Longitudinal couplings between interest and conceptual understanding in secondary school chemistry: an activity-based perspective

This paper presents the findings of a three-year longitudinal study (Grades 9–11; N = 756 students in German secondary schools; mean starting age = 14.7 years) that explores the development of and the interplay between upper-secondary students’ individual interest and conceptual understanding in chemistry. Students’ individual interest was assessed in seven dimensions of school science activities (realistic, investigative, artistic, social,...