Analysis of the Three-Layer Structure of Themes in Designing Ecotourism Curriculum with an Environmental Literacy Approach in Higher Education

Abstract

The study aimed to design and analyze the three-layer structure of themes (comprehensive, organizing, and basic) in the ecotourism curriculum with a focus on promoting environmental literacy in higher education. This exploratory mixed-method study was conducted in two phases: qualitative and quantitative. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 experts and faculty members in ecotourism, tourism, and curriculum studies. The data were analyzed using network-based thematic analysis. In the quantitative phase, data were collected from 384 experts, graduates, and postgraduate students using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling using SPSS and SmartPLS. Qualitative findings identified five comprehensive themes: learning perspectives, the body of ecotourism knowledge, teaching–learning strategies, learning assessment and monitoring, and environmental competencies and skills. Confirmatory factor analysis validated 20 organizing themes and 76 basic themes. Model fit indices (NFI=0.968, GOF=0.557, SRMR=0.002) confirmed the structural soundness of the three-layer framework. Significant positive correlations were found among all themes and the environmental literacy–based ecotourism curriculum. The three-layer thematic framework provides a coherent model for ecotourism curriculum design in higher education. By integrating environmental literacy principles, it fosters deeper learning, responsible environmental attitudes, and enhanced ecological competencies among students. The model can be effectively applied in other interdisciplinary fields such as environmental management and sustainable tourism education.