What contents from the history of chemistry are estimated as useful for chemistry lessons – attitudes of chemistry teachers

ABSTRACT Background In the previous decades many research papers and educational documents have emphasized the importance of the application of history of science in the science education of students. Consequently, chemistry teachers are expected to be familiar with the historical development of science and capable of incorporating historical contents in teaching practice in order to support the development of students’ conceptual understanding and the understanding of the nature of science. Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate chemistry teachers’ attitudes towards the impact of history of chemistry in promoting students’ understanding of chemistry and the inclusion of topics from history of chemistry in regular teaching practice. Sample The sample comprised 272 chemistry teachers working in primary schools (for students aged 7 to 14), who teach chemistry in the seventh and eighth grade (students aged 13 to 14). Design and methods A questionnaire which consisted of three parts and contained 11 questions altogether was used for data collection. Results The most common topics from history of chemistry in the respondents’ classes were how some discoveries had been made, most often the structure of atoms and the periodic table of elements. Two-thirds of the teachers estimated such contents as useful and interesting, but over half of the respondents assessed the contribution of the historical context to the understanding of chemical concepts as moderate. Conclusion Based on the teachers’ answers it can be concluded that they recognize some potential benefits of the implementation of history of chemistry in teaching chemistry, but their answers also indicate that they need some additional support in the application of historical topics in their regular teaching practice.