Social Justice in Teacher Education: A Systematic Review of Pedagogical Interventions

Social justice refers to civic education aimed at building a socially fair, equitable, and diversely respectful society. University-level teacher education can foster a learning process focused on equity and respect, making this approach a key component of initial teacher preparation. Although numerous studies have sought to promote social equity in education, it remains necessary to systematically review this empirical evidence to determine its real impact. For this purpose, the present study analyzes how this approach is developed in teacher education through recent pedagogical interventions. A systematic review of pedagogical interventions was conducted using indexed journals and databases (WOS, Scopus, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, ERIC, ProQuest, Dialnet, Google Scholar, Sage Publishing, and Wiley Online Library) from the last five years, in accordance with the PRISMA methodology. The eligibility criteria included primary studies of pedagogical interventions written in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Catalan, or English, published between 2020 and 2025, with full-text access. A total of 17 studies were selected. The findings show a positive impact on knowledge, social and pedagogical practices, and attitudes toward education for social justice, indicating cognitive, attitudinal, and praxeological progress among preservice teachers. This effect appears to be linked to the use of practice-based teaching, an approach that includes observing effective practices, applying studied strategies to authentic pedagogical situations, and engaging in analysis and reflection on one’s own and others’ practice. Overall, the results suggest that the success of education for social equity depends on the quality of initial and continuing teacher training, flexible curriculum design, the contextual adaptation of teaching strategies, and access to specialized support services.

Keywords:
social justice; teaching; student; teacher; teacher education; pedagogical practice