Journal of Technology and Humanities

Transitioning to Adaptive Ecosystems: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Sustainable Environmental Management and Pollution Control

Hongzhi Lu — 2026-03-29

The escalating threat of global environmental emergencies—driven by extreme climate volatility and the rapid depletion of biodiversity—forces a critical departure from rigid conservation models toward highly responsive, adaptive ecosystem governance. While artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly accelerates this operational shift by providing exceptionally advanced tools for sustainability, the functional deployment of these systems simultaneously generates deeply complicated ecological trade-offs. This scoping review systematically examines the contradictory environmental impacts inherent to AI-directed ecological management to properly contextualize this tension. We weigh the immediate operational advantages of algorithmic systems directly against their total life-cycle environmental toll, synthesizing broad interdisciplinary literature published between 2018 and 2026 while maintaining strict compliance with PRISMA reporting standards. The active integration of AI networks with Internet of Things (IoT) sensor arrays—according to our evaluation—makes continuous, real-time environmental surveillance and highly predictive biodiversity tracking functionally possible. Sophisticated machine learning algorithms refine Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) to yield highly precise carbon footprint calculations; meanwhile, the deployment of physics-informed edge computing actively supports autonomous, decentralized pollution control. These mitigation advantages, however, are severely offset by the vast computational energy required to train such models, alongside the intensive extraction of regional water resources and the exponential generation of electronic waste. This analysis determines that deploying algorithms without strict regulation carries the severe risk of entrenching techno-solutionism, thereby worsening an already severe carbon paradox. Ensuring these digital technologies actively support ecologically grounded environmental stewardship requires the immediate implementation of globally standardized computational carbon accounting protocols, alongside stringent corporate oversight, to unlock genuine sustainability yields.

SIKAT: A Scratch-Based Interactive Multimedia for Enhancing Plant Anatomy Learning in Elementary Science Education

Mei Rukmiati — 2026-01-05

Science education in Indonesian elementary schools faces significant challenges, particularly in teaching abstract concepts such as plant anatomy. Students often struggle to visualize internal structures like xylem and phloem tissues, requiring multimodal representations to facilitate conceptual understanding. This study developed and evaluated SIKAT (Sistem Interaktif Kenali Anatomi Tumbuhan), a Scratch-based interactive multimedia learning platform featuring 3D animations, physiological simulations, and adaptive assessment for fourth-grade students. Employing the Borg and Gall Research and Development model with quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design, this study involved 150 fourth-grade students from five elementary schools in Ngaringan District, Grobogan Regency, Central Java. The experimental group (n=60) received instruction using SIKAT, while the control group (n=90) received conventional instruction. Expert validation yielded exceptionally high scores: content validity 95.5%, media quality 95.7%, and language quality 93.3%, all categorized as "highly valid." Practicality testing demonstrated strong user acceptance, with teachers rating 96.7% and students 96.2%. Effectiveness evaluation revealed substantial learning gains: the experimental group achieved mean posttest score of 85.90 with 100% mastery compared to control group's 72.40 with 66% mastery. Independent Sample t-Test showed t=8.742 (p<0.001), N-Gain of 0.62 (moderate) versus 0.24 (low), and Cohen's d effect size of 1.56 indicating very large practical significance. These findings confirm SIKAT as a highly effective solution for enhancing plant anatomy understanding in resource-constrained educational contexts.

Research and Development of a Canva Based E-Book on Metamorphosis for Elementary Students Digital Literacy

Pangestia Novi Tri Dewi — 2026-05-05

The integration of digital technology in elementary education remains limited, particularly in the use of e-book-based learning media, resulting in low levels of students’ digital literacy and suboptimal learning outcomes. This study aimed to develop an e-book learning medium, EBACSIS, for third-grade Integrated Science and Social Studies (IPAS) instruction, specifically on the topic of metamorphosis. Preliminary findings revealed that only 63.4% of students met the minimum mastery criteria, while students’ digital literacy averaged 44%, indicating a low competency level. This study adopted a Research and Development (R&D) methodology using the Borg and Gall model. Data were collected through interviews, observations, questionnaires, and documentation. The research instruments included needs analysis questionnaires, expert validation sheets for media and content, observation sheets, and achievement tests. Descriptive qualitative and quantitative analyses were applied to evaluate product feasibility, practicality, effectiveness, and digital literacy outcomes. The findings suggest that EBACSIS is a feasible and effective digital learning medium that supports conceptual understanding and strengthens digital literacy skills among elementary school students.

Development of AURASTRA Interactive Multimedia to Improve Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

Sindhu Setyo Nugroho — 2026-05-05

This study aimed to develop and evaluate the feasibility, practicality, and effectiveness of AURASTRA Interactive Multimedia based on Augmented Reality (AR) to enhance sixth-grade elementary students’ critical thinking skills in learning the Solar System topic within the IPAS curriculum. The research employed a modified Research and Development (R&D) approach using the Four-D model (define, design, develop, and disseminate). The feasibility of the product was validated by media and subject-matter experts, yielding scores of 89.5% and 87.6%, respectively, indicating a highly feasible category. Practicality testing through student response questionnaires involving 20 students resulted in a score of 96.75%, demonstrating that the multimedia was highly practical, engaging, and user-friendly. Effectiveness testing revealed that the experimental group achieved a higher post-test mean score (86.2; SD = 5.5) compared to the control group (80.4; SD = 7.94). The N-gain analysis showed a great improvement in the experimental class (0.76) and a moderate improvement in the control class (0.62), indicating a significant enhancement in students’ critical thinking skills. These findings confirm that AURASTRA Interactive Multimedia is feasible, practical, and effective for supporting science learning and fostering critical thinking skills in elementary education. The integration of AR technology provides immersive and interactive learning experiences that facilitate conceptual understanding and higher-order thinking development.

The Influence of Instructional Leadership and School Culture on Teacher Job Satisfaction: Evidence from Cluster-Based Elementary Schools in Indonesia

Tri Mutoharoh — 2026-05-15

Teacher job satisfaction constitutes a critical determinant in ensuring instructional effectiveness and sustaining the quality of primary education. Instructional leadership and school culture have been recognized as key organizational factors influencing teachers’ professional well-being; however, empirical studies examining these two variables simultaneously within cluster-based school systems remain limited. This study aimed to analyze the influence of principals’ instructional leadership and school culture on teacher job satisfaction in elementary schools within the Penjawi Cluster, Pati Regency. A quantitative approach was employed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling with a sample of 96 teachers. The findings indicated that instructional leadership significantly affected teacher job satisfaction (t = 7.136, p < 0.001), while school culture also demonstrated a significant effect (t = 3.301, p = 0.001). Together, both variables explained 83.6% of the variance in teacher job satisfaction (R² = 0.836). Effect size analysis revealed that instructional leadership exerted a large effect (f² = 1.430), whereas school culture showed a moderate effect (f² = 0.239). These findings underscore the importance of strengthening academic leadership and fostering a collaborative school culture to enhance teacher job satisfaction at the primary education level.