Keywords:
ethnoscience
meta-analysis
student achievement
scientific literacy

  • Abstract

    Culturally Responsive Science Education (CRSE) through ethnoscience offers a promising pedagogical approach to enhance student learning, yet the overall effectiveness and magnitude of its impact have remained unclear due to a lack of systematic, quantitative synthesis of existing research. This meta-analysis addresses this critical gap by rigorously investigating the impact of ethnoscience-based CRSE on junior high school students, synthesizing quantitative findings from a focused and robust body of empirical research. A systematic, multiphase literature review, designed to overcome limitations of prior dispersed evidence, was conducted, commencing with a broad search that yielded approximately 187 potentially relevant articles across prominent academic databases. Through a strategic refinement process, prioritizing studies with direct relevance to the research question and methodological rigor, the dataset was narrowed to a focused pool of 58 articles, culminating in a final, deeply analysed sample of 10 peer-reviewed publications. This novel, targeted selection process ensured a homogenous and highly relevant evidence base for meta-analytic synthesis, moving beyond the limitations of prior qualitative reviews. Effect sizes, calculated using Cohen's d and synthesized via a random-effects model, revealed a statistically significant positive effect (d = 0.65, p < 0.01) of ethnoscience-based CRSE on student learning outcomes. Furthermore, the intervention demonstrated improvements in student interest and positive attitudes towards science. These novel findings, derived from a robust quantitative synthesis, robustly support the conclusion that CRSE through ethnoscience is a demonstrably effective pedagogical strategy for enhancing student learning outcomes, fostering student interest, and cultivating positive attitudes towards science. The implications of this meta-analysis highlight the urgent need for the broader integration of ethnoscience into science curricula to create learning experiences that are both culturally relevant and demonstrably effective in improving students' scientific literacy, filling a critical gap in current pedagogical approaches and providing a robust, synthesized evidence base for future research and practice.

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Festiyed, Ismail, I. A., Lufri, L., Mawardi, M., & Insani, M. (2025). Culturally responsive science education through ethnoscience: A meta-analysis of impact on junior high school students. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 9(1), 2026004. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2026004
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