SOME CONSIDERATIONS BESET WITH STUDENTS` RESEARCH COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT AT CHEMISTRY LESSONS

"If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow."

John Dewey

The contemporary educational landscape, shaped by rapid technological advancements and evolving societal demands, necessitates a fundamental shift in pedagogical paradigms. The traditional model, which often prioritizes the passive reception of ready-made knowledge, is increasingly inadequate for preparing students for the complexities of the modern world. Instead, there is a growing consensus, explicitly articulated in foundational documents such as the State Educational Standard, that educational systems must prioritize the development of students' capacity for self-development and self-awareness. This shift demands the implementation of pedagogical tools, methods, and technologies that actively engage students in their learning process, moving beyond mere rote memorization towards genuine understanding and application.

In this context, the development of research competence emerges as a critical objective. Research competence equips students not only with domain-specific knowledge but also with the crucial skills of inquiry, critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent learning — abilities that are essential for lifelong learning and adaptability. This article specifically focuses on the challenges and opportunities associated with fostering students' research competencies within the domain of chemistry education. Chemistry, by its very nature, is an experimental and investigative science, providing an ideal environment for the cultivation of research skills.

The given article addresses the problems of developing students' research competencies during chemistry classes by proposing and examining various methods and approaches. It emphasizes a structured, progressive approach to research activities, starting with guided tasks and gradually advancing towards independent project planning and execution. The insights presented herein are derived from both theoretical analysis of pedagogical literature and practical experience in implementing these strategies.

This study adopts a descriptive-analytical research methodology, combining theoretical exposition with practical considerations for pedagogical application. The approach is primarily qualitative, focusing on outlining conceptual frameworks and illustrating them with didactic examples.

2.1. The Systemic-Activity Approach and Independent Work

In accordance with the requirements of the State Educational Standard, the systemic-activity approach gains paramount importance. The systemic-activity approach involves organizing the educational process in a way that prioritizes the diverse, independent cognitive activity of the student. The principle of activity lies in the fact that the formation and advancement of the student's personality in development occurs not when they passively absorb ready-made knowledge, but rather in the course of their own activity, which is oriented towards the "discovery of new knowledge." As a Chinese proverb wisely states, "I hear — I forget, I see — I remember, I do — I understand."

The technology of the activity method encompasses the ability to acquire knowledge through the fulfillment of specific conditions, wherein students, relying on acquired knowledge, independently identify and comprehend educational problems

The essence of the activity approach constitutes the cognitive activity process itself. This process is complex and multifaceted, yet its fundamental components are discernible. For instance, three main points are distinguished in the structure of independent activity:

1) goal setting by the student;

2) selection, identification, and implementation of appropriate methods of action that lead to the solution of the goal (the ability to choose pathways and means for its resolution);

3) performing control operations regarding whether the set goal is achieved by the discovered and utilized methods (the ability to apply learned knowledge and skills in the process of practical implementation of the problem's solution).

Currently, students' independent work forms the basis of the activity approach. Every independent task, being an element of the overall system, is closely and organically connected with all its other elements. This connection arises because all forms of student work in lessons adhere to unified principles. The most fundamental among them is the orientation of tasks towards the formation and development of core concepts in chemistry and biology during the learning process

The formation of universal learning activities (ULAs) is most effectively achieved through the development of students' research skills. Chemistry education inherently involves research, as the scope of issues it studies encompasses the search for and determination of the relationship between the composition and structure of chemical compounds and their properties. Such activity aids in information analysis, identifying the main points in the material, finding rational problem-solving methods, understanding results, and applying them in practice. This type of work poses challenges but fosters greater independence, as it is not merely executive in nature but is presented through a system of specially selected problem-solving tasks

