Chemistry Education for a Sustainable and Technological Future: A Finnish Perspective

Chemistry education research, as a subfield of science education, explores teaching and learning through the lens of chemical sciences. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the key themes and developments in chemistry education research conducted at the Chemistry Teacher Education Unit of the University of Helsinki over the past two decades. Drawing on 103 peer-reviewed publications, the analysis identifies two major research emphases: sustainability and modern technology in chemistry education. Sustainability-focused studies highlight climate education, systems thinking, and teacher agency, while technology-oriented research investigates the integration of artificial intelligence, cheminformatics, and molecular modeling into teaching practices. The review also underscores the role of design-based research and the importance of collaboration within scientists, schools, industry, the national LUMA (STEM) Finland network and international partnerships. These efforts contribute significantly to the advancement of formal, non-formal, and informal science education, as well as to the development of research-based teacher education.