Research trends on systems thinking approach in science education

Abstract

The systems thinking approach requires understanding and interpreting complex systems. This review investigated how the systems thinking approach in science education is positioned in peer-reviewed empirical research articles and to identify the trends used in the current literature. A systematic review of open-access, empirical peer-reviewed articles indexed in the Web of Science database from first mention through the end of 2022 was conducted to analyze the studies on systems thinking in science education. This qualitative study used a content analysis approach to identify trends in the research area of systems thinking in science education. The results revealed that research on systems thinking in science education has increased in recent years, mainly from the United States and Germany. Most studies focused on middle and high school students, and ecosystems were the most frequently addressed domain-specific topic. More than half of the reviewed articles used complexity, relationships, components, interactions, interrelationships, and dynamics as characteristics of systems thinking. The results showed that there was uncertainty in the use of the characteristics, skills, and abilities of systems thinking, and that these three terms were used interchangeably. This research can provide evidence-based indications of areas that need further investigation in future research.

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