Cultural Literacy in Biology Education: Theoretical Foundations and Future Directions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt20252163Keywords:
cultural literacy, biology education, local wisdomAbstract
Introduction: cultural literacy is recognized as a crucial component in biology education because it allows the integration of scientific concepts with local cultural values, narratives, and practices. The objectives of this study are 1) to identify the main elements that constitute the focus of cultural literacy research in biology education, 2) to analyze the theories and conceptual approaches employed in the study of cultural literacy within biology education, and 3) to outline the future directions and potential research opportunities related to cultural literacy in the context of biology education.
Methods: this study employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following PRISMA guidelines. A total of 12 articles were analyzed after completing the screening and eligibility process using the PRISMA framework.
Results: findings reveal four main elements in cultural literacy research: integration of local values, development of culture-based curricula, strengthening cultural identity, and fostering multicultural competencies. Theoretical approaches include Culturally Responsive Teaching, Social Constructivism, and Ethnopedagogy. Research gaps include the absence of standardized measurement instruments, underdeveloped culture-based learning technologies, and limited empirical studies linking cultural literacy to ecological attitudes.
Conclusions: cultural literacy enriches biology education by bridging science with socio-cultural realities, contributing to sustainable development goals. Addressing conceptual and methodological gaps through cross-disciplinary approaches and community engagement will enhance relevance, equity, and sustainability in biology learning.
References
1. Kale M, Deretarla Gül E, Tohma M. Cultural literacy of preschool teachers teaching children from different cultures. Early Child Dev Care [Internet]. 2023;193(4):506–18. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85135447343&doi=10.1080%2f03004430.2022.2108025&partnerID=40&md5=a0f3a8087a04d8f85e65e81a0505d062
2. Dahir M. Between Cultural Literacy and Cultural Relevance: A Culturally Pragmatic Approach to Reducing the Black-White Achievement Gap. In: Springer International Handbooks of Education [Internet]. Springer Nature; 2020. p. 73–91. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85178886817&doi=10.1007%2f978-3-319-56988-8_22&partnerID=40&md5=2eb1cd16b61cd5db3e76a2b8412dc380
3. Gamaliia K, Turchak-Lazurenko L, Lavrenyuk O, Penchuk O, Lytvynenko N. Synergy of design, culture, and innovation in pedagogy: New horizons for education. Research Journal in Advanced Humanities [Internet]. 2023;4(4):175–90. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85181450752&doi=10.58256%2frjah.v4i4.1131&partnerID=40&md5=28edaacb7b9c4eea524855f94928c21b
4. Chambers Butcher BD, Friedman IK, Scott KA, Clary C, Negrete G, McLemore MR. Insights into retrofitting fellowships in family planning with principles of equality, race, and cultural literacy. Contraception [Internet]. 2024;140. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85202479313&doi=10.1016%2fj.contraception.2024.110556&partnerID=40&md5=5890b2553137866d6591a100ba95a5bb
5. Tour E. Understanding Digital Literacy Practices: What Can Be Learnt with Visual Methods? Changing English: Studies in Culture and Education [Internet]. 2017;24(4):413–25. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/1358684X.2017.1304815
6. Daddow A, Cronshaw D, Daddow N, Sandy R. Strengthening inter-cultural literacy and minority voices through narratives of healthy religious pluralism in higher education. International Journal of Inclusive Education [Internet]. 2021;25(10):1174–89. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85063881382&doi=10.1080%2f13603116.2019.1600056&partnerID=40&md5=7203939cf6765608b32ebf8c9648744c
7. Sengul O. Linking scientific literacy, scientific argumentation, and democratic citizenship. Universal Journal of Educational Research. 2019;7(4):1090–8.
8. Liu Q. Effects of environmental education on environmental ethics and literacy based on virtual reality technology. Electronic Library [Internet]. 2019;37(5):860–77. Available from: https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85071602563
9. Corkett J, Benevides T. Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of Technology and Multiliteracy Within the Inclusive Classroom. International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies. 2015;2(2):35–46.
10. Stylos G, Siarka O, Kotsis KT. Assessing Greek pre-service primary teachers’ scientific literacy. European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. 2023;11(2):271–82.
