Critical scientific and environmental literacies: a systematic and critical review

Abstract

ABSTRACT In a global context of climate crisis and extension of other planetary boundaries, science education and particularly scientific and environmental literacies have a key role towards a sustainable transformation and climate and environmental action. However, scientific, or ecological literacies are highly complex, defined and interpreted in different ways, and depend upon its social, cultural, and political contexts. Previous research has reported that some definitions or conventional visions of scientific literacies are typically disconnected from this global catastrophe and controversially have been supported by neoliberal capitalism agendas that underpin 21st-century global economies. To tackle this scenario, new and critical approaches in science education articulated with environmental literacies are imperative. This paper provides a systematic review of critical scientific and environmental literacies, seeking opportunities to materialise and promote awareness towards a process of ‘conscientisation’ in science education. Findings report and examine the range and spectrum of definitions about how critical scientific literacies have been defined, conceptualised and studied from the 1990s.