Experiential Approaches in Environmental Health Education within School Curricula

Global ecological imbalance and the increasing health disparities require formal curricula that promote environmental health literacy, often through learning methods that move beyond conventional classroom-based education. This narrative literature review studied peer-reviewed open-access publications (2020-2025) on curricula in primary and secondary education that integrated environmental health education in the form of hands-on real-life learning experiences. Twelve studies were identified in the areas of science education, environmental education, health promotion, and sustainability curriculum. Results showed that integrated experiential curricula portrayed high levels of fair implementation and cyclic reflection. Pedagogical frameworks were interdisciplinary, with a focus on school-based experiential learning approaches, such as problem-based learning, project-based learning, and participatory physical education activities. Evidence suggested positive impacts on student engagement, health literacy, systems thinking, and perceived competence, despite curricular fragmentation across disciplines and limited teacher preparation.