Scientific Literacy Across Educational Contexts: A Meta-Synthesis
International Online Journal of Education and Teaching, cilt.13, sa.3, ss.26-47, 2026 (Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 13 Sayı: 3
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Dergi Adı: International Online Journal of Education and Teaching
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, EBSCO Education Source, Educational research abstracts (ERA), MLA - Modern Language Association Database, MLA International Bibliography, Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.26-47
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Civic engagement, Meta-synthesis, Science communication, Science education, Scientific literacy, Teacher education
- Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Scientific literacy is a central aim of contemporary science education, but qualitative studies of how it is conceptualised and enacted across educational contexts have rarely been integrated through interpretive synthesis. This review addresses that gap by synthesising qualitative evidence. Searches in ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science identified 1,916 records, of which twelve qualitative studies met SPIDER-based eligibility criteria. The included studies span ten countries across five continents and educational stages from primary through higher education. They were analysed through thematic synthesis. The analysis produced four themes. Each theme explains a condition that shapes scientific literacy: curricular and epistemological framing, pedagogical mediation and resource conditions, teacher knowledge and professional capacity, and learner agency and civic opportunity. Across these themes, a recurring pattern emerged. Scientific literacy was often supported in one part of the education system but limited in another. The synthesis therefore treats scientific literacy as a system dependent capacity. It is more than an individual learner attribute; it is also shaped by how educational conditions are aligned. Evidence of critical transformative scientific agency (Vision III) was rare within formal curricular structures and appeared most clearly outside them. The synthesis identifies the conditions that educational systems need to align for scientific literacy to develop.