., & Capraro, M. M. (2016). How Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Project Based Learning Affects High-Need Students in the U.S. Learning and Individual Differences, 51, 157–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2016.08.045

Hira, A., & Anderson, E. (2021). Motivating Online Learning Through Project-Based Learning During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic. IAFOR Journal of Education, 9(2), 93–110. https://doi.org/10. 22492/ije.9.2.06

Hollweg, K., Taylor, J., Bybee, R., Marcinkowski, T., McBeth, W., & Zoido, P. (2011). Developing a Framework for Assessing Environmental Literacy. North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). Retrieved from https://naaee.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/devframewkassessenvlitonlin eed.pdf%0A

Indranuddin, R. D., Susetyarini, E., & Miharja, F. J. (2024). Developing STEM-PjBL Worksheet to Lift Students’ Critical, Creative, and Computational Thinking Skill. Research and Development in Education (RaDEn), 4(1), 85–101. https://doi.org/10.22219/raden.v4i1.27165

Kaya, V. H., & Elster, D. (2018). German Students’ Environmental Literacy in Science Education Based on PISA Data. Science Education International, 29(2), 75–87. https://doi.org/10.33828/sei.v29.i2.2

Kennedy, T. J., & Odell, M. R. L. (2014). Engaging Students in STEM Education. Science Education International, 25(3), 246–258. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1044508

Komariah, A., Rykova, I., Shestakov, D., Hasan, M., Achmad Kurniady, D., Grebennikova, V., Shcherbatykh, L., Kosov, M., & Dudnik, O. (2022). Assessing the quality and efficiency of education in rural schools through the models of integration and the cooperation of educational institutions: A case study of Russia and Indonesia. Sustainability, 14(14), 8442. https://doi.org/10.3390/su

Koyama, D., & Watanabe, T. (2023). Why a Dispositional View of Ecological Literacy is Needed. Teaching in Higher Education, 28(5), 1108–1117. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2023.2198637

Mahyudin, R. P., & Herlintama, S. A. (2023). Estimation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Waste Management at Basirih Landfill Banjarmasin South Kalimantan Indonesia. International Journal of Research and Review, 10(6), 629–636. https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20230677

Masturoh, M., & Ridlo, S. (2020). Character Building of Environmental Care on Students in Sekolah Indonesia Kota Kinabalu (SIKK) Malaysia. Journal of Biology Education, 9(2), 193–201. https://doi.org/10.15294/jbe.v9i2.39522

Maulana, M. (2020). Penerapan Model Project Based Learning Berbasis STEM pada Pembelajaran Fisika Siapkan Kemandirian Belajar Peserta Didik. Jurnal Teknodik, 39–50. https://doi.org/10. 32550/teknodik.v0i2.678

McBeth, W., & Volk, T. L. (2010). The National Environmental Literacy Project: A Baseline Study of Middle Grade Students in the United States. Journal of Environmental Education, 41(1), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958960903210031

Morris, J., Slater, E., Fitzgerald, M. T., Lummis, G. W., & van Etten, E. (2021). Using Local Rural Knowledge to Enhance STEM Learning for Gifted and Talented Students in Australia. Research in Science Education, 51, 61–79. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-019-9823-2

Muhaimin, Asrial, Habibi, A., Mukminin, A., & Hadisaputra, P. (2020). Science Teachers’ Integration of Digital Resources in Education: A Survey in Rural Areas of One Indonesian Province. Heliyon, 6(8). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04631

Muttaqiin, A. (2023). Pendekatan STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) pada Pembelajaran IPA untuk Melatih Keterampilan Abad 21. Jurnal Pendidikan MIPA, 13(1), 34–45. https://doi.org/10.37630/jpm.v13i1.819

Ocetkiewicz, I., Tomaszewska, B., & Mróz, A. (2017). Renewable Energy in Education for Sustainable Development. The Polish Experience. In Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (Vol. 80, pp. 92–97). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.144

O’Neil, J. M., Newton, R. J., Bone, E. K., Birney, L. B., Green, A. E., Merrick, B., Goodwin-Segal, T., Moore, G., & Fraioli, A. (2020). Using Urban Harbors for Experiential, Environmental Literacy: Case Studies of New York and Chesapeake Bay. In Regional Studies in Marine Science (Vol. 33). Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2019.100886

