Implementation of socio-scientific issue learning to promote chemical literacy as a strategy to achieve chemistry competency

Chemical literacy as a scientist’s life skill needs to be promoted through teaching and learning activities. This study aims to implement socio-scientific issue (SSI)-based learning to improve chemical literacy skills as a strategy to achieve chemistry competency. The study involved undergraduate students, grouped as SSI versus Direct instruction (DI). The study included designing the SSI model and supporting learning tools, standardization and implementation for teaching Reaction Rate. Teaching using SSI facilitates students to learn chemistry systematically through chemical literacy steps. The SSI model is effective in building chemical literacy in the categories of nominal literacy, functional literacy, conceptual literacy and multidimensional literacy. Chemical literacy based on the assessment of chemistry assignment products is classified as very good. Chemistry learning outcomes in the SSI group are higher than the learning outcomes in the DI group. The magnitude of the normalized gain confirms the effectiveness of the SSI model in improving chemistry learning outcomes. The coefficient of determination ensures a positive correlation between chemical literacy and improving chemistry learning outcomes. The SSI model is interesting and challenging for chemistry teaching, relevant to learner characteristics, and contributes positively to improving chemistry learning outcomes as a strategy to achieve chemistry competency.