Chemistry Teacher International

Conceptual teaching in science education and its implications for pedagogical research have been extensively studied. Likewise, lesson study (LS) has been recognized as a powerful tool for continuous professional development and effective teaching practices. Despite the recognized importance of LS and the affordances of topic-specific PCK (TSPCK) in developing conceptual teaching, the connection between these two approaches in fostering conceptual teaching, remains under-explored within science education. This study aims to explore the development of a conceptual teaching from the dynamic interplay of TSPCK components for teaching a section of organic reactions through a TSPCK-based LS. A qualitative research approach was followed with four teachers from Umkhanyakude district in KwaZulu-Natal. These teachers participated in a TSPCK-based LS to develop a conceptual teaching strategy using Content Representation (CoRe). The findings revealed that teachers progressed from a basic to a developing level of conceptual teaching expertise through LS, as measured by TSPCK component interaction. While the findings are not generalizable, they offer valuable insights into teacher development, highlighting LS as an effective approach for enhancing conceptual teaching in science. This study concludes by recommending large-scale research exploring the role of reflection and feedback during LS in developing conceptual teaching within TSPCK interventions.

We are pleased to present this special issue of the Chemistry Teacher International , showcasing a selection of 15 impactful papers from the 27 th IUPAC International Conference on Chemistry Education (ICCE 2024), held from July 15-19, 2024, at the Royal Cliff Grand Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand. The conference was organized by the Chemical Society of Thailand, in partnership with Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University, and Burapha University. An introduction to the papers along with the background of the conference is given.

The educational content of physical chemistry can be a burden for students who are classified as sensing learners (SL). Therefore, for SL, the lecturer must adapt the educational material reflected in standardizing certain procedures (for example, performing and proving similar expressions–differential changes of thermodynamic potentials) and visualization of abstract concepts and expressions. Here is presented the connection of differential changes of thermodynamic potentials in isentropic conditions with useful work (in the system, there is one exothermic reaction in the quasi-static regime) and with the differential change of internal energy in an adiabatic and isochoric composite system (reactive system + corresponding reservoir) as well as with the differential change of internal energy in the isochoric composite system. When defining an isentropic process (or system), the change in entropy that is a consequence of heat exchange and the change in entropy that is a consequence of a chemical reaction is considered. Differential changes in thermodynamic potentials are also shown schematically, facilitating SL’s mastery of the material.

Chemistry Teacher International (CTI) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal supported by the Committee on Chemistry Education (CCE) of IUPAC and the Division of Chemical Education of EuChemS. The journal aims to serve as a platform for teachers at all levels, with a focus on research in chemistry education. The journal’s primary objective is to disseminate reports of good practice, research articles and reviews with a focus on the teaching and learning of chemistry. Since the publication of the inaugural issue in June 2019, the journal has published 20 issues to date. Five of these issues are dedicated, as special issues, to different topics considered important in chemistry education. We are delighted that CTI has been well-received by readers worldwide. Metrics on impact factors have placed CTI in Q2. The journal has a global reach, with authors contributing from 60 different countries, making it an international platform for scholarly dissemination.

Freezing point depression and boiling point elevation are colligative properties that are taught in many undergraduate science curricula, often by a discussion of the change in chemical potential of the solution, or by referring to interactions between solute and solvent molecules, which evades the major entropy-driven effect. In this teaching proposal, we suggest introducing thermodynamics by a simplified and visual statistical method based on Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution plots that can be related to entropy. This approach allows for an entropy-based explanation of phase transition temperatures, freezing point depression and boiling point elevation. It focuses on showing that these colligative properties, in the limit of ideal systems, are caused exclusively by the increased number of microstates of the solution compared to the pure solvent. The disorder metaphor, which is often used to make the entropy concept more concrete, may be useful to discuss some aspects of this phenomenon. The statistical approach, however, is a more rigorous way to explain the links between molecular motion, entropy, and colligative properties.

Applications of magnetic ionic liquids have been receiving growing interest recently. The magnetic properties of magnetic ionic liquids have been included in high school science textbooks in Japan as an area of possible future development. In the Science Fair event described here, magnetic ionic liquids synthesized in various ratios were correlated with their thermodynamic properties. This article describes Microscale Chemistry for a science fair with a focus on elementary school students as the target audience. Magnetic ionic liquids can be expected to become a new class of materials with potential for further educational applications in a more sustainable way.

