Chemistry Education at Elementary Schools in the Czech Republic: Target Skills and Popularity of the Subject
Abstract
As it has been shown, chemistry in the Czech Republic has for a long time been one of the less popular subjects at primary schools. The goal of our research was first to check this situation during the ongoing educational reform in connection with its implementation into schools, second to find out how much correspond wishes of pupils (regarding their target chemical skills) with chemistry subject matter.
A questionnaire about popularity of chemistry was answered in the end of January 2010 by 866 primary school pupils (8th grades of study). The results were compared to an analogical research undertaken earlier by Budiš (1996).
Then (May - June 2011), 984 upper primary schools pupils (and pupils of corresponding grades of eight-years high schools) answered a questionnaire looking into pupils' wishes about their target chemical skills. We found out that the school subject chemistry is now more popular than in the year 1996.
It might be (as follows from the comparison of chemistry subject matter in both periods) due to using more chemical experiments at schools nowadays. Moreover, we found that although the wishes of upper primary schools pupils rather change with their age, the main demand remains the same: experimental work and application of school chemical knowledge in everyday life.
Astonishingly, many young pupils wish to get theoretical skills (nomenclature, ability to estimate the reactivity of substances). Unlike them, many of the older pupils want to be able to use their knowledge and skills to protect the environment.
Conclusions: The attitude of upper primary schools pupils to chemistry improved during last 14 years, maybe due to using more chemical experiments at school. It agrees with results received by the 2nd questionnaire from which it follows that pupils want first of all to be able to do chemical experiments and to be able to use their school knowledge and skills in real life.