11. Fives H, Huebner W, Birnbaum AS, Nicolich M. Developing a Measure of Scientific Literacy for Middle School Students. Sci Educ. 2014;98(4):549–80.
12. Baynes R. Teachers’ Attitudes to Including Indigenous Knowledges in the Australian Science Curriculum. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education [Internet]. 2016;45(1):80–90. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84944909477&doi=10.1017%2fjie.2015.29&partnerID=40&md5=ed9fbfa2070fbd9e8328163ef21d9357
13. Bibi F, Abbas Z, Harun N, Perveen B, Bussmann RW. Indigenous knowledge and quantitative ethnobotany of the Tanawal area, Lesser Western Himalayas, Pakistan. PLoS One [Internet]. 2022;17(2 February). Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85125154612&doi=10.1371%2fjournal.pone.0263604&partnerID=40&md5=16f47883559af5cea8ada8bd4026e582
14. Heliawati L, Lidiawati L, Adriansyah PNA, Herlina E. Ethnochemistry-Based Adobe Flash Learning Media Using Indigenous Knowledge To Improve Students’ Scientific Literacy. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia. 2022;11(2):271–81.
15. Purssell E, McCrae N. How to Perform a Systematic Literature Review. How to Perform a Systematic Literature Review. Switzerland: Springer; 2020.
16. Pejaner KJB, Mistades VM. Culturally Relevant Science Teaching: A Case Study of Physics Teaching Practices of the Obo Monuvu Tribe. Science Education International [Internet]. 2020;31(2):185–94. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85113134660&doi=10.33828%2fsei.v31.i2.8&partnerID=40&md5=3e542e72cbcda4818273d9f13ed5c95a
17. Sexton SS. Culturally responsive teaching through primary science in Aotearoa New Zealand. London Review of Education [Internet]. 2024;22(1). Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85188655071&doi=10.14324%2fLRE.22.1.04&partnerID=40&md5=2086f08d77549f9eb661482d1c1be52e
18. Carvalho AE, Blanc S, Aguiar M, Torres AC. Fostering Diversity and Participation with School Gardens: Examining Possibilities and Challenges under Different National Educational Policies. Educational Process: International Journal [Internet]. 2024;13(2):122–38. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85196970999&doi=10.22521%2fedupij.2024.132.8&partnerID=40&md5=e785836216d6f34e1d70a2254f216b1b
19. Sorge S, Doorman M, Maass K, Straser O, Hesse A, Jonker V, et al. Supporting mathematics and science teachers in implementing intercultural learning. ZDM - Mathematics Education [Internet]. 2023;55(5):981–93. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85149797806&doi=10.1007%2fs11858-023-01478-3&partnerID=40&md5=9c8b9a710c7b870b88433ed5cfccff39
20. Jie CLK, Finn YF, Bish M, Carlson E, Kumlien C, Angela Chan E, et al. Mechanisms Driving Postgraduate Health and Social Science Students’ Cultural Competence: An Integrated Systematic Review. Academic Medicine [Internet]. 2022;97(11):1707–21. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85140856449&doi=10.1097%2fACM.0000000000004714&partnerID=40&md5=a2f0c7712ab470e3ad4b9cca15c7c352
21. Rodriguez AJ, Navarro-Camacho M. Claiming Your Own Identity and Positionality: The First Steps toward Establishing Equity and Social Justice in Science Education. Educ Sci (Basel) [Internet]. 2023;13(7). Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85175104117&doi=10.3390%2feducsci13070652&partnerID=40&md5=db319c9eaf795a8310788bdef0c957a7
22. Lin K. CS Education for the Socially-JustWorldsWe Need: The Case for Justice-Centered Approaches to CS in Higher Education. In: SIGCSE 2022 - Proceedings of the 53rd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education [Internet]. Association for Computing Machinery, Inc; 2022. p. 265–71. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85126114457&doi=10.1145%2f3478431.3499291&partnerID=40&md5=8b6e314ad6a4e850aad02f68ae46230f
23. Lai CJ. Enhancing multimodal output in CLIL education: the impact of VR games on fourth-grade students’ English poster designs and presentations in Taiwan. Humanit Soc Sci Commun [Internet]. 2024;11(1). Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85208609228&doi=10.1057%2fs41599-024-03999-y&partnerID=40&md5=b17e88cc9ca9be3018f38d7498dce441
