Play–Act–Feel (PAF) Model: A Conceptual Design-Based Framework for Fostering Environmental Consciousness among Generation Alpha
Keywords:
Play–Act–Feel, Environmental Consciousness, Generation Alpha, Conceptual Design-Based ResearchAbstract
This study presents a Conceptual Design-Based Research (DBR) framework entitled the Play–Act–Feel (PAF) Model, aimed at fostering environmental consciousness among Generation Alpha children (ages 7–9). The model is synthesized from established theoretical frameworks including Head–Heart–Hands Model, Social–Emotional Learning (SEL), Experiential Learning, and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), all of which contribute significantly to child development yet lack a systematic integration of play, action, and emotional reflection.
Through theoretical synthesis, this paper proposes the PAF Model as a conceptual framework linking these three dimensions of learning to cultivate pro-environmental values and behaviors. Examples such as learning games, mobile applications, and reflective activities are discussed to illustrate the model’s potential for bridging emotional engagement with environmental action. The framework is also contextualized within the Thai educational landscape, which faces simultaneous challenges of environmental crisis and the need for social–emotional development in children.
This paper contributes theoretically by expanding existing learning models to encompass emotional and playful dimensions, and practically by offering a design-oriented approach to sustainable education within the Thai context.
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