Tools of Chemistry Education Research


Book Description

A companion to 'Nuts and Bolts of Chemical Education Research', 'Tools of Chemistry Education Research' provides a continuation of the dialogue regarding chemistry education research.




Relevant Chemistry Education


Book Description

This book is aimed at chemistry teachers, teacher educators, chemistry education researchers, and all those who are interested in increasing the relevance of chemistry teaching and learning as well as students' perception of it. The book consists of 20 chapters. Each chapter focuses on a certain issue related to the relevance of chemistry education. These chapters are based on a recently suggested model of the relevance of science education, encompassing individual, societal, and vocational relevance, its present and future implications, as well as its intrinsic and extrinsic aspects. “Two highly distinguished chemical educators, Ingo Eilks and AviHofstein, have brought together 40 internationally renowned colleagues from 16 countries to offer an authoritative view of chemistry teaching today. Between them, the authors, in 20 chapters, give an exceptional description of the current state of chemical education and signpost the future in both research and in the classroom. There is special emphasis on the many attempts to enthuse students with an understanding of the central science, chemistry, which will be helped by having an appreciation of the role of the science in today’s world. Themes which transcend all education such as collaborative work, communication skills, attitudes, inquiry learning and teaching, and problem solving are covered in detail and used in the context of teaching modern chemistry. The book is divided into four parts which describe the individual, the societal, the vocational and economic, and the non-formal dimensions and the editors bring all the disparate leads into a coherent narrative, that will be highly satisfying to experienced and new researchers and to teachers with the daunting task of teaching such an intellectually demanding subject. Just a brief glance at the index and the references will convince anyone interested in chemical education that this book is well worth studying; it is scholarly and readable and has tackled the most important issues in chemical education today and in the foreseeable future.” – Professor David Waddington, Emeritus Professor in Chemistry Education, University of York, United Kingdom




Argumentation in Chemistry Education


Book Description

Many studies have highlighted the importance of discourse in scientific understanding. Argumentation is a form of scientific discourse that plays a central role in the building of explanations, models and theories. Scientists use arguments to relate the evidence that they select from their investigations and to justify the claims that they make about their observations. The implication is that argumentation is a scientific habit of mind that needs to be appropriated by students and explicitly taught through suitable instruction. Edited by Sibel Erduran, an internationally recognised expert in chemistry education, this book brings together leading researchers to draw attention to research, policy and practice around the inclusion of argumentation in chemistry education. Split into three sections: Research on Argumentation in Chemistry Education, Resources and Strategies on Argumentation in Chemistry Education, and Argumentation in Context, this book blends practical resources and strategies with research-based evidence. The book contains state of the art research and offers educators a balanced perspective on the theory and practice of argumentation in chemistry education.




Foundations for Teaching Chemistry


Book Description

Chemistry is a subject that has the power to engage and enthuse students but also to mystify and confound them. Effective chemistry teaching requires a strong foundation of subject knowledge and the ability to transform this into teachable content which is meaningful for students. Drawing on pedagogical principles and research into the difficulties that many students have when studying chemical concepts, this essential text presents the core ideas of chemistry to support new and trainee chemistry teachers, including non-specialists. The book focuses on the foundational ideas that are fundamental to and link topics across the discipline of chemistry and considers how these often complex notions can be effectively presented to students without compromising on scientific authenticity. Chapters cover: the nature of chemistry as a science the chemistry triplet substances and purity in chemistry the periodic table energy in chemistry and chemical bonding contextualising and integrating chemical knowledge Whilst there are a good many books describing chemistry and many others that offer general pedagogic guidance on teaching science, Foundations for Teaching Chemistry provides accounts of core chemical topics from a teaching perspective and offers new and experienced teachers support in developing their own ‘chemical knowledge for teaching’.




Nuts and Bolts of Chemical Education Research


Book Description

The purpose of this book is to address the key elements of planning chemical education research projects and educational outreach/evaluation components of science grants from a pragmatic point of view.




