Database of Publications

Date: 2014.05.08

Posted by Mariusz Jarocki (Poland)

Message: The document started with seemingly strange observation, that all chemistry can be reduced to reacting acids and bases. Next, the author discusses a taxonomy and categorisation in Chemistry, in the context of use many part of the science in the real world. Then, he points out that there are three types of student studying Leaving Cert chemistry: interested in the subject, interested in another but related subject and not interested and not having any special intention. The Leaving Cert syllabus has the difficult job of addressing these different types of students.

The author presents own experiences related to teaching photochemistry. His context-based approach suits the Leaving Cert very well identifying several contexts that the course will be delivered through. The considerations end with some interesting conclusions. In the author\'s opinion, students will remember little after the exam. They are not enough motivated to extend their knowledge but they treat the exam as a simple task to do, without relation to the real world and the rest of courses.

The work should be treated as free, informal consideration about teaching chemistry and students\' perception and motivation. In spite of this, the content is very interesting and relevant to the aim of Chemistry is all around Network project.

Date: 2013.02.02

Posted by Viera Lisá (Slovakia)

Message: This article is interesting by its different approach to teaching chemistry. It emphasises concentration at teaching chemistry with emphasis on the real life and solving real problems more than on theory at school. The author assumes that this is better motivation for students to learn chemistry at school and improve their skills and they will learn more than by a traditional method. In my opinion this approach is debatable because I do not think that teaching should be concentrated only at simple level of chemistry from life but it should be alignment of real models with more difficult technical terms and with symbolic chemical language. Even though students do not realise how electrons or protons move eg. In specie and it is explained to them at the basis of theory it is important for them to have a chance to admire success of human brain and they should be able to explain how the nature is working at microscopic base. The author strongly believes in visual teaching of chemistry based on experience as a connection of theory and practice according to series of examples, real life situations and problems. He considers that context is a key, in his understanding connection of teaching chemistry with reasonable understanding of its function in life. This thesis is very interesting also for me and I will try to use it more in my teaching.

Date: 2012.10.03

Posted by Davide Parmigiani (Italy)

Message: This paper is short but relevant because it underlines a fundamental issue for theaching chemistry (and science in general) in the upper secondary school. It’s not a scientific paper but an opinion reported by a teacher. For this reason, we can not consider this paper as a result of a survey or a study, but it is interesting because it highlights the difficulties that teachers face during their daily work with the students.
The author tells his experience when he presented the “top ten problems facing the world at the moment: energy, water, food, environment, poverty, terrorism & war, disease, education, democracy and population”. What’s the main chemistry’s contribution to deal with this important topics? The author doubts that his students could face this issues on work after a course based on a traditional approach. They need to experience the chemistry connecting the contents to the real world challenges.
For instance, the author contests the programme when it provides to study the scientific method. In his opinion, it would be better to invoke the scientific method through a range of examples and problems and real-world examples.
The central sentence is the last one: Context is the key.
In this way, this provocative document reveals that the author gets angry with the indication of National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), because the final exam requires critical thinking at the last year (the ninth one) while the context for a meaningful science and chemistry teaching is not considered for the previous eight school years.
The author indicates also the three kind of students:
- The first is those with an interest in science;
- The second group are those who study chemistry for another discipline (Medicine or pharmacy);
- Finally there are those who might try chemistry just as a subject to do.
The final question is: how to teach to different groups? The author doesn’t respond.

Date: 2012.09.30

Posted by Anastasia Mylona (Greece)

Message: This is an article with interesting thoughts and suggestions on the subject of chemistry content in primary and secondary educational levels. A very significant approach about the way chemistry should be taught in order to motivate students, stimulate their talents and develop skills really useful in real life. The way basic inorganic and organic chemistry is taught, seems to lead students to sterilized knowledge that usually ends just after the exams.
It s true that the proposed teaching model of chemistry through topics from the real world, trains students at the scientific method of working, and stimulates the interest and encourages students that would never decide to follow studies on a field where chemistry is a prerequisite.
Thus, teaching Chemistry through context seems to be the way to motivate students and the truth is that why not after all, teachers and educational departments should step by step start reconsidering the analytical curriculum in Chemistry.

Date: 2012.09.29

Posted by John Pountos (Greece)

Message: This is a short publication which however makes a very important point which is relevant with students’ motivation to learn chemistry. More specifically, the publication points out the significance of context-based learning for enhancing student interest towards chemistry and for increasing scientific literacy. The author argues characteristically that “instead of worrying about content at the micro-level” students “should all know and be informed about chemistry in the Real World”.
In fact, understanding the usefulness and presence of chemistry in real-life applications is often proposed as one of the remedies for enhancing student interest towards the course. Even though not stated explicitly, the publication implies that teaching only (or mostly) the “pure” chemistry knowledge by using a “mystical” symbolic language can easily be very discouraging for motivation and for engagement in further learning. In my opinion, students do think that chemistry is a dull subject that has no relation with their lives and they do not see the point of making an effort in understanding its symbols and concepts. Teaching chemistry in context could in fact attract their interest and keep them motivated. The paper does not report specific successful experiences in achieving motivation via context-base learning, and if fact this is not the aim of this work.
I could not agree more with the fact that chemistry teachers and most importantly chemistry curricula should actively include context-base learning. However, I also think that chemical reactions, “difficult” concepts and symbolic language should not be excluded. Even though students will of course forget how electrons or protons move from species to species, it is important that they are given the chance to at least admire the great achievement of the human mind to be able to explain how nature works at the microscopic level. In addition, one of the aims of chemistry, and all physical science courses, is to help students develop their logical reasoning and scientific way of thinking. These are qualities that they will be useful to them whatever track their life takes.