EXPLORING CREATIVITY FOR GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (ESD) PRACTICES IN INDONESIA
Main Article Content
Abstract
This systematic review investigates creative practices of Education for Sustainable Studies on the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into English language Teaching (ELT), especially in the context of Indonesia is hardly found. This study is an attempt to highlight the growing need to align language and climate literacy in education in response to escalating environmental challenges. The study aims to identify types of creative ESD practices implemented in ELT, describe the learning outcomes produced from those practices, and review the research designs commonly used in related studies. Following the PRISMA protocol, articles were retrieved from Google Scholar using keywords such ESD, ELT in Indonesia, Systematic review, limited to the publication year between 2024–2025. From 380 initial records, 48 full-text articles were screened, and six empirical studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings reveal that creative ESD practices such as Eco-ELT e-modules, bilingual picture books, multimodal and textual designs, project-based environmental campaigns, and classroom green initiatives foster holistic learning outcomes across cognitive, affective, and behavioural domains. Learners demonstrated improved language skills and critical thinking, heightened environmental awareness and responsibility, and active proenvironmental behaviours such as waste reduction, tree planting, and 3R practices. The reviewed studies were dominated by descriptive qualitative and mixed-method designs utilizing interviews, classroom observations, questionnaires, and thematic interpretation. The review concludes that integrating ESD within ELT promotes pedagogical innovation and sustainability-oriented competencies, yet the evidence remains limited. Future research is needed to examine long-term impacts, broader learning contexts, and diverse methodological approaches aligned with national sustainability education policies.
Article Details
References
Arslan, S. & Curle S. (2024). Institutionalising English as a foreign language teachers for global sustainability: perceptions of education for sustainable development in Turkey. International Journal of Educational Research, 125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2024.102353
Astawa, N. L. P. N. S. P., Santosa, M. H., Artini, L. P., & Nitiasih, P. K. (2024). Sustainable development goals in EFL students’ learning: a systematic review. Pegem Journal of Education and Instruction, 14(2),1-11. https://doi.org/10.47750/pegegog.14.02.01
Bulan, A., Ramadhan, R. A., & Wahyuni, N. (2024). Need analysis for developing English teaching materials using the eco-ELT approach to enhance environmental literacy among high school students in Dompu regency. Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran Indonesia, 4(1), 72-80. https://doi.org/10.53299/jppi.v4i1.417
Daniella, T. (2011). Education for Sustainable Development: An Expert Review of Process and Learning. Paris: UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000191442
Felix, S. M., Lønnum, M., Lykknes, A., Staberg R. L. (2025). Teachers’ understanding of and practices in critical thinking in the context of education for sustainable development: a systematic review. Education Sciences, 15(7), 824 . https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15070824
Greenhill, V. (2010). 21st Century Knowledge and Skills in Educator Preparation. Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
Henriksen, D., Mishra, P., & Stern R. (2024). “Creative Learning for Sustainability in a World of AI: Action, Mindset, Values.” Sustainability, 16(11), 4451. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114451
Jasmine, M. P., Silvhiany, S., Inderawati, R. (2025). Exploring young learners’ needs in multimodal text design for integrating sustainable education into ELT. Journal of Language and Language Teaching, 13(2), 785-797. https://doi.org/10.33394/jollt.v13i2.13775
Lestari, I. W., Zumrudina, A., Habibullah, M. R., Fatoni, M., & Nadiyah, F. (2025). EFL learners’ perception on integrating E-reading module with ECO-ELT themes. Journal of English Education, 13(1), 235-246. https://doi.org/10.25134/erjee.v13i1.10461
López, U. H., Mercedes, V. V., & Purificación, S. V. (2024). The Contributions of Creativity to the Learning Process within Educational Approaches for Sustainable Development and/or Ecosocial Perspectives: A Systematic Review. Education Sciences, 14(8), 824. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14080824
Maghfiroh, A., Harmanto, B., Prayitno, H. J., Tamrin, A., & Lathifah, L. (2025). Ecological education in ELT; how could it promote students’ critical thinking skill and sustainable behaviour?. Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, 13(2), 1005-1015. https://doi.org/10.33394/jollt.v13i2.14330
Misbah H. (2024). Eco-critical language awareness for ELT pre-service teachers: practicing the concept into practice. Attractive Innovative Education Journal, 6(1), 682–691
Oraif I. (2024). Education for sustainable development: the use of a competence-based approach in an English as a foreign language (EFL) writing course at a university in saudi arabia. Sustainability, 16(14), 6069. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16146069
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hrobjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Wilson, E. M., Mcdonald, S., McGuinness, L. A., Stewart, L. A., Thomas, J. Tricco, A. C., Welch, P. W., & Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Research Methods and Reporting, 372. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Putri, C., Silvhiany, S., & Inderawati, R. (2024). Empowering young learners: integrating climate change education with bilingual picture books in ELT. Journal of English Education, 12(2), 601-616. https://doi.org/10.25134/erjee.v12i2.9889
Plucker, J., Beghetto, R. A., & Gayle, D. (2004). Why Isn’t Creativity More Important to Educational Psychologists? Potentials, Pitfalls, and Future Directions in Creativity Research. Educational Psychologist, 39(2), 83–96. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep3902_1.
Sekarwulan, K., Hendarti, L., Hadju, R. Z., Amalia, N. R., Utami, A. F., & Gradiyanto, H. (2024). Pendidikan perubahan iklim panduan implementasi untuk satuan pendidikan dan pemangku kepentingan. BKAP Kemendikbud: Jakarta.