Students’ Awareness and Perception of School Campus Solid Waste Management: A Q-sort Photo Analysis

Abstract

Solid waste mismanagement within school environments reflects not only ecological challenges but also the level of environmental awareness and responsibility among learners. This study aimed to determine students’ awareness and perceptions of campus solid waste management through Q-sort Photographic Analysis using Q methodology. Specifically, it examined the underlying patterns of students’ perceptions of solid waste management conditions in the school environment, identified the highest- and lowest-ranked photographs across extracted viewpoints, and assessed students’ awareness based on average Q-sort rank scores. The findings revealed diverse yet interconnected perceptions among students, represented by seven extracted factors that collectively explained 84.77% of the total variance. Factor 1 emerged as the dominant viewpoint, accounting for 33.72% of the variance, indicating a shared perspective among respondents. The highest-ranked photographs demonstrated students’ strong recognition of visible waste-related concerns, including littered areas, overflowing garbage bins, and improper waste storage. Conversely, lower-ranked photographs indicated limited attention toward less visible waste concerns and positive environmental behaviors. The results showed the highest awareness for Photo 8 (M = 0.8571) and lower recognition of positive practices such as litter collection. Overall, students exhibit strong awareness of visible waste problems but need enhanced environmental education initiatives promoting segregation, recycling, prevention, and active stewardship.