Chemical Education: Towards Research-based Practice


Book Description

Chemical education is essential to everybody because it deals with ideas that play major roles in personal, social, and economic decisions. This book is based on three principles: that all aspects of chemical education should be associated with research; that the development of opportunities for chemical education should be both a continuous process and be linked to research; and that the professional development of all those associated with chemical education should make extensive and diverse use of that research. It is intended for: pre-service and practising chemistry teachers and lecturers; chemistry teacher educators; chemical education researchers; the designers and managers of formal chemical curricula; informal chemical educators; authors of textbooks and curriculum support materials; practising chemists and chemical technologists. It addresses: the relation between chemistry and chemical education; curricula for chemical education; teaching and learning about chemical compounds and chemical change; the development of teachers; the development of chemical education as a field of enquiry. This is mainly done in respect of the full range of formal education contexts (schools, universities, vocational colleges) but also in respect of informal education contexts (books, science centres and museums).




Chemistry Education


Book Description

Winner of the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2017 Award This comprehensive collection of top-level contributions provides a thorough review of the vibrant field of chemistry education. Highly-experienced chemistry professors and education experts cover the latest developments in chemistry learning and teaching, as well as the pivotal role of chemistry for shaping a more sustainable future. Adopting a practice-oriented approach, the current challenges and opportunities posed by chemistry education are critically discussed, highlighting the pitfalls that can occur in teaching chemistry and how to circumvent them. The main topics discussed include best practices, project-based education, blended learning and the role of technology, including e-learning, and science visualization. Hands-on recommendations on how to optimally implement innovative strategies of teaching chemistry at university and high-school levels make this book an essential resource for anybody interested in either teaching or learning chemistry more effectively, from experience chemistry professors to secondary school teachers, from educators with no formal training in didactics to frustrated chemistry students.




Research and Practice in Chemistry Education


Book Description

This book brings together fifteen contributions from presenters at the 25th IUPAC International Conference on Chemistry Education 2018, held in Sydney. Written by a highly diverse group of chemistry educators working within different national and institutional contexts with the common goal of improving student learning, the book presents research in multiple facets of the cutting edge of chemistry education, offering insights into the application of learning theories in chemistry combined with practical experience in implementing teaching strategies. The chapters are arranged according to the themes novel pedagogies, dynamic teaching environments, new approaches in assessment and professional skills – each of which is of substantial current interest to the science education communities. Providing an overview of contemporary practice, this book helps improve student learning outcomes. Many of the teaching strategies presented are transferable to other disciplines and are of great interest to the global community of tertiary chemistry educators as well as readers in the areas of secondary STEM education and other disciplines.




Transforming Teacher Education Through the Epistemic Core of Chemistry


Book Description

This book synthesizes theoretical perspectives, empirical evidence and practical strategies for improving teacher education in chemistry. Many chemistry lessons involve mindless “cookbook” activities where students and teachers follow recipes, memorise formulae and recall facts without understanding how and why knowledge in chemistry works. Capitalising on traditionally disparate areas of research, the book investigates how to make chemistry education more meaningful for both students and teachers. It provides an example of how theory and practice in chemistry education can be bridged. It reflects on the nature of knowledge in chemistry by referring to theoretical perspectives from philosophy of chemistry. It draws on empirical evidence from research on teacher education, and illustrates concrete strategies and resources that can be used by teacher educators. The book describes the design and implementation of an innovative teacher education project to show the impact of an intervention on pre-service teachers. The book shows how, by making use of visual representations and analogies, the project makes some fairly abstract and complex ideas accessible to pre-service teachers.




Theoretical Frameworks for Research in Chemistry/science Education


Book Description

Part of the Prentice Hall Series in Educational Innovation, this concise new volume is the first book devoted entirely to describing and critiquing the various theoretical frameworks used in chemistry education/science education research – with explicit examples of related studies. Provides a broad spectrum of theoretical perspectives upon which readers can base educational research. Includes an extensive list of relevant references. Presents a consistent framework for each subject area/chapter. A useful guide for practicing chemists, chemistry instructors, and chemistry educators for learning how to do basic educational research within the context of their own instructional laboratories and classrooms.