Biology Teachers’ Systems Thinking Practices and Students’ 21st Century Skills: Bases for a Professional Development Model

This study investigated biology teachers’ systems thinking (ST) practices and their implication on developing students’ 21st Century Skills (21CS) to determine a professional development model. An iterative concurrent mixed-method design was employed, incorporating qualitative and quantitative methods across multiple stages. Participants were secondary teachers enrolled in innovative graduate school classes. Systems thinking practices were based on the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST). Findings indicate that the Systems Thinking Professional Development Course (STPDC) significantly improved teachers’ practices across four PPST domains. Five biology teachers implemented systems thinking lessons, revealing a significant positive impact on the students’ critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, information literacy, and communication skills. Based on these results, the 5As professional development model was developed: Acquire, Apply, Assess, Adapt, and Aspire. The study recommends the STPDC for biology teachers to enhance their holistic understanding of biological phenomena and foster students’ 21st century skills development.