Identification of difficult topics in the teaching and learning of Chemistry in Irish schools and the development of an intervention programme to target some of these difficulties

The rationale for carrying out this research project lies in the well documented findings in the literature that most students at secondary school find chemistry to be a difficult subject. This is due to the conceptually demanding nature of the subject giving rise to low participation rates at Leaving Certificate level. Only 7,000 students approximately take Leaving Certificate chemistry, a participation rate of only 13% of Leaving Certificate students.