The article discusses the knowledge of students in metal corrosion. Usually, resistance of metals against corrosion is determined by the values of the standard electromotive force (EMF) of the metals determined versus the standard hydrogen electrode (SHE). However, the standard conditions differ from the real-world conditions under which metal corrosion occurs, so the standard EMF cannot be accepted as an absolute indication of metal`s resistance to corrosion. This difference is due to many environmental factors (e.g., temperature, pH, pressure, concentrations of hydrogen and oxygen in the environment etc.); thus, the value of metal potential is affected. Therefore, the authors have suggested using stationary (corrosion) potentials of metals and galvanic series instead of the standard EMF in the education process. In the article, the authors present a comparison of metal activity series based on standard EMF and galvanic series. The advantage of the galvanic series offered to students studying corrosion is illustrated by the problematic tasks for light metals (Ti, Mg, and Al) and corrosion galvanic cells. Based on the presented values of the metal potentials in the galvanic series, students were able to correctly choose the type of metal coating, they can calculate the EMF values of the corrosion process more accurate and verify them experimentally during the laboratory session.

This study investigated the challenges first-year bachelor teacher students (N = 24 in experimental and 36 in the control group) face in basic chemistry calculations, a critical aspect of chemistry education. This study investigated the effectiveness of a flipped-classroom model in a Chemistry Calculations course for pre-service teachers during the pandemic-induced shift to online education. A control group, which experienced traditional in-person instruction, and an experimental group, which experienced the flipped-classroom model, were compared. The students’ progress was measured through pre- and post-tests covering five types of chemical calculations, and interviews with 12 students provided additional insights. Results indicated that while students generally handle calculations involving composition of solutions well, they struggle with pH calculations, mixing equations, and balancing chemical equations. The study identified lack of attention to these topics in some secondary schools and students’ difficulties with mathematical concepts as key factors in these challenges. This research aims to guide undergraduate instructors in optimising course content to address these issues, thereby improving students’ performance, and reducing dropout rates. It highlights the need for further investigation into the teaching of chemistry calculations at the secondary level.

The development of standards and guidelines for undergraduate chemistry programs across the globe can ensure that students and faculty have the facilities, curriculum, skills, and infrastructure to support chemistry education. The American Chemical Society began its exploration of standards in the United State in the 1930s culminating in the ACS Approval Program, which currently includes over 700 programs in the United States. In 2019, ACS embarked on the development of an ACS Recognition Program for programs worldwide. The development of guidelines and standards for these related, but not identical, programs is based on the core principles of the ACS and the needs of the broader chemistry education community. It involved an iterative process that included contributions from chemistry professionals, educators, employers, and other stakeholders, with feedback from the broader academic community. The goal of these guidelines and the approval and recognition programs is to ensure that students have an engaged faculty, a safe and inviting space to learn, access to modern instrumentation for teaching and research, a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment in which to learn, and the content knowledge and skills needed for success as a chemical professional.

Shortcomings in the chemical safety and security curriculum in Kurdistan universities and a lack of awareness have led to undesired incidents. Unassessed chemical risks in academic centers challenge compliance with health, safety, and environmental policies. To address this, a pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of a new chemical risk management curriculum. Results showed a 57.4 % increase in participants' knowledge of chemical safety and security principles. Awareness of the distinction between safety and security improved significantly, from 18.8 % to 42.6 %. Interest in learning more about chemical safety rose from 35 % to 50 %. Statistical analysis summarized the findings, including weighted mean, ranked mean, grouped standard deviation, count, and percentages. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test assessed differences between pre-and post-surveys, with a p-value of 0.05 or less confirming statistical significance. This pilot study demonstrates the curriculum's potential to enhance chemical safety and security knowledge, offering a model for other universities to reduce incidents and improve compliance with safety protocols.

