Ocean Literacy among Fisheries and Marine Science Students: Research Trends, Learning Approaches, and Implementation Challenges (A Systematic Literature Review)
Keywords:
Ocean Literacy, Ocean Education, Fisheries Education, Sustainability Education.Abstract
Ocean literacy has emerged as a strategic concept in promoting sustainable marine resource management through education. Higher education institutions, particularly fisheries and marine science programs, play an important role in developing graduates who possess scientific understanding, environmental awareness, and responsible behavior toward marine ecosystems. Nevertheless, research concerning ocean literacy among university students remains fragmented and varies across educational contexts. This study aims to systematically review recent literature on ocean literacy among fisheries and marine science students by identifying publication trends, learning approaches, research findings, and implementation challenges. The study employed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) framework. Relevant articles published between 2022 and 2026 were identified through Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, ERIC, and Google Scholar using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A thematic synthesis was conducted to categorize research themes and emerging patterns. The review indicates a significant increase in ocean literacy research over the last five years, with experiential learning, project-based learning, field-based education, citizen science, and digital learning being the dominant instructional approaches. Existing evidence consistently demonstrates that these approaches improve students' ocean knowledge, environmental attitudes, and pro-environmental behavior. However, implementation is constrained by limited curriculum integration, inadequate teaching resources, insufficient lecturer competence, financial limitations, and unequal access to coastal learning environments. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive curriculum integration, interdisciplinary learning models, institutional support, and policy development to strengthen ocean literacy in higher education and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14.
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