Third grade students’ conceptions about chemistry and scientists: a qualitative study

Abstract

This work is part of a research project developed for a graduation thesis at the State University of Feira de Santana. It was defended and approved on June 16, 2023. The study addresses the importance of contextualized chemistry classes for the social and critical development of students, highlighting how we still have a traditional and decontextualized teaching approach. Our objective was to investigate the conceptions that high school graduates have about chemistry. Thus, the research was conducted from a qualitative approach, using questionnaires administered to a third-year high school class at the end of the academic year. The questions aimed to investigate the initial associations students made when thinking about the words "chemistry" and "scientist," for example, and how they understood their role and importance in society. The results revealed that students primarily associated chemistry with experiments and formulas, demonstrating an empirico-inductivist view. Moreover, many couldn't identify the role of a chemist in society, indicating a lack of understanding of the social contribution of chemistry. In this sense, the results emphasize the need for a more critical discussion on how science/chemistry education is being conducted in our schools. Thus, the research highlights the importance of continuing to discuss and develop pedagogical approaches that help break traditional views and promote a more contextualized and socially relevant chemistry education, connecting science with students' everyday lives and contributing to their civic and critical development.