Integrating Global Sustainability Issues into Elementary Mathematics Learning: A Project-Based Collaborative Approach in Indonesian Primary Schools

Lusi  Andalusia; Nira Regina; Julmadi; Deri  Alfuaddi; Urwatil  Wustqa

doi:10.54783/influencejournal.v8i3.402

Authors

Lusi Andalusia Universitas Adzkia, Padang, Indonesia
Nira Regina Universitas Adzkia, Padang, Indonesia
Julmadi Universitas Adzkia, Padang, Indonesia
Deri Alfuaddi Universitas Adzkia, Padang, Indonesia
Urwatil Wustqa Universitas Adzkia, Padang, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54783/influencejournal.v8i3.402

Keywords:

Sustainability-Integrated Project-Based Learning, Elementary Mathematics Education, Education for Sustainable Development, Collaborative Learning, Merdeka Curriculum, SDGs.

Abstract

The integration of global sustainability issues into elementary mathematics education represents a critical pedagogical frontier that remains underexplored in Indonesian primary school contexts. Despite the growing global emphasis on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through UNESCO's ESD for 2030 framework and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), empirical studies examining project-based collaborative approaches that simultaneously develop mathematical competency and sustainability literacy among elementary students remain scarce, particularly in Indonesia. This study investigates the effectiveness of a Sustainability-Integrated Project-Based Learning (SI-PjBL) model in enhancing mathematics learning outcomes, sustainability awareness, and collaborative skills among Grade 5 students in Indonesian public elementary schools. Using a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group, 128 students from four accredited public elementary schools in Padang, West Sumatera were assigned to experimental and control conditions. The experimental group engaged in structured collaborative projects connecting real-world sustainability problems—water consumption, energy use, and waste reduction—to core mathematical concepts including data representation, measurement, and proportional reasoning. Instruments included a validated Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT), a Sustainability Awareness Scale (SAS), and a Collaborative Skills Observation Rubric (CSOR). Results demonstrated that the SI-PjBL group significantly outperformed the control group in mathematics achievement (Cohen's d = 0.78, p < 0.001), sustainability awareness (d = 0.91), and collaborative skills (d = 0.84). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) revealed that sustainability project engagement positively mediated the relationship between collaborative learning and mathematics outcomes (β = 0.47, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that embedding sustainability contexts into elementary mathematics through collaborative project work offers a pedagogically sound approach aligned with Indonesia's Merdeka Curriculum and UNESCO ESD 2030 goals.

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