SYNERGIZING SYSTEMS THINKING AND GREEN CHEMISTRY IN EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CONTEXTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF HIGHER EDUCATION CHEMISTRY CONTEXT (2021-2025)

Maulida Rahayu, Hernani Hernani

Abstract


Synergizing sustainability principles into chemistry education at the higher education level is increasingly crucial to equip students for 21st-century challenges. Systems Thinking and Green Chemistry have been recommended as primary approaches to enhance holistic understanding and promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in chemistry courses. This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) aims to examine how Systems Thinking integrated with Green Chemistry principles is applied to support sustainability education, and to explore a deeper understanding of its implementation practices in the context of higher education learning. A comprehensive search was conducted across major databases such as Google Scholar and the Journal of Chemical Education, covering studies published between 2021 and 2025. The inclusion criteria focused on research conducted by experts and discussing the application of systems thinking in chemistry learning, with a special emphasis on sustainability and green chemistry aspects. The findings indicate that the systems thinking approach addresses the complexity of chemistry in sustainability, fosters the development of critical thinking skills, and aids in integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) principles into both practical and theoretical materials. These results highlight the potential of systems thinking as a framework for advancing sustainability competencies in chemistry education and provide recommendations for future curriculum development and research.


Keywords


Systems thinking; green chemistry; education for sustainable development; prospective teachers; chemistry learning

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.29100/eduproxima.v8i4.10285

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