One of the components of research activity is research skills, defined as a system of intellectual, practical, and academic work skills necessary for independent learning. The development of research skills in chemistry lessons occurs at various stages of education. In the initial stages of the school course, when conducting chemical experiments during practical and laboratory lessons, students master simple methods of experimental research: methods of working with substances, obtaining them, observing chemical processes, and so forth. Subsequently, the refinement of experimental skills takes place: investigating properties and conducting experiments to identify solutions of substances

Research skills constitute a system of intellectual and practical skills necessary for independently conducting research. Research can be carried out with the aim of acquiring new knowledge, summarizing it, and with the aim of students gaining the ability to apply the acquired knowledge

When constructing a system of research tasks, it is necessary to differentiate the following characteristics of student research:

1) the nature of the educational material (studying a theoretical problem or the properties of a substance);

2) the method of conduct (theoretical analysis, experiment, etc.);

3) the volume and scope of curriculum issues used in the work (conducting research using knowledge from a single topic or from different sections of the course).

When performing a research task, students act in the following order:

1. Familiarization with the content of the task and formulation of the activity's goal.

2. Prediction of directions for task execution and selection of the research method.

3. Conducting the research and evaluating the obtained results in accordance with the set goals.

The teacher creates situations in which students must choose a specific solution path from a range of possible options, or resolve contradictions between existing knowledge and new facts that require theoretical explanation, or realize the necessity of generalizing and synthesizing knowledge to explain a new fact, phenomenon, or process. Such situations stimulate students' interest in active intellectual activity.

2.2. Developing Research Skills through Chemistry Experiments

Let us now focus on methodological issues concerning the characteristics of independent research-oriented activity and understand the signs and structure of student research. Student research activity can be understood as a set of search-oriented actions that lead to the discovery of facts, theoretical knowledge, and methods of activity previously unknown to the students. In this way, students become acquainted with the basic research methods during chemistry lessons and acquire the skills of independently gaining knowledge.

Chemical experimentation should serve to develop students' research skills, ensuring autonomous thinking and the validation of hypotheses.

Example 1: Predicting Properties of an Element.

A research task can be given when determining the properties of a specific substance based on acquired theoretical knowledge. For example, students are presented with the following assignment: hypothesize the characteristics of calcium, knowing that the properties of substances are determined by atomic structure, type of chemical bond, and type of crystal lattice. Students know that studying chemical properties means understanding which chemical reactions this substance will participate in with representatives of other classes of inorganic compounds.

Based on this knowledge, a review plan is developed:

1. Determine the atomic structure, type of chemical bond, and type of crystal lattice; predict their properties.

2. Investigate the substance's reactions with other substances: simple (metals, non-metals), complex (water, acids, bases, salts).

Students can predict the possibility and conditions of various reactions. Independent research work is successfully employed only if students are purposefully prepared for such activity. The ability to engage the necessary knowledge for students to solve problems present in a research task is a complex learning skill

Example 2: Experimental Determination of Oxide Nature.

For example, we present the following task to 8th-grade students, which they will perform experimentally.

Task: Experimentally determine the chemical nature of the provided oxide.

Each student is given copper (II) oxide in an unlabeled test tube, and we suggest they express their thoughts on the sequence of actions before starting the work.

Students offer the following reasoning: "It seems the provided oxide is a metallic oxide because it is solid. Among non-metallic oxides, we know two solid oxides — silicon (IV) oxide and phosphorus (V) oxide — which are white and differ from the black oxide provided. If the investigated oxide reacts with water, then an alkali will form, which can be easily detected with an indicator, for example, phenolphthalein. If the metallic oxide is insoluble, then a reaction with an acid should be performed. In this case, a salt and water should form in the solution. Therefore, you need to conduct two experiments:

1) reaction of the oxide with water and testing the resulting solution with an indicator;

2) interaction of the oxide with an acid.

