Integrating Aesthetics Education into Chemistry Education: Students Perceive, Appreciate, Explore, and Create the Beauty of Chemistry in Scientific Photography Activity

Abstract

To promote the integration of aesthetic education into chemistry education, this study designed activities to photograph precipitation reaction experiments with a smartphone, thereby combining experimental inquiry with artistic creation across disciplines. These activities were divided into (i) perceiving, (ii) appreciating, (iii) exploring, and (iv) creating the beauty of chemistry. The participants first used macrophotography to capture the details and small changes of a precipitation reaction to obtain an impression of beauty. Then, they managed to understand, appreciate, and evaluate the beauty of the precipitation reaction from an artistic vision (admiring chemistry like an artist). Next, the students explored the fascinating phenomenon from a chemical perspective and looked for its inherent laws. Finally, they consistently improved the experimental and photographic methods and created works of scientific photography. These activities are suitable for students from primary school to college, and even for the general public. The experiments can be completed in only 1 min, but several hours can be spent to improve the results. In the end, most students are able to take high-quality photographs of precipitation reactions.

Gender differences in high school students’ perceived values and costs of learning chemistry

“…Our results identified an additional dimension of utility in chemistry-research utility-which referred to the perceived value of chemistry for creating new materials or products. It should be noted that (Galloway, 2017), social value (Stuckey et al, 2013) and aesthetic value (Mu ¨ller, 2003;Ling et al, 2020), pointing to the importance of these values in this context. For example, a great portion of students in this sample emphasized epistemic and social values of learning chemistry.…”

“…Mu ¨ller (2003) connected beauty with symmetry because such characteristic is exemplified in molecule structure (e.g., C 60 ). Ling et al (2020) proposed four stages of integrating aesthetics elements in chemistry education through perceiving, appreciating, exploring and creating the beauty of chemistry in photography activity. The appreciation of the beauty of scientific phenomena can incite students' interests of learning chemistry and retain continuous engagement (Wickman et al, 2021).…”

A Demonstration of Silver with Various Morphology Recovered from Wastewater

“…The recovery of silver from wastewater is not only of economic value, but also meets the national standards of wastewater emission and requirements of environmental protection . If the beautiful morphology of silver is displayed while recovering silver ions, it will not only solve the problem of waste liquid treatment, but also cleverly combine green chemistry and beautiful chemistry. − It is of great significance to stimulate the audiences’ interest in chemistry, promote the audiences’ understanding of chemical principles, and raise the audiences’ awareness of environmental protection. , …”

Connecting Active Artwork to Chemistry: Leading Students in Inquiry-Based Learning of Density and Viscosity

“…A failure to understand the meaning behind the numbers leads to difficulties in answering questions comparing the densities of compressed and uncompressed gases or how temperature and density are related. , Following the PA SAS, students at a middle school level are only expected to understand viscosity at a conceptual level . To provide a new pathway to engage students on the topic of density and viscosity, a paint pouring activity was created using art methods and concepts that have been shown to increase students’ ability to understand and apply abstract chemical concepts. − …”