A Bibliometric Analysis of Systems Thinking Research in Science Education 1991–2022

Abstract

This study aimed to exhibit a bibliometric analysis of systems thinking (ST) research in the field of science education. A total of 340 articles from 201 sources indexed in the Web of Science database in the years 1991–2022 were used in the analysis. The analysis aimed to provide a review of systems thinking research in science education by identifying the dynamics of research by presenting the periodical process, current situation, and future directions. Research on systems thinking has been acknowledged to demonstrate a significant increase in recent years. Bibliometric data prove that systems thinking research concerning studies in science education exhibits a parallel increase too. This is mainly due to UNESCO’s (2015) declaration of The Education for 2030 Framework for Action. There systems thinking was defined as a key competency among eight competencies for education for sustainable development. Correspondingly, the analysis in this study suggests that systems thinking research in science education is a lively and developing subject in the past decade.