Attracting more students to opt for chemistry at post-Secondary level : potential barriers for students to take up the ‘Chemistry Challenge'

Abstract

This study investigates concerns regarding the perceived decline in number of young people opting to choose chemistry at secondary and post-secondary level of education in Malta. It analyses the trends in numbers of students studying science subjects in local secondary schools. Despite the decreasing number of science candidates at SEC level, there is a gradual progression of chemistry and biology students from ordinary-level to advanced-level courses. This means that there is a good chance of a SEC science student to confirm his interest in science by retaining the subject at post-secondary level. Literature suggests that students’ attitudes to science are multidimensional and are influenced by a number of factors, mostly originating from their life experience. Studies show that whilst students held positive attitudes towards science as a discipline, there was a declining interest by students towards school science. The paper investigates the factors which determined the students’ choice to study science and indicates the aspects that made science more appealing and others that hindered the students’ motivation to study it at school. Students were found to be disenchanted from school science for a number of reasons such as its perceived difficulty, lack of direct relevance to their everyday life and the demanding examination syllabi, even though they enjoyed carrying out practical work in the school laboratory and were attracted towards the enterprise of science. Chemistry is the least studied science subject in many countries. The author therefore refers to theories in chemistry education to shed some light on possible underlying issues dissuading students from choosing to study chemistry and any other potential barriers to learning the subject at school. The study finally proposes a number of measures that could be taken by various educational stakeholders and policy makers to increase the uptake of science / chemistry in both secondary and post-secondary levels of education. These include increasing relevance of the subject, focussing on the language of communication, providing educational outreach programmes, revising the national science curricula to cater for students with different motivations and aptitudes, assisting in career 322 guidance, investing in human resources and increasing international cooperation between science educators.