Advancing SDG 4 through Biocultural Science Education: A PRISMA-Guided Systematic Literature Review of Traditional Medicine and Local Knowledge Integration

Abstract

Integrating traditional medicine and local cultural wisdom into science education is increasingly recognized as vital for fostering contextualized, inclusive, and sustainability-oriented learning. However, despite its potential to bridge scientific literacy with cultural identity and ecological stewardship, there remains a significant gap in systematic syntheses examining how such biocultural knowledge can be integrated into school science curricula. This study addresses this gap through a PRISMA 2020-guided Systematic Literature Review (SLR). A total of 21 peer-reviewed empirical articles published between 2019 and 2025 were selected from the Scopus database following a structured screening and eligibility protocol. Data were analyzed thematically across research characteristics, pedagogical applications, educational impacts, methodological trends, and contextual gaps. The findings reveal three dominant patterns: the prevalence of ethnobotanical knowledge as the primary domain of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), the integration of TEK with contemporary scientific inquiry, and the profound socio-cultural and spiritual drivers shaping traditional medicine practices. Geographically, research is heavily concentrated in Africa and Asia, highlighting regional engagement but revealing a lack of comparative international research. Furthermore, non-plant domains (animal and fungal TEK) remain significantly underrepresented. The review provides critical pedagogical implications for curriculum design, culturally responsive teaching, and sustainability-oriented science learning aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), offering a structured five-point blueprint for contextual implementation in culturally rich regions such as Yogyakarta, Indonesia.