Enhancing Students’ Green Chemistry Awareness through Small Scale Chemistry: Evidence from Acid-Base Natural Indicator Experiments

Dimas Gilang Ramadhani, Harjono Harjono, Sigit Priatmoko, Martin Sulistyani, Subhan Subhan

Abstract

Integrasi Small-Scale Chemistry (SSC) dalam pembelajaran kimia merupakan pendekatan inovatif untuk mendukung prinsip Green Chemistry dengan cara meminimalkan penggunaan bahan kimia, meningkatkan keselamatan laboratorium, dan mendorong penggunaan indikator alami yang lebih ramah lingkungan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis bagaimana pelatihan SSC terstruktur memengaruhi persepsi siswa terkait keselamatan, desain ramah lingkungan, kepercayaan diri, dan keberlanjutan. Sebanyak 30 siswa kelas XI SMA Negeri 6 Semarang berpartisipasi dalam kegiatan ini yang dirancang secara kolaboratif oleh Departemen Kimia FMIPA Universitas Negeri Semarang bersama Sogang University dan program LUPIC. Instrumen penelitian berupa kuesioner dengan 8 butir pertanyaan berbasis empat indikator kompetensi. Analisis data dilakukan menggunakan statistik deskriptif, uji reliabilitas, analisis korelasi, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), serta association rule mining dengan dukungan visualisasi. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa dimensi keselamatan dan efisiensi (C1) memperoleh skor tertinggi, sedangkan desain ramah lingkungan (C2) terendah. PCA mengidentifikasi tiga profil siswa: berfokus pada keselamatan, indikator alami, dan keberlanjutan. Analisis lanjutan menegaskan bahwa keberlanjutan (C4) merupakan prediktor terkuat persepsi keseluruhan, serta adanya keterkaitan erat antara desain ramah lingkungan dan keberlanjutan. Temuan ini menegaskan bahwa SSC tidak hanya meningkatkan keterampilan teknis tetapi juga menumbuhkan kesadaran keberlanjutan, sekaligus mendukung SDG 4, SDG 12, dan SDG 13.

The integration of Small-Scale Chemistry (SSC) into chemistry education represents an innovative approach to supporting Green Chemistry principles by minimizing reagent use, enhancing laboratory safety, and promoting the use of natural indicators as environmentally friendly alternatives. This study aimed to evaluate how structured SSC training influenced students’ perceptions across four dimensions: safety, eco-friendly design, confidence, and sustainability. A total of 30 Grade XI students from SMA Negeri 6 Semarang participated in this training, collaboratively designed by the Department of Chemistry, FMIPA Universitas Negeri Semarang, in partnership with Sogang University and the LUPIC program. The research instrument was an 8-item questionnaire covering four competency indicators. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, reliability testing, correlation analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and association rule mining supported by visualization. The results indicated that safety and efficiency (C1) scored the highest, while eco-friendly design (C2) was the lowest. PCA revealed three student profiles: safety-focused, natural indicator–focused, and pro-sustainability. Advanced analysis showed that sustainability (C4) was the strongest predictor of overall perception, with strong associations between eco-design and sustainability as well as between natural indicators and confidence. These findings confirm that SSC enhances not only technical competence but also sustainability awareness, contributing directly to SDG 4, SDG 12, and SDG 13.

Keywords

Small-Scale Chemistry; Green Chemistry; Natural Indicators; Laboratory Safety; Sustainability Awareness; Chemistry Education

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.20961/inkuiri.v15i1.108710

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