The Impact of Documentary Videos on Fifth Grade Students’ Environmental Attitudes

This study examined the impact of documentary lesson videos on fifth-grade students’ environmental attitudes using a mixed-methods design. Two classes taught by the same science teacher were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 23; curriculum enriched with documentary-supported materials) or a control group (n = 23; standard curriculum). The Environmental Attitude Scale was administered before and after the intervention. Findings revealed that post-test attitude scores were significantly higher in the experimental group. Although females generally scored higher, the difference between genders was not statistically significant. Qualitative results indicated increased awareness of biodiversity, sustainability, environmental pollution, and natural disasters. Students found the documentaries engaging and reported that the audio-visual content facilitated their learning. These results suggest that documentary videos may effectively support both cognitive and affective outcomes in environmental education.