Assessing sustainability competences in secondary education: a systematic literature review

Given the importance of identifying appropriate strategies and frameworks for evaluating sustainability competences in secondary education, this paper presents a systematic literature review on their assessment at this educational level. Using the PRISMA methodology, 34 relevant studies were identified and analysed to examine the range of competences evaluated, as well as the approaches and instruments employed to measure them. The findings indicate that most studies predominantly use diagnostic assessment and questionnaires, while other evaluation approaches and instruments remain scarce. There is need for more comprehensive assessment frameworks that integrate summative and formative strategies alongside quantitative and qualitative instruments to better understand students' competence development. The review also identifies key gaps in three essential areas: the conceptual clarity of sustainability competences; the evaluation of collective competences; and adoption of innovative approaches such as transformative and participatory assessment. These findings offer valuable insights for curriculum and policy development in education for sustainability and for designing and evaluating educational interventions that foster sustainability competences in secondary education.