A Systematic Review on Teaching Natural Sciences for Sustainable Learning: Challenges and Opportunities Experienced by South African Preservice Teachers
Keywords:
Sustainable Learning in Education; SLE Framework; Problem-Solving Teaching and Learning; Preservice Teachers; Natural Science; Opportunities; ChallengesAbstract
Sustainable Learning (SL) emphasises contextual relevance, deep knowledge retention, and heutagogical approaches aligned with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). This systematic literature review synthesises evidence on the challenges and opportunities of applying Problem-Solving Teaching and Learning (PSTL) approaches in Natural Sciences education to prepare Preservice Teachers (PSTs) for SL in South Africa. Guided by PRISMA protocols, 36 peer-reviewed studies (2014–2024) were analysed using ATLAS.ti for thematic coding. Ben-Eliyahu’s five pillars of Sustainable Learning in Education (SLE) provided the theoretical lens for categorising findings. Results indicate that PSTL strategies such as project-based and inquiry-based learning enhance critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptive expertise, essential for sustainability-oriented teaching. However, persistent challenges include inadequate reflective practice, workload stress, limited contextual adaptation, and digital inequities. The review highlights tensions between policy aspirations for democratic, inquiry-driven pedagogies and systemic constraints such as assessment-driven cultures and resource limitations. It concludes that teacher education programs require structural redesign to embed PSTL strategies, strengthen reflective practice, and integrate digital tools responsibly. Recommendations include new approaches to realising curriculum aims, institutional support, and targeted professional development to bridge the theory–practice gap, cultivating teacher competences for SL aligned with multiple developmental plans.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.11.18
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