Environmental socio-scientific issues as contexts in developing scientific literacy in science education: a systematic literature review

Abstract

This study aims to comprehend the use of Environmental Socio-scientific issues (ESSI) contexts in science education. This qualitative study has used systematic literature review techniques to answer the research questions. The review comprised 61 studies. The research questions focused on the type of methodology used, nature of studies and participants, skills developed through ESSIs, issues taught as ESSI, geographical spread and implication mentioned for student learning, teacher preparation, and suggestions for curriculum. Findings claim that qualitative methods are mainly used; argumentation and decision-making are the most targeted skills. Climate change, followed by nuclear power, is the most reported ESSI. Further, the United States of America and Turkey are the two leading countries where most of the research in this field has occurred, while South Asian countries and the African continent lag. The influence of cultural values in understanding such issues by students, teaching the integration of local socioscientific issues (SSIs) in lesson plans to pre-service and in-service teachers, and evaluation of science textbook curriculum on the frameworks of scientific literacy are some of the unexplored aspects in the domain.