DEVELOPING STUDENTS’ INQUIRY-BASED COMPETENCE THROUGH TECHNOLOGIES FOR TEACHING THE CHEMISTRY OF ELEMENTS

Abstract

One of the key priorities of the modern education system is the development of students’ functional literacy, research culture, critical thinking skills, and the ability to effectively apply acquired knowledge in real-life situations. In this regard, enhancing students’ cognitive activity and fostering their research competence in the teaching of natural science subjects, particularly chemistry, has become an important educational objective. Research competence encompasses students’ ability to independently search for scientific information, analyze, compare, and systematize data, conduct investigations, and draw evidence-based conclusions.

This article examines the development of students’ research competence through the study of element chemistry based on inquiry-oriented learning technologies. The study analyzes the theoretical foundations of the competency-based approach and identifies the structural components of research competence. In addition, a scientific and methodological model for teaching element chemistry is proposed, and its effectiveness is substantiated through the results of a pedagogical experiment. The findings demonstrate that inquiry-based learning has a positive impact on students’ cognitive engagement, scientific thinking, creative potential, and the quality of subject-specific knowledge. Furthermore, the implementation of research-oriented instructional strategies contributes to the development of independent learning skills and promotes students’ readiness for lifelong learning and scientific inquiry.