- Авраменко, Н.Л. (orcid.org/0000-0001-7027-0266), Безносюк, Н.С. (orcid.org/0000-0002-7397-7328) and Крамаренко, І.С. (orcid.org/0000-0002-4692-2778) (2026) STEM projects in chemistry teaching: integration of experiment, modeling and interdisciplinary connections Вісник науки та освіти, 3 (45). pp. 1707-1728. ISSN 2786-6165
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Abstract
The proposed article considers the problem of implementing STEM projects in the process of teaching chemistry in general secondary education institutions. The relevance of the topic is determined by the fact that in recent years the Ukrainian educational system has been undergoing active transformation, which involves a transition from reproductive learning to competency-based education through an activity approach, and chemistry as a subject has found itself at the center of these changes. The Concept for the Development of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Education (STEM Education) until 2027, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, defined strategic priorities including the integration of experimental work, mathematical and computer modeling, as well as the implementation of interdisciplinary connections with physics, biology, ecology, and engineering. At the same time, practice shows that most chemistry teachers face a number of difficulties when trying to organize STEM learning: from a shortage of laboratory equipment (which has intensified as a result of the full-scale invasion) to a lack of understanding of the project approach methodology itself. The methodological basis of the work is the analysis of domestic and foreign scientific sources, normative documents, and the practical experience of teachers implementing STEM technologies in chemistry lessons. The triple function of the chemical experiment is analyzed: cognitive (acquisition of knowledge through personal experience), developmental (formation of critical thinking and research skills), and value-based (cultivation of environmental awareness and safe work culture). The possibilities of computer modeling of chemical processes using virtual laboratories as a supplement, and in some cases as an alternative, to real experiments are considered. Special attention is paid to the analysis of interdisciplinary integration, which transforms chemistry from an isolated subject into a key element of a holistic natural science worldview. The practical value lies in the specific examples of STEM projects for different grades proposed in the work, as well as in the systematization of typical difficulties that teachers encounter during their implementation. The scientific novelty consists in an attempt to comprehensively understand the interaction of three components of STEM chemistry education ‒ experiment, modeling, and interdisciplinarity ‒ as a unified methodological system rather than separate techniques. Special attention is given to the consequences of insufficient school-level chemistry training for students entering higher education institutions. Based on survey results from students of the educational program Commodity Science and Expertise in Customs (specialty D7 Trade), it was found that only 32% of respondents confirmed having had laboratory work in chemistry during their secondary education, with only 7% performing hands-on experiments in subgroups, while 25% merely observed the teacher's demonstrations. At the same time, 30% of students had only encountered video-based experiments, 28% had filled in laboratory protocols based solely on the teacher's verbal description without any demonstration, and 10% reported that no laboratory work in chemistry had been conducted at all. These findings indicate that the shortcomings of school-level chemistry education have direct implications for higher education and require comprehensive solutions, including the wider adoption of the STEM approach.
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