Life-Cycle Thinking in Inquiry-Based Sustainability Education - Effects on Students’ Attitudes towards Chemistry and Environmental Literacy

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by jay

The study examines how an inquiry-based life-cycle thinking project in chemistry education influences students' chemistry attitudes and environmental literacy. The approach combines life-cycle thinking with inquiry-based learning through an interdisciplinary teaching model designed by chemistry teachers. Upper-secondary students (N=105) investigate the life cycle of an optional product aligned with their own interests. Surveys and semi-structured interviews show improved attitudes toward chemistry learning and greater emphasis on environmental protection and recycling, while behavior change remains challenging.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Research problem and rationale

Concepts addressed: chemistry attitudes and environmental literacy

Study design and inquiry-based project

Interdisciplinary teaching model

Data collection: surveys and semi-structured interviews

Findings and implications

Attitudes toward chemistry learning

Changes in environmental literacy

Limitations and future research

Life-Cycle Thinking in Inquiry-Based Sustainability Education – Effects on Students’ Attitudes towards Chemistry and Environmental Literacy Marianne Juntunen*1 and Maija Aksela2 • The aim of the present study is to improve the quality of students’ environmental literacy and sustainability education in chemistry teaching by combining the socio-scientific issue of life-cycle thinking with inquiry-based learning approaches. This case study presents results from an inquiry-based life-cycle thinking project: an interdisciplinary teaching model designed by chemistry teachers. The strength of the project is that upper-secondary students (N=105) are allowed to investigate the life cycle of an optional product based on their own interest. Studentcentred teaching methods are suggested to promote the students’ interest in studying. The research question was: How does an inquiry-based life-cycle thinking project in chemistry education affect students’ chemistry attitudes and environmental literacy? The research methods used included surveys and semi-structured interviews. The study shows that the project positively affected students’ attitudes towards chemistry learning: they valued the independent and collaborative learning setting. The changes in the students’ environmental literacy were evident in their new realisations: they emphasised the importance of environmental protection and recycling, but perceived that changing their own behaviour is still difficult. The inquiry-based teaching of life-cycle thinking can be seen as an effective approach to more motivating and sustainable chemistry education. Further research should address the kinds of knowledge outcomes that this type of inquiry-based life-cycle teaching creates in students. Furthermore, other useful approaches to teaching sustainable development in chemistry lessons should be shared. Keywords: Attitudes; Chemistry learning; Environmental literacy; Inquiry-based learning; Life-cycle thinking 1 *Corresponding Author. Unit of Chemistry Teacher Education, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, Finland [marianne.juntunen@helsinki.fi](marianne.juntunen@helsinki.fi) 2 Unit of Chemistry Teacher Education, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, Finland Življenjski krog izdelkov in učenje z raziskovanjem zatrajnostni razvoj – vpliv na odnos učencev do kemije inokoljska pismenost Marianne Juntunen* and Maija Aksela • Cilj raziskave je izboljšanje kakovosti odnosa dijakov do kemije, njihove okoljske pismenosti in do trajnega izobraževanja s pomočjo združevanja socionaravoslovnih vsebin, tj. razmišljanja o življenjskemkroguizdelkov, in pristopov učenja z raziskovanjem. V tej študiji primera so predstavljeni izsledki projekta o učenju z raziskovanjem pri uporabi konteksta, povezanega z življenjskim krogom izdelkov. Projekt so kot interdisciplinarni model poučevanja oblikovali učitelji kemije. Njegova prednost je, da lahko srednješolci (N = 105) raziskujejo življenjski krog poljubnega predmeta oz. izdelka glede na želje ali interes, saj naj bi metode poučevanja, ki v središče postavljajo učenčeve interese, spodbujale njihovo zanimanje za učenje neke vsebine. Raziskovalno vprašanje je bilo, kako pristop učenja z raziskovanjem z uporabo konteksta o življenjskemkrogu izdelkov pri pouku kemije vpliva na odnos učencev do kemije in na njihovo okoljsko pismenost. Podatki so bili pridobljeni z anketiranjem in s polstrukturiranimi intervjuji. Študija je pokazala, da je učni pristop, uporabljen v projektu, pozitivno vplival na odnos dijakov doučenja kemije; pozitivno so ocenili individualno in sodelovalno učenje. Spremembe v okoljski pismenosti učencev so se kazale v tem, da so učenci poudarjali pomembnost varovanja okolja in recikliranja, vendarpa vplivi na spremembe njihovega ravnanja niso bili zaznani. Učenje z raziskovanjem z uporabo konteksta o življenjskem krogu izdelkov lahkoučinkovito vpliva na motiviranost učencev in učne pristope v kemijskem izobraže

FAQs

What is the main goal of the life-cycle thinking project in chemistry education?

The study aims to improve students’ environmental literacy and sustainability education in chemistry by combining life-cycle thinking with inquiry-based learning approaches.

How does the project affect students’ attitudes toward chemistry?

The project positively affected students’ attitudes toward chemistry learning, with students valuing both independent and collaborative inquiry-based learning settings.

What changes were observed in environmental literacy, and what remained difficult?

Students emphasized the importance of environmental protection and recycling, but the study indicates that changing their own behavior was still difficult.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by jay