24. Zhou G, Wang P, Liu T, Zhang J, Li Y, Fu C, et al. What They Learned Won’t Go Away: The Impacts of an International Exchange Program on Chinese Teacher Candidates’ Understanding of and Practice in Science Education. ECNU Review of Education [Internet]. 2022;5(3):404–24. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85106327287&doi=10.1177%2f2096531120959676&partnerID=40&md5=5156aae18241a251d31823a0b1f185a2
25. Rahmawati Y, Ridwan A, Cahyana U, Wuryaningsih T. The integration of ethnopedagogy in science learning to improve student engagement and cultural awareness. Universal Journal of Educational Research [Internet]. 2020;8(2):662–71. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85084409445&doi=10.13189%2fujer.2020.080239&partnerID=40&md5=ace41b48dc6e2fb9f858bb0020a1d7be
26. Shady A. The role of cultural alignment in producing success in urban science education. In: Transforming Urban Education: Urban Teachers and Students Working Collaboratively [Internet]. Sense Publishers; 2014. p. 225–44. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84947240933&doi=10.1007%2f978-94-6209-563-2&partnerID=40&md5=1544546c3da2c1abb7be2c8e3e5d95ce
27. Xie Y, Wang G. Mechanisms of fatty acid synthesis in marine fungus-like protists. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2015;99(20):8363–75.
28. Cochrane S V, Chhabra M, Jones MA, Spragg D. Culturally responsive teaching and reflection in higher education: Promising practices from the cultural literacy curriculum institute [Internet]. Culturally Responsive Teaching and Reflection in Higher Education: Promising Practices From the Cultural Literacy Curriculum Institute. Taylor and Francis Inc.; 2017. 1–125 p. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85020337565&doi=10.4324%2f9781315283333&partnerID=40&md5=4e28b606749dce5601dd9f1fcf945c37
29. Geng Y, Wang Y, Pei S. Urban ethnobotany: an emerging research field of ethnobotany. Journal of Plant Resources and Environment [Internet]. 2025;34(2):1–10. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105003934058&doi=10.3969%2fj.issn.1674-7895.2025.02.01&partnerID=40&md5=7b4a6104a44db964c4a06f658348e766
30. Saravia-Shore M, Arvizu SF. Cross-cultural literacy: Ethnographies of communication in multiethnic classrooms [Internet]. Cross-Cultural Literacy: Ethnographies of Communication in Multiethnic Classrooms. Taylor and Francis; 2017. 1–528 p. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85067440827&doi=10.4324%2f9781351237109&partnerID=40&md5=3717113c5c5996b593dba80164711216
31. Ferrari PA, Zank S, Hanazaki N. Unraveling Sustainability in Brazilian Ethnobotany: An Analysis of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Econ Bot [Internet]. 2024;78(2):197–216. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85182855327&doi=10.1007%2fs12231-023-09597-4&partnerID=40&md5=c8517fd97e51b2ee372145cf248efb70
32. Petrovych O, Zavalniuk I, Bohatko V, Poliarush N, Petrovych S. Motivational Readiness of Future Teachers-Philologists to Use the Gamification with Elements of Augmented Reality in Education. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning [Internet]. 2023;18(3):4–21. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85148637748&doi=10.3991%2fijet.v18i03.36017&partnerID=40&md5=59b769c2c992859194f57c08d3ca66f9
33. Chinn PWU. Preparing science teachers for culturally diverse students: Developing cultural literacy through cultural immersion, cultural translators and communities of practice. Cult Stud Sci Educ [Internet]. 2006;1(2):367–402. Available from: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33749000318&doi=10.1007%2fs11422-006-9014-0&partnerID=40&md5=4b2f0978165fe22cbabc36445b9fc039
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Nurlia Nurlia, Nurhayati B, Syamsiah Syamsiah, Hilda Karim (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The article is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Unless otherwise stated, associated published material is distributed under the same licence.
