Raise your hand if you dreaded chemistry lessons at school. Apart from a few exceptional cases, this discipline is often perceived as difficult, abstract and removed from real life. This affects students' motivation and choices, discouraging them from pursuing academic and professional careers in this important and, in fact, fascinating field.
In a new article published in JCOM, a team of Brazilian researchers — Ariane Carolina da Rocha, Ana Carolina Steola and Ana Cláudia Kasseboehmer, all from the Instituto de Química de São Carlos (Universidade de São Paulo) — worked with numerous public school classes of various types to show how non-formal education methods, such as those used in science museums, can support traditional educational pathways and improve students' motivation.
Chemophobia
There is a specific term to describe the phenomenon: chemophobia. "It is the negative perception of chemistry and is often associated with the idea that it is dangerous, too difficult or disconnected from everyday life. This perception generally stems from a lack of information and from the way chemistry is taught," explains da Rocha. "Chemistry is often perceived as difficult because it involves abstract concepts, symbols and mathematical representations. Many students – and even other people – do not see a clear link between chemistry and their daily lives."
"Traditional teaching methods can be very content‑focused and not very interactive, which reduces student engagement," da Rocha continues. For this reason, the non‑formal education methods used in science museums and science centres can play an important role in supporting school curricula.
The theoretical framework: Self‑Determination Theory
Da Rocha and her colleagues based their research on the theoretical framework of Self‑Determination Theory (SDT), formulated by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan in 1985. SDT is a psychological theory proposing that motivation is strongly linked to three basic needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness. "We chose this theoretical framework because it helps us understand not only what students learn, but also how they feel during learning, especially in non‑formal education contexts," says da Rocha.
The research took place with high‑school students from six public schools in peripheral neighbourhoods of São Carlos, Brazil. The choice of these schools aimed to expand students' access to non‑formal education experiences and to science communication initiatives linked to the university.
