Reflective thinking has become a central concept across different levels of education, particularly in relation to learning and teaching processes (Lin et al., 2025; Rachmad, 2018; Rodgers, 2002; Sengers et al., 2005).  John Dewey (1910, 1933), who played a significant role in the development of the concept of reflective thinking, defined reflective thinking as a “process of careful thinking” and emphasized its importance in educational practices. Taggart and Wilson (1998), who made important contributions to determining the strategies to be developed to encourage the dissemination of reflective thinking in educational settings, suggested that reflection can occur at different levels and that progress between these levels is possible through reflective practices. When examined in the field of education, reflective thinking skills significantly contribute to the development of higher-order thinking skills by supporting individuals' systematic and continuous questioning processes (Bosch, Härkki & Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, 2025; Mann, Gordon & MacLeod, 2009; Osterman & Kottkamp, 1993). Thus, students with reflective thinking skills have the opportunity to be in learning environments where they can freely express their thoughts and evaluate them from a critical perspective. In this context, reflective thinking is considered not only a skill that supports individual cognitive processes but also as a means of revealing the meanings students attach to their learning experiences (Chaffey de Leeuw & Finnigan, 2012; Pineda, Villanueva & Tolentino, 2022). Students' reflective questioning of their past and present learning experiences, particularly in the context of changing curricula, makes the effects of curriculum reforms on learning processes visible (Tsingos, Bosnic-Anticevich & Smith, 2014; Zubizarreta, 2009). The comprehensive curriculum changes implemented in Turkey in recent years have made it even more important to examine students' meaning-making processes. In this regard, the “K12 Skills Framework: Turkey Holistic Model” project, implemented in collaboration between the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) and UNICEF, offers an approach that aims to support not only students' acquisition of knowledge but also their holistic development based on skills, attitudes and values (MoNE, 2023a). The project, carried out in collaboration with teachers, programme specialists and academics in the field, has produced a holistic structure consisting of different conceptual skills, social-emotional learning skills, aptitudes, literacy skills and four areas represented by skills in Turkish, mathematics, science and social sciences (MoNE, 2023a). The resulting skills framework led to the emergence of the The Maarif Model Curriculum [TYMM] (MoNE, 2024a). With the changing curriculum, a holistic structure has been created that focuses not only on knowledge but also on skills. This study examines the meaning-making processes of secondary school students experiencing the changing chemistry curriculum (MoNE, 2024b) in relation to chemistry lessons. The research is a case study conducted with 9th and 10th-grade students (aged 15–16). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted at the end of the term and students’ reflective journals. During the analysis process, the students' meaning-making processes regarding chemistry lessons were examined comparatively, focusing on how these processes reflected on the students' future learning approaches and practices. The research questions guiding this study are:

1) How do your current thoughts and perceptions about chemistry lessons differ from your past experiences? What factors have influenced this change?

 2) How have changes in the chemistry curriculum influenced your learning processes? What impact have these changes had on your motivation and participation in chemistry lessons?

This study aims to examine changes in students’ perceptions of chemistry lessons during their transition to secondary school (9th-grade) and those who have completed an academic year with the new curriculum (10th-grade) following the implementation of the revised chemistry teaching programme. The research was conducted within the framework of a case study. This method provides more comprehensive and in-depth answers to research questions. According to Creswell (2007), a case study is a qualitative research approach in which the researcher observes a situation or a limited system and examines it in detail through interviews and various documents, revealing themes related to the situation in the process. Yin (1984) defines case study as a research design that aims to examine complex phenomena in depth within their real-life context, focusing on the questions, how’ and ‘why’. In this study, reflective journals were collected from 9th- and 10th-grade students (n=80) at the end of the academic term. These reflective journals are analysed using content analysis to examine students' individual learning experiences and reflective thinking processes in detail (Merriam, 1998). MAXQDA software was used to code the data during the in-depth analysis of the reflective diaries. In this ongoing analysis, the researcher is coding the reflective journals and individual interviews with students using MAXQDA and creating sub-themes based on these codes. In this process, reflective indicators found in the reflective journals and interviews are categorized using a thematic approach (Glaser, 1965; Glaser & Strauss, 1967).

At the end of the term, students were asked to write reflective journals. These journals are being examined to explore differences between students’ past feelings, thoughts, and perceptions of chemistry lessons and their current perceptions, as well as to identify the factors underlying this change. All data obtained from the reflective journals have been coded and prepared for analysis. As the analysis is ongoing, frequency and percentage distributions related to the identified codes will be presented in detail. Preliminary findings indicate that students emphasise the role of chemistry lessons in solving daily problems when reflecting on the revised curriculum. The student-centred and competency-based structure of the curriculum appears to have enhanced students’ awareness of the connection between chemistry and daily life, encouraging deeper reflection on this relationship. In particular, students’ reflective journals indicate that scientific knowledge acquired in chemistry lessons is meaningfully contextualized through daily experiences, with clear links established between theoretical understanding and practical application. Consistent with these insights, students perceive scientific knowledge not merely as academic content but as a functional tool for addressing real-life problems. Furthermore, an examination of the reflective journals of 10th-grade students, who are experiencing the second year of the revised curriculum, suggests that the competency-based teaching approach supports a greater orientation towards laboratory practices, aligned with subject structures specific to this grade level. This indicates that the practical dimension of the curriculum becomes more visible at higher grade levels. This study aims to critically examine the perspectives of students experiencing the paradigm shift introduced by the new chemistry curriculum, focusing on their perceptions, attitudes, and meaning-making processes related to chemistry lessons. By analyzing the relationships students establish between their past and current learning experiences, the study aims to make visible how curriculum reform reflected in students’ learning processes, motivation, and engagement.

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