WHY ARE STUDENTS NOT ATTRACTED BY PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY? Sérgio C. Leal 1,2 , João Paulo Leal 1,3 1 Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, FCUL, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal 2 Escola Secundária de Albufeira 3 Unidade de Ciências Químicas e Radiofarmaceuticas, ITN, 2686-953 Sacavém E-mail: sergioleal20@gmail.com Abstract Nowadays students show lack of motivation when learning science, for instance physics and chemistry, which is accentuated through their academic path. This fact is obvious when we see children asking a lot of questions in the first years of age which disappear in time. The situation mentioned before suggests, among other factors, a classic approach and a missing contextualization of the scientific concepts. The present academic approach suggests that e-learning will become a normal part of the university practice over time, complementing traditional methods and that students will expect e-tools and practices be in place to enhance and support their learning. A study of 2006 [1] says that experimental work and new technologies are resources to increase motivation of students in learning science. Keywords - Innovation, technology, teaching/learning, science, motivation. 1 INTRODUCTION The Ministry of Education in Portugal intend to contribute to the increase of scientific literacy of students, allowing that the learning process has different velocities. Furthermore, schools and teachers have to organize/adapt the curriculum of each scientific area, according to students they have at school [2]. A study from Berkeley University [3] defends an approach on Science, Technology, Society and Environment that will contribute to the increase of students’ scientific literacy. Other study [4] says that students need to participate in their process of learning, which improves positive results. Only students that understand the importance physics and chemistry have in our lives are interested in studying science. The pedagogical practice needs to valorise activities that promote students’ scientific knowledge and diversified ways of intervention/participation of students in classrooms, bringing discussion opportunities to classes. These pedagogical practices also need to promote the use in classrooms of new technologies and experimental work [5,6,7,8]. 2 OBJECTIVES Physics and Chemistry in Portugal are frequently rejected by students because of the referred difficulty of their curricula [4]. However, Physics and Chemistry are important subjects to the construction of students’ scientific literacy knowledge and to their academic path in our technological society. The essential objective of this study is to propose ways to invert this process, giving several and diversified proposals to increase students’ interest and motivation in scientific areas such as physics and chemistry. To achieve this goal we are essentially using two channels: new technologies and experimental work.