Integrated Science Learning for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Literature Review of Models, Impacts, and Future Directions

Ratih Dwi Istirahayu; Nurasyah Dewi Napitupulu

doi:10.61142/esj.v4i2.378

Authors

Ratih Dwi Istirahayu Universitas Tadulako
Nurasyah Dewi Napitupulu Universitas Tadulako

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61142/esj.v4i2.378

Keywords:

Education for sustainable development, Integrated science, Science literacy, STEAM education, Transdisciplinary learning

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the development of integrated science learning in the context of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through a systematic literature review. The study focuses on identifying dominant integration models, examining their implementation, and exploring their impact and research gaps. A systematic literature review approach was employed following PRISMA guidelines. Data were collected from the Scopus database using predefined search criteria, resulting in 20 selected articles published between 2016 and 2026. Data were extracted using a structured matrix and analyzed through qualitative content analysis and thematic synthesis. The findings reveal that integrated science learning is primarily implemented through transdisciplinary, STEAM-based, and interdisciplinary approaches. These approaches show positive impacts on students’ cognitive, affective, and skill-based outcomes, particularly in enhancing critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities. However, the implementation remains inconsistent, with challenges related to curriculum structure, teacher readiness, and assessment practices. Furthermore, the integration of ESD is often implicit rather than systematically embedded, and the measurement of sustainability competencies remains limited. This study highlights the need for more coherent and operational models that integrate curriculum structure, real-world context, and sustainability orientation. The findings provide important implications for the development of integrated science learning frameworks that support sustainable development in education.

References

Atkinson-Toal, A. (2026). Student value of a transdisciplinary approach to curriculum development. Journal of Marketing Education, 48(1), 75–91. https://doi.org/10.1177/02734753241288182

Ben-Horin, O., Sotiriou, M., Espeland, M., & Strakšienė, G. (2023). Towards transdisciplinarity in global integrated science-arts practices in education? A Janus approach. Cogent Education, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2287895

Bouwmans, M., & Béneker, T. (2018). Identifying powerful geographical knowledge in integrated curricula in Dutch schools. London Review of Education, 16(3), 445–459. https://doi.org/10.18546/LRE.16.3.07

Burnard, P., Colucci-Gray, L., & Cooke, C. (2022). Transdisciplinarity: Re-visioning how sciences and arts together can enact democratizing creative educational experiences. Review of Research in Education, 46(1), 166–197. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X221084323

Burnard, P., Colucci-Gray, L., & Sinha, P. (2021). Transdisciplinarity: Letting arts and science teach together. Curriculum Perspectives, 41(1), 113–118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41297-020-00128-y

Dmochowski, J. E., Garofalo, D., Fisher, S., Greene, A., & Gambogi, D. (2016). Integrating sustainability across the university curriculum. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 17(5), 652–670. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-10-2014-0154

ElSayary, A. (2021). Transdisciplinary STEAM curriculum design and authentic assessment in online learning: A model of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 18(3), 493–511. https://doi.org/10.36681/tused.2021.86

Ertas, A. (2022). Creating a culture of transdisciplinary learning in STEAM education for K–12 students. Transdisciplinary Journal of Engineering and Science, 13, 233–244. https://doi.org/10.22545/2022/00210

Lage-Gómez, C., González-Pizarro, R., Campollo-Urkiza, A., & Cremades-Andreu, R. (2026). Thinking skills in transdisciplinary curriculum integration: A service-learning project in a Spanish secondary school. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 60, 102115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2025.102115

Gürkan, B. (2021). Transdisciplinary integrated curriculum: An analysis of teacher experiences through a design model within the framework of IB-PYP. Participatory Educational Research, 8(1), 176–199. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.21.10.8.1

Kubisch, S., Parth, S., Deisenrieder, V., Oberauer, K., Stötter, J., & Keller, L. (2021). From transdisciplinary research to transdisciplinary education: The role of schools in contributing to community well-being and sustainable development. Sustainability, 13(1), 306. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010306

Lage-Gómez, C., & Ros, G. (2021). Transdisciplinary integration and its implementation in primary education through two STEAM projects (La integración transdisciplinar y su aplicación en Educación Primaria a través de dos proyectos STEAM). Infancia y Aprendizaje, 44(4), 801–837. https://doi.org/10.1080/02103702.2021.1925474

McPhail, G. (2018). Curriculum integration in the senior secondary school: A case study in a national assessment context. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 50(1), 56–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2017.1386234

Msweli, N. T., Mawela, T., & Twinomurinzi, H. (2023). Transdisciplinary teaching practices for data science education: A comprehensive framework for integrating disciplines. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 8(1), 100628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2023.100628

Nidiasari, Y., Fenetiruma, Y., Mamary, N. S., Matonda, K. S., Mangkasa, N., Yenusi, A., ... & Kumbara, A. (2026). Implementation of STEM-based learning through greenhouse effect experiments to improve students' understanding of the global warming concept. Equator Science Journal, 4(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.61142/esj.v4i1.330

O'Sullivan, G. (2025). U-shaped learning: A new model for transdisciplinary education. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 182. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04478-8

Perdani, A. S., Sumardani, N. I., & Yuana, A. (2024). Key educational competencies for sustainable development in the cultural life of the Baduy community. Equator Science Journal, 2(2), 43–56. https://doi.org/10.61142/esj.v2i2.129

Putri, S. I., & Rizaldi, W. R. (2024). Integrating Dadiah as a theme in science education to promote sustainable development goals (SDGs) for junior high school students. Equator Science Journal, 2(2), 11–19. https://doi.org/10.61142/esj.v2i2.116

Straub, R., Kulin, S., & Ehmke, T. (2021). A transdisciplinary evaluation framework for the assessment of integration in boundary-crossing collaborations in teacher education. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 68, 100952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2020.100952

Tasdemir, C., & Gazo, R. (2020). Integrating sustainability into higher education curriculum through a transdisciplinary perspective. Journal of Cleaner Production, 265, 121759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121759

van der Knaap, W. (2022). Embedding transdisciplinarity in a spatial planning curriculum. Planning Practice & Research, 37(4), 489–496. https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2022.2074114

Wilson, H. E., Song, H. H., Johnson, J., Presley, L., & Olson, K. (2021). Effects of transdisciplinary STEAM lessons on student critical and creative thinking. The Journal of Educational Research, 114(5), 445–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2021.1975090

Wu, Y., Cheng, J., & Koszalka, T. A. (2021). Transdisciplinary approach in middle school: A case study of co-teaching practices in STEAM teams. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 9(1), 138–162. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijemst.1017