Education, Science, and Citizenship: Critical Perspectives for a Globalized World

The growing complexity of global challenges demands an education geared towards training citizens capable of understanding, analyzing and acting critically in the face of interdependent problems. Within this framework, global citizenship education promotes ethical and social responsibility, while scientific literacy encourages the understanding and critical use of scientific knowledge in decision-making. Critical thinking stands as the connecting thread that integrates both approaches, promoting reflective and transformative education. Their convergence contributes to the formation of informed, committed individuals who are capable of actively participating in democratic and sustainable societies.

The aim of this research is to analyze and strengthen the theoretical, pedagogical and practical foundations of education for global citizenship, scientific literacy and critical thinking, both in an integrated manner and in their individual developments. It seeks to examine how each of these approaches contributes to the formation of critical, informed citizens who are committed to the social, environmental and technological challenges of the contemporary world. Likewise, the research aims to identify the convergences, complementarities and tensions between the three dimensions, recognizing their potential to promote meaningful learning, democratic participation and ethical commitment to sustainability. From this perspective, the aim is to design a theoretical and methodological framework to guide future research and educational practices focused on the development of critical, scientific and citizenship skills. In this way, the study seeks to contribute to the academic and pedagogical debate on the role of education in building more just, equitable and sustainable societies, offering foundations that allow for an independent or coordinated approach to global citizenship education, scientific literacy and critical thinking, thus promoting the formation of individuals capable of understanding, questioning and transforming their reality.

This research topic seeks to compile perspectives, research and proposals based on relevant educational research and theories that are addressed in an empirical and well-founded manner (systematic reviews of the literature on education for climate change, sustainability, global citizenship education, critical thinking, social justice, socio-scientific issues, etc.; research tools; diagnostic studies; educational interventions, etc.). The thematic areas are:

- Education for global citizenship.
- Critical thinking.
- Scientific literacy.
- Sustainable development (SDGs).
- Climate change.
- Critical citizenship.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: global citizenship education, scientific literacy, sustainable development goals, critical thinking, critical citizenship

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.