The Ecological Critical Language Awareness of College Students in Region XI: A Convergent Mixed Methods Study

This convergent mixed-methods study examined Ecological Critical Language Awareness (ECLA) among Bachelor of Secondary Education in English (BSED-English) college students in Region XI. Adapted survey questionnaires were employed in the quantitative phase, while an interview guide was utilized in the qualitative phase of this study. The quantitative strand involved 300 BSED-English major college students selected from five public and five private higher education institutions in the region. Additionally, 20 participants took part in the qualitative strand through in-depth interviews, while 14 participants were engaged in two separate focus group discussions. Quantitative data analysis employed statistical tools such as Mean, Standard Deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient, and inferential statistics. Results showed a high level of ELCA among students. No significant differences were found in ELCA levels when analyzed by year level, student type, sex, and age. The qualitative phase employed thematic analysis and a priori coding, confirming the six ECLA indicators: Power of Language, Anthropocentrism, Awareness of Global Environmental Issues, Ecolinguistics, Responsibility toward our Language, and Responsibility toward our Actions. The qualitative findings aligned with the quantitative results, affirming a high ELCA level; however, the results also highlight the need to bridge the gap between theory and practice. The nature of integration reflects a merging, confirmation, and expansion of quantitative and qualitative results. The study proposed an intervention program, an ECLA Micro-Credential, to address the need for pedagogical interventions.