The main purpose of this study is to develop a portable syringe experiment kit for easy demonstration of the chemical kinetics of H 2 , C 2 H 2, and CO 2 gas-generating reactions for upper secondary school chemistry classrooms. The main apparatus comprises two large (A and C) and one small (B) Luer-lock-tip syringes connected with a 3-way stopcock. Ignition is applied to test H 2 and C 2 H 2 gases. In contrast, the turbidity of lime water is used to test CO 2 gas. The effects of reactant species and concentrations on the reaction rates were demonstrated. The syringe kit was implemented through the 5E inquiry learning process for a group of 33 grade 11 students, leading to an improvement in their conceptual test scores on chemical reaction rates from 33.94 % to 78.03 %, with a normalized gain in the medium range (< g = 0.67>). This suggests that using the syringe kit within the 5E inquiry learning framework effectively supported students in developing a more accurate conceptual understanding of reaction rates.

Laboratory inspection is an essential component of a comprehensive laboratory safety and security programme. Periodic inspections play a three-pronged approach that minimises the risks, ensures that the laboratories comply with the local regulations, and raises safety and security awareness across the different faculties. However, the current training methodology for laboratory inspection is on the job and may be time-consuming and disruptive to the researchers. The Safety and Health (SH) trainers will need to borrow laboratory space to plant the hazards for every training. Herein, we employed WebVR software, namely Uptale, to design an immersive virtual reality (VR) laboratory inspection training module. With the use of immersive VR technology, SH trainees can have a realistic view of the laboratory, participate remotely, learn and refresh at their own time and pace. SH trainees were first tasked to conduct a VR laboratory inspection to identify and understand the different risks, such as chemical safety and security, present in the laboratory. The SH trainees would then have to complete a quiz and survey to validate the effectiveness of the VR training. With the VR laboratory inspection training module showing success of transiting from in-person on-the-job-training directly to VR, other safety training modules, such as chemical safety, may be transformed from PowerPoint slides to immersive VR.

This special issue is deciated to the teaching of ethics in chemistry education. In this editorial the articles in this special issue are introduced. A short explanation how they fit into this specific special issue is given.

Research on preservice science teacher’s reasoning is comparatively new in a larger field of research on reasoning. This study examines model-based reasoning among preservice science teachers to make recommendations on how reasoning can be fostered within chemistry teacher education. It coalesces over 20 years of a program of research in this area. Firstly, several empirical studies on undergraduate students and their reasoning are examined. Future chemistry teachers are drawn from this pool of undergraduate students. Secondly, empirical studies in preservice teacher education are examined to highlight reasoning among preservice chemistry teachers. Thirdly, recommendations are put forward for future research on the development of scientific reasoning among chemistry teachers as an important facet of chemistry teacher education.

Hebei University of Science and Technology (HEBUST) actively carries out chemical ethics education practices and incorporates chemical ethics modules into the curriculum, aiming to improve students’ morality, responsibility, knowledge and skills. In the teaching of basic courses, relevant content of chemical ethics is introduced to guide students to think about the ethics of chemical. At the same time, the university has built a diversified practical platform and organized students to participate in laboratory research projects. HEBUST invites enterprise engineers to give lectures and carry out “practical month” activities. The design homework of senior students also incorporates ethical considerations to cultivate students’ ability to practice ethical principles in actual engineering. In addition, the school also invited retired experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to give lectures. The relevant majors have passed the Washington Accord certification and the certification of the China Engineering Education Professional Certification Association. External supervision has promoted the continuous deepening of the reform of chemical ethics education. Therefore, HEBUST has provided an effective example for cultivating chemically and engineering-talented people with social responsibility and also provided a reference for other colleges and universities to carry out chemical ethics education.

We present an experimental activity designed for upper secondary students, where a pH scale is constructed taking advantage of the ability of a pH indicator to display different colors according to the pH of the medium. To build the scale, two solutions are prepared: 1 M HCl (pH = 0) and 1 M NaOH (pH = 14). Each original solution undergoes six consecutive 1/10 dilutions, producing acidic solutions with pH values of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; and basic solutions with pH values of 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, and 8. Pure water (nominal pH = 7) serves as the reference. Upon adding the indicator, a beautiful rainbow of colors appears in the solution containers. To connect the experimental results with its mathematical representation, a written exercise is provided for students. This activity allows them to visually understand that, even though the change in pH is only one unit, the change in H ⁺ concentration is 10 times greater or smaller. Thus, pH is an exponential function, best expressed in logarithmic terms.

