The Effectiveness of an Illustrated Digital Storybook in Enhancing Junior High School Students Scientific Literacy on Ecology and Biodiversity
Hendra Ramadhan, Sulistyo Saputro, Lina Mahardiani

Masters Program in Science Education Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of an illustrated digital storybook focusing on environmental conservation to improve junior high school students scientific literacy in ecology and biodiversity topics. The study employed a quasi experimental pretest posttest nonequivalent control group design involving one experimental class and one control class of seventh grade students. The population consisted of Grade VII students from two public junior high schools in Sukoharjo Regency Indonesia namely SMP Negeri 1 Mojolaban and SMP Negeri 2 Baki. Two intact classes were selected as samples with one class assigned as the experimental group and the other as the control group. The experimental group received instruction using the illustrated digital storybook integrated with Problem Based Learning while the control group received conventional instruction. Scientific literacy was measured using a 12 item essay test based on scientific literacy indicators.

Data were analyzed using an independent one tailed t test and normalized gain. The results indicate that students who learned using the illustrated digital storybook achieved significantly higher scientific literacy scores than those receiving conventional instruction p less than 0.05 with normalized gain in the moderate to high category. The findings demonstrate that integrating narrative visual digital media with contextual environmental issues effectively enhances conceptual understanding scientific reasoning and evidence based decision making. The illustrated digital storybook is therefore effective for supporting scientific literacy development in secondary science education.

Keywords: scientific literacy- illustrated e book- environmental education- ecology and biodiversity- quasi experimental design

Topic: Sciences and STEM Education