Research Trends on the Integration of Ethnoscience in the Learning of Chemistry as the Development of Chemical Literacy: A Systematic Review

Chemical literacy is a fundamental competency for addressing the demands of the 21st century. This study aims to analyze the trends, characteristics, and contributions of research on the integration of ethnoscience in chemistry education to enhance students’ chemical literacy. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method was employed, examining 3,342 articles published between 2014 and 2024 from Google Scholar and Scopus databases using the PRISMA protocol. The review results indicate a significant increase in publications focusing on ethnoscience integration in chemistry learning over the past three years. Ethnoscience-based learning has proven effective in enhancing chemical literacy through meaningful and contextualized approaches. The reviewed studies employed a variety of research designs, including qualitative and quantitative descriptive, quasi-experimental, survey, case studies, research and development (R&D), bibliometric, pre-experimental, meta-analysis, and SLR. Commonly used instruments include tests, questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. Data analysis techniques consisted of T-tests, N-Gain, U-tests, and both qualitative and quantitative descriptive analyses. The findings conclude that the integration of ethnoscience holds substantial potential for improving chemical literacy and can serve as a foundation for curriculum development and instructional innovation in future educational practices.