The Effectiveness of Science Storybooks in Improving Students’ Scientific Literacy: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54518/rh.6.5.2026.1747Keywords:
Digital Storybook, Science Learning, Science Storybook, Scientific Literacy, Systematic Literature ReviewAbstract
Scientific literacy is essential for enabling students to understand scientific phenomena, evaluate evidence, and apply scientific knowledge in real-life contexts. Yet, Indonesian students continue to face challenges in achieving expected levels of scientific literacy. Science storybooks offer a potentially meaningful and engaging learning medium by integrating scientific concepts with narratives, visual representations, contextual materials, and interactive technology. This study aimed to examine the characteristics of research on science storybooks in science instruction, synthesize evidence of their effectiveness in improving students’ scientific literacy, and identify factors influencing their effectiveness. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Literature published between 2019 and 2026 resulted in 38 eligible empirical articles. The findings showed that research was predominantly conducted at the elementary school level (42.1%) and used descriptive or qualitative approaches (44.7%). Science storybooks demonstrated positive effects on scientific literacy, with an average N-gain of 0.71, while AR-based interactive digital storybooks showed the highest average N-gain (0.80). Six factors influenced effectiveness: visual design, narrative-science integration, contextual relevance, interactivity and technology, student characteristics, and teacher facilitation.
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