The chemical bond is the biggest paradigm in chemistry. But at the same time it is notoriously complex to define it. Under the assumption that knowing what we do not know makes better students and lecturers, we succinctly describe three approaches to define the bond (energetic, structural, and orbital), their advantages and especially their failures. We propose that these definitions, including their theoretical, practical and even philosophical issues, should be taught to advanced undergraduate chemistry students as an essential introduction to the chemical bond module of quantum chemistry courses. This is a controversial topic due to the lack of consensus in the chemical bond community over this heavily disputed topic and the conflicting pedagogical approach; however, and maybe because of this controversy, the teaching of the definitions of the chemical bond including their open questions and challenges can be positively instructive. Moreover, we propose that teaching the uncertainties of chemistry, especially in relation to the paradigmatic chemical bond, is an ethical matter.

Ethics considerations are necessary in all human activities. They are particularly important for activities that impact on human wellbeing and society. Chemistry has paramount impacts because of the extensive presence of chemistry-based items in everyday life and their eventual impacts on the environment, which, in turn, affect human beings because humans live in the environment and depend on it. Therefore, it is important to include ethics considerations in chemistry education at all levels and – to a larger extent – in the preparation of chemistry specialists. The present work analyses the main challenges associated with the incorporation of ethics into chemistry courses, and outlines possible promising approaches. When considering chemicals, the major ethical-type terms could be the benefits from their use and the possible harms to human beings or the environment: therefore, the “doing good” ethical concept can be associated with maximising the former and minimising the latter. The ways in which benefits or harms occur can be analysed in terms of the nature of selected chemicals, their usage modes, the routes through which they may enter the environment, and the undesirable effects they may cause through inappropriate usage or through their presence in the environment.

Augmented Reality (AR) is increasingly finding its way in chemistry education, and it is becoming an important teaching tool to help students understand complex chemical phenomena. Forty-six papers from two databases published between 2018 and 2023 on the implementation of AR in chemistry education with empirical quantitative research design, were analysed. The results show that learning effectiveness is the main objective of AR studies. Technology acceptance questionnaires and achievement tests were the most popular data collection instruments. AR was recognised as a useful and easy to use tool that helps students to improve their learning. However, no study has yet been conducted on effectiveness of AR on students’ understanding of the chemical triplet. Also, some challenges were identified related to technical issues with the AR app and teachers’ resistance to using this technology. Further research is needed to test this technology in different learning settings and with different types of learners.

Here we report a practical laboratory that first-year undergraduate students can do in a general chemistry framework to explore both electrochemistry and transition metal chemistry. These laboratory activities focus on the use of saccharides and specifically starch as possible sustainable sources of energy by experimenting with the redox reactions that occur between vanadate ions and different saccharides. Students undergo hands-on experiments in order to see color changes that indicate electron transfer and link to real-world applications of these concepts in energy conversion. To reduce dependency on foreign resources and the economic risks of foreign energy product prices, the experiments employed agricultural products to generate electricity. Through the application of “Sufficiency Economy” philosophy, this work provides students with lessons in sustainable practice and the fundamentals of electrochemistry, which are essential for addressing today’s global challenges.

The experimental domain is central to chemistry education at undergraduate level. It is important that teachers teaching chemistry at this level are oriented with research informed approaches based on work done in chemistry education research. Currently, academic autonomy is being granted to various state colleges affiliated to university system in India and such an orientation is the need of the time. The chemistry group at HBCSE has been conducting capacity building workshops in the experimental domain for chemistry teachers as part of the National Initiative on Undergraduate Science (chemistry) programme. The primary aims are a) present hands-on experiences of experiments developed using inquiry/investigatory approaches and b) help teachers to reflect on related aspects of pedagogy, assessment and content. Often these experiments are selected from the existing lab manuals for teachers to witness how to adapt and modify experiments from their own lab manuals. This paper discusses examples, structure of workshops and feedback from participating teachers who are receptive to these alternative approaches. Conduct of such workshops in regular college set-ups can help teachers to reflect on the existing teaching-learning practices in conventional laboratories. In our opinion, the entire process is equally important to those individuals involved with similar activities globally.

