The conference has been postponement from January 2021 to July 2022.
Meeting of the education experts
Provisional Programme Themes
- Curriculum and systems thinking in chemistry education
This theme embraces the place of chemistry in the curriculum of whatever programme is taught, be it at school or tertiary level. Included in this theme are ideas of sequencing of concepts, overarching ideas which embrace concepts, whether and how the type of chemistry taught should differ with the context in which it is taught, and the complexity of the systems within which chemistry operates. The theme also considers the best level for teaching particular concepts and the depth to which they should be taught.
- Cognition
This well-established theme in chemistry interrogates the way chemistry is best learnt, the kind of prior knowledge of concepts students bring to the study of chemistry and the application of various learning theories to the teaching of chemistry. A prominent line of research under this theme is the use of teaching sequences in the learning of chemistry.
- Context and diversity in chemistry education
This theme embraces the methods of setting the teaching of chemistry in context such as science, technology and society (STS) approaches and the use of applications as the starting point for learning of chemistry. This theme also includes debates on transformation and decolonisation.
- Teacher education, development and learning communities
This theme would include any consideration of the initial preparation of chemistry teachers and their subsequent development. It includes studies on communities of practice and professional learning communities for teachers.
- Teacher knowledge
This theme includes any research and practice which investigates various types of teacher knowledge important for chemistry teachers including pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), content knowledge, orientations towards teaching and others.
- Assessment
Assessment, often considered as the tail that wags the educational dog, is central to any discipline and this theme will include all types of assessment both formative and summative. Of specific interest are studies addressing efficiency and effectiveness of instruction.
- Practical work in chemistry
In these days of simulations and technology the actual performance of experiments is often neglected, especially at school level. This theme embraces all types of practical work both virtual and physical. How can educators incorporate virtual laboratories while at the same time teaching manipulative skills and containing the costs of running laboratories?
- Linking chemistry to industry
The chemical industry is still a central part of most economies and how to teach chemists for industry is an important concern. This theme considers the latter but also how to teach both scientists and citizens about industry and associated concepts such as ethics and green chemistry.
- Chemistry and the environment
Chemistry in the environment can be considered as chemistry outside the test tube and is of importance to both scientists and citizens. How does one educate both chemistry students and the general public about environmental chemistry concepts important to all of us, with specific reference to the sustainable development goals advocated by the UN? How are issues related to chemical security education disseminated?
- Modelling in the teaching of chemistry
Models and modelling are frequently used as instructional tools or processes in chemistry education and are thought to be beneficial to student learning in chemistry. Studies elucidating best practice would be included in this theme.
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