Pangestu, R., Riani, E., & Effendi, H. (2017). Estimasi Beban Pencemaran Point Source dan Limbah Domestik di Sungai Kalibaru Timur Provinsi DKI Jakarta, Indonesia. Jurnal Pengelolaan Sumberdaya Alam dan Lingkungan, 7(3), 219–226. https://doi.org/10.29244/jpsl.7.3.219-226

Ramadhana, S. D., Norra, B. I., & Rasyida, N. (2022). Keefektifan Perangkat Pembelajaran Daring dengan Model PjBL-STEAM pada Materi Lingkungan untuk Meningkatkan Literasi Lingkungan. Jurnal Pendidikan (Teori dan Praktik), 6(2), 75–81. https://doi.org/10.26740/jp.v6n1.p75-81

Ramulumo, M., & Shabalala, N. P. (2024). Comparing Environmental Literacy in Stem and Non-Stem Preschools: Evaluating the Impact on Young Children’s Understanding and Attitudes. International Journal of Early Childhood. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-024-00405-1

Sadhu, S. D., Garg, M., & Kumar, A. (2018). Major Environmental Issues and New Materials. In New Polymer Nanocomposites for Environmental Remediation (pp. 77–97). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-811033-1.00004-4

Septiyanto, A., & Prima, E. C. (2024). STEM Education in Solar Cells: An Overview. KnE Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v9i13.16073

Sharma, R., Sinha, A., & Kautish, P. (2021). Does Renewable Energy Consumption Reduce Ecological Footprint? Evidence from Eight Developing Countries of Asia. Journal of Cleaner Production, 285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124867

Siew, N. M., & Ambo, N. (2018). Development and Evaluation of an Integrated Project-Based and STEM Teaching and Learning Module on Enhancing Scientific Creativity Among Fifth Graders. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 17(6), 1017–1033. https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/18.17.1017

Suciani, T., Lasmanawati, E., & Rahmawati, Y. (2018). Pemahaman Model Pembelajaran sebagai Kesiapan Praktik Pengalaman Lapangan (PPL) Mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan Tata Boga. Media Pendidikan, Gizi, Dan Kuliner, 7(1), 76–81. https://doi.org/10.17509/boga.v7i1.11599

Syamsudin, F. I., Saputro, S., Sarwanto, Karyanto, P., Yamtinah, S., Masykuri, M., & Kamari, A. (2025). Enhancing Scientific Literacy in Rural and Urban Schools Through PDP-BL with STEAM. The Journal of Educational Research, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2025.2590505

Thelma, C. C., Patrick, M., Sylvester, C., Mulenga, D. M., Gilbert, M. M., & Phiri, E. V. (2024). The Impact of Educational Leadership on Student Achievement: A Comparative Analysis of Urban and Rural Schools. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 50(8), 444–461. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2024/v50i81542

Welsh, R. O. (2024). Does Rural Mean not Urban? Reconsidering the Conceptualization and Operationalization of Rural School Districts. Urban Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/00420859241227929

Yang, D., & Baldwin, S. J. (2020). Using Technology to Support Student Learning in an Integrated STEM Learning Environment. The International Journal of Technology in Education and Science (IJTES) International Journal of Technology in Education and Science, 4(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijtes.v4i1.22

Zuvur, T., Oltinboevich, J. H., Norovich, T. Y., & Sobir, K. (2020). Using alternative energy sources devices as a teaching tools. European Journal of Research and Reflection in Educational Sciences, 8(5). Retrieved from https://shorturl.at/jJ32g

Author Biographies

Liandha Arieska Putri, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Author Origin : Indonesia

Ida Kaniawati, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Author Origin : Indonesia

Anna Permansari, Universitas Pakuan Bogor

Author Origin : Indonesia

Diana Rochintaniawati, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Author Origin : Indonesia

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

How to Cite

Putri, L. A., Kaniawati, I., Permansari, A., & Rochintaniawati, D. (2026). Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Project-based Learning to Enhance Students’ Multiliteracy on Renewable Energy: A Comparative Study between Urban and Rural Schools. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 12(4), 755–762. https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v12i4.14679