Fourteen-year-old students’ understanding of problems related to microplastics in the environment

Ribič, Luka (author), Devetak, Iztok (author), Hergan, Irena (author)

In the Slovenian school system, the topic of microplastics is not included in the curriculum of science subjects such as science, biology, chemistry, physics, geography or environmental studies. Students encounter this topic only through optional activities, such as science days or field work, depending on individual teachers’ initiatives, or through informal education. This study aimed to investigate students’ understanding of microplastics in relation to their final grades in chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as their gender, personal interest, and self-esteem related to learning about this topic. A total of 279 lower secondary students (147 boys and 127 girls), all around 14 years old, took part in this quantitative research. Data was obtained using a four-tier achievement test together with a paper-based questionnaire. The results indicated that students with higher final grades in science subjects achieved significantly better scores on the test. Several misconceptions regarding microplastics were also identified. Moreover, students with greater individual interest and self-esteem for learning about microplastics scored significantly higher. No significant gender differences were found. The findings highlight the need to strengthen students’ understanding of microplastics-related environmental issues, suggesting that teachers should include this topic into science instruction even if it is not explicitly included in the national curriculum.

• Language: English
• Keywords: microplastics, misconceptions, sustainability, lower secondary school students
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 17 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 17, iss. 24, art. 11139
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177279
• UDC: 373.5:502
• ISSN on article: 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su172411139
• COBISS.SI-ID: 261545731
• Publication date in RUL: 19.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Sustainability
• Shortened title: Sustainability
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2071-1050
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5324897

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: razumevanje mikroplastike, ocene, naravoslovje, srednješolsko izobraževanje, okolje

Projects

• Funder: Slovenia, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport
• Name: University of Ljubljana for a Sustainable Society
• Acronym: ULTRA

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Funding programme: NextGenerationEU
• Name: University of Ljubljana for a Sustainable Society
• Acronym: ULTRA