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NCT Number: NCT07039851

CreativeDrama and GamificationBased

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of a creative drama and gamification-based educational experience on children's levels of nature connectedness and recycling behaviors. With the increasing environmental problems today, instilling environmental awareness in children at an early age and helping them establish a bond with nature is of great importance for a sustainable future. In this context, creative drama stands out as an effective method in shaping environmental attitudes, as it supports children's emotional development and enhances their ability to empathize. Gamification, on the other hand, is a pedagogical strategy that increases children's active participation in learning processes and boosts their motivation.

In the study, an experimental design will be used, and a group of students will participate in an educational program themed around nature and recycling, incorporating creative drama and gamification activities. At the end of the program, children's nature connectedness and recycling behaviors will be measured, and pre-test-post-test comparisons will be made. Nature connectedness is defined as an individual's perception of nature as a whole and seeing themselves as a part of that whole, and it is strongly associated with environmentally friendly behaviors. Recycling behaviors include individuals' voluntary efforts to separate and repurpose waste.

This study aims to reveal how creative and interactive learning methods influence children's environmental awareness and behaviors, and it seeks to contribute to the development of environmental education programs.

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Key information

Conditions

Creative Drama Gamification

Age range

10 year–12 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Health Sciences

Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Merve KOLCU, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

Nur Bahar KURU AKTÜRK

CONTACT

[email protected]

About this study

Research Design This study will be conducted using a quantitative research method within a randomized controlled experimental design, employing a pre-test and post-test approach.

Population and Sample The study population consists of students enrolled in the 5th and 6th grades of middle schools affiliated with the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education. The experimental group will receive an educational program based on creative drama and gamification, while the control group will not receive any intervention during this period.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Male and female students aged 10 to 12 years.

Enrolled in 5th or 6th grade at middle schools affiliated with the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education.

Voluntary participation with parental consent.

Able to attend all sessions and actively participate in the educational activities.

Exclusion criteria

-

Treatment and study plan

Experimental

Other

Each session in the experimental group includes four phases:

  • Warm-up (10 min): Students engage in ice-breakers and movement activities to relax and prepare mentally and physically.
  • Games & Activities (30 min): Drama and game-based tasks related to nature and recycling promote experiential learning and teamwork.
  • Improvisation (30 min): Students take part in role-plays and skits (e.g., acting as a tree or a recycled item) to build empathy and deepen their connection to environmental themes.
  • Evaluation (20 min): Students reflect on their learning, share feelings, and receive feedback. Facilitators summarize key points and reinforce the session's goals.

Primary outcomes

  1. Nature Connectedness Scale

    Time frame: 5 minutes

    In this study, the Nature Connectedness Scale developed by Cheng and Monroe (2012) and adapted into Turkish by Alkış Küçükaydın (2024) will be used to measure children's emotional and cognitive levels of connectedness to nature. The scale consists of 16 items designed to assess children's relationships with nature across emotional, empathic, and responsibility dimensions.

    The instrument uses a five-point Likert scale: "Strongly Disagree", "Disagree", "Neutral", "Agree", and "Strongly Agree."

  2. The Recycling Scale for Middle School Students

    Time frame: 5 minutes

    The Recycling Scale for Middle School Students consists of a structure with 15 items grouped under three factors. However, one item was removed from the scale due to its standardized regression weight falling below 0.5, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted again. As a result, the final version of the scale was confirmed to include 14 items under three dimensions: awareness, behavior, and attitude. The reliability of the scale was determined using Cronbach's Alpha, yielding a value of 0.856, indicating high internal consistency.

  3. Demographic Information Form

    Time frame: 5 minutes

    The Demographic Information Form developed by the researcher will be used to collect participants' demographic characteristics and basic information regarding their environmental attitudes. This form consists of 14 questions in total. In addition to demographic data such as participants' gender, grade level, age, and parents' educational background, the form includes items about participation in school activities related to nature and the environment, use of recycling bins at home, attitudes toward spending time in nature, knowledge levels about environmental and recycling issues, types of materials separated for recycling at home, frequency of time spent in nature, emotions felt when recycling is not practiced, family recycling habits, and interest in acquiring information about nature and environmental topics.

    The study data will be collected from selected middle schools affiliated with the Istanbul Directorate of National Education.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Merve KOLCU, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

Nur Bahar KURU AKTURK, Msc

CONTACT

[email protected]

05343266934

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Creative Drama and Gamification-Based Educational Experience: Its Effect on Children's Nature Connectedness and Recycling Behaviors

Acronym: Creative Drama

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jun 26, 2025
Registry last updated
Jun 26, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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