Fostering chemical literacy through a non-formal forensic chemistry module for 13-year-old students

Dražić, Alenka (author), Devetak, Iztok (author)

Traditional chemistry education often struggles to engage students due to abstract content and limited contextual rele-vance. This study explores the impact of a non-formal forensic chemistry module (NFFCM) designed to foster chemical literacy among 13-year-old students through context-based, inquiry-oriented, and student-centred learning. The module included hands-on, problem-driven activities in forensic scenarios, assessed with a mixed-methods pre-post design. Results indicated significant gains in chemical literacy, supported by logical reasoning, self-concept, and motivation. Both situational and individual interest increased, highlighting motivational engagement. Qualitative data emphasized three key pedagogical features: narrative-driven inquiry, active experimentation, and collaborative group work. Students worked safely and independently, applying results to solve the forensic case. Findings suggest that well-structured, open non-formal modules can complement formal education by fostering chemical literacy, deepening conceptual under-standing, and enhancing student engagement.

• Language: English
• Keywords: chemical literacy, non-formal education, inquiry-based learning, context-based learning, forensic chemistry
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 810–822
• Numbering: Vol. 72, no. 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177725
• UDC: 37.091.3:54
• ISSN on article: 1580-3155
• DOI: 10.17344/acsi.2025.9491
• COBISS.SI-ID: 263393795
• Publication date in RUL: 05.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta chimica slovenica
• Shortened title: Acta chim. slov.
• Publisher: Slovensko kemijsko društvo, = Slovenian Chemical Society
• ISSN: 1580-3155
• COBISS.SI-ID: 21870085

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian

Abstract

Tradicionalno poučevanje kemije se pogosto sooča z izzivi zaradi abstraktne vsebine in pomanjkanja povezave z življenjskim kontekstom. Raziskava preučuje vpliv neformalnega modula forenzične kemije (NFFCM), zasnovanega za spodbujanje kemijske pismenosti pri 13-letnikih s kontekstualnim, raziskovalnim in na učenca usmerjenim pristopom. Modul je vključeval praktične, problemsko zasnovane dejavnosti v forenzičnih scenarijih, vrednotene s kombiniranim pred- in potestnim načrtom. Rezultati so pokazali pomemben napredek v kemijski pismenosti, podprt z logičnim sklepanjem, samopodobo in motivacijo. Povečal se je tako situacijski kot individualni interes, kar kaže na motivacijsko vključenost. Kvalitativni podatki so izpostavili tri ključne pedagoške značilnosti: pripovedno zasnovano raziskovanje, aktivno eksperimentiranje in sodelovalno skupinsko delo. Učenci so dosledno upoštevali varnostna pravila, samostojno delali in rezultate uporabili pri razrešitvi primera. Ugotovitve kažejo, da lahko dobro strukturirani, a dovolj odprti neformalni moduli dopolnjujejo formalno izobraževanje z razvijanjem kemijske pismenosti, poglabljanjem razumevanja in večjo vključenostjo učencev.

• Keywords: kemija, kemijska pismenost, neformalni modul, forenzična kemija, učenje na podlagi raziskovanja, učenje na podlagi konteksta