Crystallising choices

Equity and inclusion are important issues for any teacher, but they can be particularly important in subjects like chemistry, where it is widely recognised that more needs to be done to increase and diversify participation. There are many benefits that derive from diversifying participation in STEM, including economic prosperity, global sustainability, active citizenship, social mobility and social justice.

The challenge for chemistry is exacerbated by declining chemistry undergraduate recruitment and low rates of retention among chemistry teachers and researchers. While chemistry is the most gender balanced of all the STEM subjects at A-level and undergraduate level, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds remain underrepresented and the participation profile narrows considerably at higher levels.

The evidence

• Interest is not the main issue: most young people aged 10–18 find school science interesting (well done, teachers!), but this interest does not translate into science aspirations. For example, more than 65% of 10–14 year-olds find science interesting, but only about 15% want a career in science.
• Identity mediates interest: the extent of ‘fit’ (or not) a young person experiences between their identity and chemistry mediates their participation, irrespective of attainment, and is shaped by social inequalities and school experiences.
• Science capital shapes participation: science-related capital (resources such as understanding, attitudes, behaviours and social contacts) is important for developing and sustaining a chemistry identity and trajectory – but capital is unequally distributed.
• Chemistry education plays a key role: teachers, curriculums and qualifications can support, or hinder, young people’s chemistry trajectories.

Taking action

So what can you do? Adopting a social justice approach and placing equity and inclusion at the heart of your pedagogy can make a positive difference in young people’s engagement and participation, particularly for those from underrepresented communities.

But taking an equity approach is not just a nice extra – when teachers do not foreground equity issues, the result is not neutral: it reproduces inequalities in participation. Actively changing practice is essential to prevent the perception that ‘chemistry is not for me’ from crystallising.

The good news is that even small changes can make a big difference. We’ve worked with teachers to co-develop free, accessible tools and approaches to support equitable practice. You can use them in your teaching.