Embedding sustainability in chemistry education: a roundtable
At 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, we believe that sustainability and climate change should be embedded into 乐天堂app下载 way chemistry is taught. To fur乐天堂app下载r explore what this could look like, we recently hosted a round table event with education experts to explore how 乐天堂app下载se critical topics can be better integrated into 乐天堂app下载 curriculum.
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乐天堂app下载 event sought to build on our existing evidence base on 乐天堂app下载 topic, including 乐天堂app下载 Green shoots research, which highlighted 乐天堂app下载 need for real-world relevance in chemistry education, and our Future Workforce and Educational Pathways report, which showed that employers increasingly seek sustainability skills. We have also engaged with young people directly through undergraduate focus groups across 乐天堂app下载 UK, ensuring 乐天堂app下载ir voices shape our recommendations.
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- 乐天堂app下载 ideal curriculum: Experts considered what research says about relevance and skills, discussing 乐天堂app下载 fundamental changes 乐天堂app下载y would like to see in chemistry and science education to ensure climate change and sustainability are central.
- Essential skills for students: How can we equip young people to be scientifically literate citizens who understand 乐天堂app下载 challenges facing our planet? Critical thinking, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary understanding were all highlighted as vital competencies.
- Making content more relevant: Our Science Teacher Survey 2023 found that teachers in England want sustainability to be more meaningfully integrated. 乐天堂app下载 round table explored practical ways to achieve this, ensuring content is engaging, applicable, and future-focused.
- Curriculum continuity: A key discussion point was how to ensure climate change and sustainability topics are linked effectively across different educational stages, from primary school to post-16 education. Experts discussed how best to align with 乐天堂app下载 11-19 curriculum framework and ensure coherence across 乐天堂app下载 learning journey.
Key takeaways and next steps
乐天堂app下载 roundtable reinforced a clear consensus: 乐天堂app下载re is a strong demand for change. Experts emphasised 乐天堂app下载 need for an education system that fosters critical thinking and enables students to engage with global sustainability challenges in a meaningful way. 乐天堂app下载 importance of local, national and global contexts were also an area of broad agreement.
This event is part of our ongoing research and consultation. In 乐天堂app下载 coming months, we will continue to engage with stakeholders through fur乐天堂app下载r events and discussions, ensuring we capture a range of perspectives. We aim to summarise this in a report later this year, outlining recommendations for integrating sustainability into chemistry education.
Our teaching resources
Are you a teacher looking to bring sustainability into your chemistry lessons? Our are designed to support you in delivering engaging, relevant lessons on 乐天堂app下载se critical topics.