This study focused on investigating the usage of popular innovative technology tools (augmented reality-AR, virtual reality-VR, artificial intelligence-AI, and 3D printing) in organic chemistry education. Although there is bibliometric analysis for the exploration of using innovative technology in educational context, there is further need for research focused on their usage in organic chemistry. Vosviewer and Biblioshiny software were used for bibliometric procedures. The Scopus database was selected to trace the articles published in journals. Following the eligibility process, the study was conducted with 30 articles for the time frame between January 2014 and June 2024. Performance analysis was utilized to reveal publications and citation trends with the top contributors. Bibliographic mapping was used to comprehend the conceptual, intellectual, and social structures of the retrieved data. The results revealed that articles on innovative technology tools have enormously increased in organic chemistry education recently. We found that the first innovative tool among the selected ones that is utilized in organic chemistry education is 3D printing while AI is the latest tool to start to be used in this scope. Although artificial intelligence seems to be the least studied tool among them, its popularity has recently seen an acceleration. VR and AR had the highest average citations per publication.

This qualitative study investigates how teachers perceive and design Small-Scale Chemistry driven STEM Learning Activities (SSC-STEM) in their teaching practice. While small-scale chemistry experiments offer numerous advantages for chemistry education, there is limited research on their integration into STEM education frameworks. This study examined teachers' understanding, perceptions, and lesson design practices when implementing SSC-STEM activities. Fifty teachers from Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines participated in SSC-STEM training. Data were collected through questionnaires that explored teachers' perceptions and analyzed their STEM lesson designs. The findings reveal that teachers demonstrate positive perceptions of SSC-STEM, particularly regarding its potential to foster STEM literacy and environmental consciousness. The analysis of lesson designs showed the successful integration of small-scale chemistry experiments with real-world environmental challenges, although teachers faced challenges in certain implementation aspects. High scores in teamwork (4.63) and self-directed learning (4.73) contrasted with lower scores in teaching performance (2.88) and teaching strategies (2.94), indicating areas needing professional development support. This study contributes to the understanding of how small-scale chemistry can be effectively integrated into STEM education while promoting sustainable development practices. These findings provide insights for teacher preparation programs and curriculum development for implementing integrated STEM approaches using small-scale chemistry experiments.

Choosing an approach is a regular occurrence for chemists, be it for a new synthesis, a change in production, or out of financial necessity. Arriving at a decision which is right for the individual means weighing up options, even making ethical decisions. The interactive teaching approaches described here involve student chemists making choices in situations they may encounter. The goal is not to instruct chemistry students on what is right or wrong but to encourage them to debate issues and to reach a conclusion which they consider to be ethical. Two teaching approaches are described which are adaptable for many different scenarios; the scenarios were developed to encourage discussion about dual-use issues, issues in which chemicals can be used for good or ill. In the first exercise chemists are invited to make a drug using a simple chemical process and answer a range of questions. This is followed by role play to determine if the chemist might sell the drug to profit from it. A further exercise, using a jigsaw technique, with greater opportunity for discussion is also described. More actors, with different agendas, are introduced into the discussion and student chemists explore circumstances they may be in, make decisions and justify choices. Group discussions enable educators to discuss ethical dilemmas.

Chemistry is deeply interconnected with various aspects of sustainability. However, enabling students to analyze these interconnections requires adequate support in learning. Moreover, few studies have explored the connection between students’ perceptions of chemistry learning competencies and their sustainability competencies that could be the basis for improving pedagogical practices. Therefore, this research investigated Filipino Grade 12 students’ perceived performance and relevance of chemistry learning competencies to sustainable development. Moreover, this study explored the students’ sustainability competencies, specifically action competence and critical thinking disposition. The Performance-Relevance Grid Analysis categorized the learning competencies based on the extent of perceived performance and relevance. Furthermore, the analysis also showed a correlation between students’ perceived performance and relevance ( p = 0.015). Additionally, critical thinking disposition was found to be correlated with students’ perceived performance ( p = 0.002) and relevance of chemistry learning competencies ( p = 0.036) as well as with action competence ( p < 0.001). Research findings provide crucial insights for future research and practice that could drive the integration of sustainability in chemistry education. This integration not only enhances the relevance of chemistry, but also encourages students to see the broader implications of their studies in the context of sustainable practices and societal impact.