Teachers’ Understanding of and Practices in Critical Thinking in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review
Critical thinking (CT) is widely recognised as a key competency in education for sustainable development (ESD). However, international research shows that many teachers feel unprepared to teach CT, especially within the ESD context. Despite its importance, few studies have explored how CT is actuall...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/7/824 |
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| author | Sonia Martins Felix Marthe Lønnum Annette Lykknes Ragnhild Lyngved Staberg |
| author_facet | Sonia Martins Felix Marthe Lønnum Annette Lykknes Ragnhild Lyngved Staberg |
| author_sort | Sonia Martins Felix |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Critical thinking (CT) is widely recognised as a key competency in education for sustainable development (ESD). However, international research shows that many teachers feel unprepared to teach CT, especially within the ESD context. Despite its importance, few studies have explored how CT is actually practiced in ESD, particularly in primary and secondary education. This article presents a systematic literature review of 43 qualitative studies published between 1990 and 2021, following the PRISMA guidelines. This review aimed to (1) synthesise research on teachers’ understanding of CT in ESD and (2) identify teaching practices where CT is integrated into ESD. The findings reveal that the concept of CT is frequently used but is not clearly understood in the context of ESD. Most studies focused on critical rationality (skills), with fewer addressing critical character (dispositions), critical actions, critical virtue, critical consciousness, or critical pedagogy. This review highlights a need for broader engagement with these dimensions in order to foster ethically aware and responsible citizens. We argue for teaching approaches that involve students in interdisciplinary, real-world problems requiring not only critical reasoning but also action, reflection, and ethical judgment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e7b3ea67d2a44f398132f73799913d81 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-e7b3ea67d2a44f398132f73799913d812025-08-20T03:36:18ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-06-0115782410.3390/educsci15070824Teachers’ Understanding of and Practices in Critical Thinking in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic ReviewSonia Martins Felix0Marthe Lønnum1Annette Lykknes2Ragnhild Lyngved Staberg3Department of Teacher Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, NorwayDepartment of Teacher Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, NorwayDepartment of Teacher Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, NorwayDepartment of Teacher Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, NorwayCritical thinking (CT) is widely recognised as a key competency in education for sustainable development (ESD). However, international research shows that many teachers feel unprepared to teach CT, especially within the ESD context. Despite its importance, few studies have explored how CT is actually practiced in ESD, particularly in primary and secondary education. This article presents a systematic literature review of 43 qualitative studies published between 1990 and 2021, following the PRISMA guidelines. This review aimed to (1) synthesise research on teachers’ understanding of CT in ESD and (2) identify teaching practices where CT is integrated into ESD. The findings reveal that the concept of CT is frequently used but is not clearly understood in the context of ESD. Most studies focused on critical rationality (skills), with fewer addressing critical character (dispositions), critical actions, critical virtue, critical consciousness, or critical pedagogy. This review highlights a need for broader engagement with these dimensions in order to foster ethically aware and responsible citizens. We argue for teaching approaches that involve students in interdisciplinary, real-world problems requiring not only critical reasoning but also action, reflection, and ethical judgment.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/7/824critical thinkingeducation for sustainable developmentprimary and secondary school teachers |
| spellingShingle | Sonia Martins Felix Marthe Lønnum Annette Lykknes Ragnhild Lyngved Staberg Teachers’ Understanding of and Practices in Critical Thinking in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review Education Sciences critical thinking education for sustainable development primary and secondary school teachers |
| title | Teachers’ Understanding of and Practices in Critical Thinking in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Teachers’ Understanding of and Practices in Critical Thinking in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Teachers’ Understanding of and Practices in Critical Thinking in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Teachers’ Understanding of and Practices in Critical Thinking in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Teachers’ Understanding of and Practices in Critical Thinking in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | teachers understanding of and practices in critical thinking in the context of education for sustainable development a systematic review |
| topic | critical thinking education for sustainable development primary and secondary school teachers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/7/824 |
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