Students also propose other hypotheses regarding the possible experimental verification of the chemical nature of the unknown oxide, for example, considering: "If the given oxide is basic, and its reaction with water is unknown to us, then we must consider the general property of all basic oxides to interact with acids. From this, to determine the nature of the given oxide, one experiment needs to be conducted: it must be reacted with an acid." When discussing the hypothesis, students' attention should be drawn to the importance of not only the ability to recall known material but also learning to choose a rational method for conducting the experiment. By analyzing the hypotheses put forward, students note the advantage of the second method of investigating the oxide's nature. Only after this do they conduct the experiment. Similarly, students analyze other experimental tasks, for example, those in which they are asked to experimentally verify which substance reacts with which.

When performing tasks, students should work according to a plan:

- systematization of facts, phenomena, processes;

- generation of hypotheses;

- design of an experiment to test the hypothesis;

- development of an experimental plan;

- implementation of the experiment;

- organization of experimental results;

- drawing a conclusion.

2.3. Developing Research Skills through Textual Work

Research skills can also be developed when working with text.

For example, after independently working with the text of a textbook, we suggest answering the following questions:

From what you read, which parts did you already know?

What new things did you learn?

What did I think about?

What more would I like to know about?

Thus, the acquisition of research knowledge and skills by students occurs stage by stage, and the degree of students' independence in their research activity continuously increases. It should be noted that the development of general research skills and abilities in students is impossible within the framework of only one subject area.

The results demonstrate a clear pathway for cultivating research competence in chemistry lessons, aligning with the principles of the State Educational Standard and the systemic-activity approach. The emphasis on independent work, guided inquiry, and problem-solving is critical. The progressive scaffolding of research tasks, moving from teacher-led demonstrations to independent planning and execution, is essential for fostering higher-order thinking skills.

The provided examples illustrate how practical chemistry experiments and theoretical analyses can be structured to encourage genuine scientific inquiry. Students are not merely following instructions but are actively engaged in hypothesis generation, experimental design, data interpretation, and conclusion drawing. This active engagement transforms the learning experience from passive absorption to active construction of knowledge.

Furthermore, integrating textual analysis with research questions reinforces the idea that research is not solely experimental, but also involves critical engagement with existing information. Encouraging students to reflect on their learning and identify gaps in their knowledge (e.g., "What more would I like to know about?") cultivates intellectual curiosity and a proactive approach to learning, which are hallmarks of research competence.

The acknowledgment that research skills transcend individual subjects ("the development of general research skills and abilities in students is impossible within the framework of only one subject area") highlights the interdisciplinary nature of this competence. While chemistry provides an excellent domain for its development, these skills are transferable and reinforced across the curriculum.

The proposed methodology, rooted in the activity approach, addresses the challenge posed by John Dewey: it aims to prepare students not just for yesterday's world, but for tomorrow's, by equipping them with the capacity to inquire, innovate, and continuously learn

Thus, the students' research competencies improvement is a cornerstone of modern education, particularly in scientific disciplines like chemistry. This article has outlined a comprehensive approach rooted in the systemic-activity paradigm, emphasizing independent work, structured inquiry, and a gradual increase in student autonomy.

The key takeaways are:

Shift from passive to active learning: Education must move beyond the mere transmission of ready-made knowledge towards fostering students' self-development and self-awareness through active engagement.

Systemic-Activity Approach: This approach, which prioritizes students' independent cognitive activity, is fundamental to developing research competence.

Progressive Scaffolding: Research activities should be structured to gradually increase in complexity and student independence, moving from teacher-guided tasks to fully independent problem planning and execution.

Multifaceted Skill Development: Research competence encompasses intellectual, practical, and academic skills, which can be honed through both experimental work (hypothesis generation, experimental design, data analysis) and textual analysis (critical reading, reflection, identifying knowledge gaps).

Interdisciplinary Relevance: While effectively cultivated in chemistry, research skills are universal and require reinforcement across various subject areas.

By implementing such pedagogical strategies, educators can empower students to become active participants in their learning journey, capable of critical thinking, problem-solving, and continuous inquiry — essential attributes for navigating the complexities of the 21st century.