Enhancing Environmental Competence through a STEAM Climate Change Education Program in Lower Elementary Grades

This study examined the impact of a climate change STEAM education program on environmental competence among second graders. Aligned with Korea’s 2015 Revised National Curriculum, the program integrated experiential, interdisciplinary learning to address climate change in developmentally appropriate ways. Using a quasi-experimental design with 101 students in experimental and control groups, competence was assessed across six subdomains, including environmental information utilization, creative problem solving, and community awareness. Quantitative analysis showed significant gains in environmental information literacy and creative problem solving for the experimental group. Though improvements in reflective thinking, sensitivity, and communication were more modest, teacher observations and student interviews revealed greater engagement, emerging awareness, and small-scale climate actions. The program’s success in a context lacking a dedicated science subject demonstrates the feasibility of teacher-led, STEAM-based curriculum reconstruction in elementary settings. These findings support the potential of integrated, hands-on climate education to build environmental competence and inform future models for early sustainability instruction.