Exploring Estonian Students’ Ability to Handle Chemistry-Related Everyday Problem Solving

Abstract

Abstract. In today’s scientific world, it is important to solve science-related problems, because each person during his/her studies, needs these skills both at workplace and in every day. Research has shown that in order to solve everyday science-related problems, it is necessary to develop an ability to transfer skills acquired in science class. The aim of this study is to analyse students’ ability to transfer science-related skills and factors that affect this ability.  A 7-item instrument, related to an everyday situation and based on chemistry, but including interdisciplinary elements related to physics and biology, is developed, validated and administered to 10th grade gymnasium students (N=1129) at the beginning of their studies in gymnasium and to 11th grade students (N=953), having completed four compulsory chemistry courses at the gymnasium level during two academic years. The findings show that (1) progress in the transfer of problem solving skills after completing the compulsory chemistry courses involved only a few science-related skills in addition to academic knowledge and (2) the transfer of knowledge and skills was most successful in items limited to one subject – chemistry, rather than in an interdisciplinary context. This suggests the need to review the national curriculum and teaching methods that are in use in gymnasium chemistry lessons. It can also be concluded that the ability to apply transfer skills is most successful in items limited to one subject – chemistry, while in an interdisciplinary context, the transfer of skills in chemistry and physics contexts are transferred better than a chemistry and biology context.