ARTICLE This journal isThis article analyses Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in chemistry by reviewing existing challenges and future possibilities on the levels of the teacher and the student. Pedagogical frameworks that are found eligible in practice are reviewed. Lesson themes that are suitable for implementing socioscientific issues (SSI) related to ESD into basic chemistry education at schools are discussed. Based on this analysis, three new demonstrative pedagogical models for ESD in chemistry are presented to help guide the work of teachers. The models draw on an interdisciplinary reading of research in the field of SSI-based science education, sustainability science, green chemistry and environmental education. The current state of ESD in Finnish chemistry education is used as an example case throughout the article. Two tasks where future development is required were recognised. The first task concerns supporting chemistry teachers in overcoming the challenges with SSI and ESD they face in their work. The second task is to ensure that students are more often provided with more relevant and flexible chemistry content and studying methods.

The aim of the study discussed in this paper was to link existing research about the argumentation skills of students to the teaching of life-cycle analysis (LCA) in order to promote an evidence-based approach to the teaching of and learning about materials used in consumer products. This case-study is part of a larger design research project that focuses on improving education for sustainable development (ESD) in chemistry teaching by means of combining a socio-scientific issue (SSI) and life-cycle analysis with inquiry-based learning. The research question was: How do students (N= 8) use scientific, ecological, socio-economical and ethical argumentation in the life-cycle analysis of a product? The research method for this study was content analysis performed on written student answers and an audio recording of a debate. The results show that the students' scientific and ecological argumentation skills with regard to the life-cycles of products were improved during the life-cycle analysis project. The studying also affected, to a lesser extent, the students' ability to form socio-economical and ethical arguments. The type of student-centred and cross-curricular product life-cycle analysis project discussed in this paper is a suitable new method for teaching socio-scientific argumentation to chemistry students at the secondary school level.

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 thatthe 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.

Tiivistelmä Tässä artikkelissa esitellään 10 kohdan toiminnallinen muistilista kestävän kehityksen kasvatukseen ja pohditaan sen soveltamista kemian opetukseen. Artikkelissa esitellään aiheeseen liittyvää tutkimustietoa opettajien ja oppilaiden näkökulmista. Lisäksi artikkelissa esitellään ja pohditaan yhteiskuntaperustaista kemian opetusta, soveltuvia opetusmenetelmiä ja oppilasarvioinnin toteuttamista käytännössä. Yhtenä esimerkkinä artikkeli tarkastelee tuotteen elinkaaren opettamista.