Investigating students' interest in chemistry through self-generated questions

Abstract

This study investigates Turkish students' (age 15 or older) interest in chemistry by analysing 1027 of their self-generated chemistry-related questions, which had been submitted to a popular science magazine. These questions were classified based on the field of interest, the cognitive level of the question, and the stimulating impetus for asking the question. In addition, gender-related patterns were noted in these three categories. Those results demonstrated that males asked overwhelmingly more questions than females in an informal setting. In general, students mostly asked questions about ''states of matter and solutions'' and ''nuclear chemistry and chemistry of the elements.'' Most of the students asked for the properties of a variable and sought to learn about factual and explanatory types of information. The driving factors that led students to ask questions were mostly non-applicative stimulus. Significant differences emerged in some categories. For example, while males were more interested in comparison and causal relationships, females were more interested in specific information about properties. Moreover, while males tended toward seeking methodological information, making predictions, asking open-ended questions, and making general requests for information, females were more interested than males in factual and explanatory types of information. The implications of students' self-generated chemistry questions for science curriculum reform and teaching are discussed in this paper.

Identifying and addressing students' questions on climate change

“…A moderate number of studies have been conducted to determine how students' questions could be used to improve education. For instance, researchers have discussed that students' questions give insight into how they think (Mitchell, 2010), what type of mental models they have (Aguiar, Mortimer & Scott, 2010;Chin & Osborne, 2010) and what type of interests they have (Demirdogen & Cakmakci, 2014). Therefore, analyzing and understanding students' questions can help guide the learning process.…”

‘Will polar bears melt?’ A qualitative analysis of children’s questions about climate change

“…This approach has been employed relatively infrequently, and mainly in the field of education, by researchers investigating children’s interests in science and technology (e.g. Baram-Tsabari and Yarden, 2005 ), students’ interest in chemistry ( Demirdogen and Cakmakci, 2014 ) and young adults’ interest in climate change ( Tolppanen and Aksela, 2018 ).…”

“…With participants asking the questions, control over the direction of enquiry is placed with them ( Ripberger, 2011 ). Question asking is – or has the potential to be – predicated on a desire to know the answer to that particular question, rather than on the requirement to provide an appropriate answer to another’s question ( Demirdogen and Cakmakci, 2014 ). Questions reveal what participants want to know about a particular object ( Chin and Osborne, 2008 ), what they may already think and feel about it ( Baram-Tsabari et al, 2006 ), and the nature of their expectations of science ( Falchetti et al, 2007 ).…”

Cooperation of the Pre-Service Chemistry and Geography Teachers on an Interdisciplinary Lesson Planning

“…Stimulating students to ask questions about topics from the realm of science that are of interest to them increases the attractiveness and relevance of science curricula to students (Baram-Tsabari, Sethi, Bry, & Yarden, 2006;Cakmakci et al, 2012). Pointing out the applicability of that knowledge leads to the students' increased level of interest, which could contribute to better effects of their learning (Demirdogen & Cakmakci, 2014). According to the study, conducted by Siegel and Ranney (2003), it is possible to improve students' attitudes on the relevance of science for their lives by employing the innovative activities.…”