Abstract

The study aims to assess the success of an online interactive marine wildlife program in enhancing the knowledge and conservation attitudes of students in the coastal communities. The quasi-experiment pre-test- post-test with a mixed-methods design was used on a sample of 198 students aged between 10 and 16 years. The intervention consisted of a 2–4-week web-based intervention including virtual simulations, sessions with the expert, and interactive modules. Data were collected using structured questionnaires of knowledge and conservation attitudes. Statistical analyses were paired t-tests, Cohen’s d, and regression. The findings indicated that the knowledge scores improved significantly by 46.2% (± 10.5) during the pre-test and 78.6% (with a standard deviation of 9.2) during the post-test (t = 24.87, p < 0.001). The score of attitudes towards conservation also improved by 3.12 (0.58) to 4.08 (0.47). The effect sizes were large (d = 1.85 and d = 1.42, respectively, in the case of knowledge and attitudes), which demonstrates a high practical value. The regression analysis indicated that the change in attitude was greatly predicted by knowledge gain (β = 0.68, R² = 0.62, p < 0.001). The research has shown that online learning with an interactive program proves very successful in promoting marine conservation awareness and attitudes among learners. These results indicate the significance of experiential digital learning to promote environmental responsibility and uphold the incorporation of such courses into the educational system.

Keywords: Marine conservation, Experiential learning, Environmental education, Ocean literacy, Student attitudes, Interactive learning, Coastal communities