Abstract:

The 21st century, marked by rapid technological change and growing complexity, demands that individuals develop skills that enable adaptability, problem-solving, and effective participation in modern society. Within the field of education, this need is reflected on the promotion of 4C’s (critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication) as fundamental competencies for student learning. These skills help learners analyze information, generate new ideas, work constructively with others, and communicate their understanding with clarity.

Wetting phenomena describe the interaction between a liquid and a solid surface, where the balance between intermolecular cohesion and interfacial adhesion determines macroscopic outcomes such as droplet geometry and the equilibrium contact angle, the primary quantitative indicator of wetting. Wetting behavior is further influenced by surface roughness, where micro- and nanoscale structuring can give rise to phenomena such as the lotus effect, in which hierarchical surface architecture leads to extreme water repellency. Understanding and manipulating wetting properties constitutes an important part of modern nanotechnology, enabling applications across a wide range of scientific and technological fields.

Wetting phenomena offer a particularly advantageous topic for promoting 4C’s skills because it combines observable macroscopic behaviors with complex scientific principles that require analysis, interpretation, and creative reasoning. Investigating how surface roughness influence wetting encourages critical thinking, explanation-building and solution design rooted in real-world contexts, while the inherently interdisciplinary nature of nanotechnology supports collaboration and purposeful communication across scientific and technological domains.

In this study, a teaching approach for wetting phenomena was designed using the 5E model (Engage–Explore–Explain–Elaborate–Evaluate) and the KWHL chart (Know–Want to know–How to learn–Learned) to guide student reflection. The intervention incorporated hands-on activities with observational instruments, digital measurement tools and simulations, and an out-of-school visit to enrich students’ engagement with real scientific practice. The intervention is carried out with 20 middle-school students participating in a science club.

Across the teaching units, the intervention gradually develops students’ 21st-century skills. Critical thinking is promoted as learners compare observations across macro-, micro-, and nano-scales, evaluate evidence, and justify causal explanations through reflective documentation. Creativity emerges when students construct models, propose mechanisms, design products, and create presentations to communicate their findings. Collaboration is supported through group investigations, shared roles during experimental tasks, and collective decision-making in inquiry activities. Communication is strengthened as students engage in structured argumentation, peer discussion, and oral presentation of their final claims and designs.

Keywords:

21st century skills, nanotechnology education, wetting phenomena.