Gawi: Journal of Action Research
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026)

Sustainability Consciousness and Creativity in Education: Evidence, Gaps, and a Research Agenda, with Implications for Science Education

Muhammad Fuad Sya'ban (Universitas Lambung Mangkurat)
Adi Rahmat (Department Science Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia)
Siti Sriyati (Department Science Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia)
Omay Sumarna (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
31 Jul 2026

Abstract

Education for sustainability requires learners who are both conscious of sustainability and able to generate creative responses to complex socio-ecological problems, yet how these two capacities relate remain unclear and scattered across disconnected studies. This systematic review synthesized empirical research on the relationship between sustainability consciousness and student creativity in formal secondary-to-tertiary education. Following PRISMA 2020, Scopus and Web of Science were searched (2015–2026); records were screened in two stages, appraised with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and combined through thematic synthesis. Eleven studies met the criteria. Across diverse subjects and countries, the two constructs were consistently and positively associated, although the reported direction varied sustainability consciousness predicting creativity, creativity predicting sustainability consciousness, and the two co-developing under shared interventions. However, sustainability was operationalized inconsistently, no study employed the full tripartite sustainability-consciousness construct, and cross-sectional designs precluded causal inference. The review exposes a fragmented evidence base and the absence of an integrative framework. It calls for mechanism-based, longitudinal designs that align comprehensive sustainability-consciousness and creativity measures, and recommends active, integrative pedagogies for cultivating both capacities across diverse subjects, with particular relevance for science education.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

gawi

Publisher

Subject

Education

Description

Gawi: Journal of Action Research focused on scientific research with action in the educational environment. This journal is published twice a year. We have accepted any article with the scope of action research in any scientific ...