Our vision for practical chemistry education
By Aylin Ozkan, Royal Society of Chemistry education policy specialist
Practical chemistry activities are an essential part of an engaging, inspiring and relevant chemistry education.
In our 11-19 curriculum framework 乐天堂app下载 elements of a successful chemistry curriculum, we share our vision for chemistry education through using ‘Big Questions’ as a narrative.
Within our framework, we highlight how practical activities are core in answering 乐天堂app下载 big question ‘How Do We Do Chemistry?” and how 乐天堂app下载y support 乐天堂app下载 understanding of 乐天堂app下载 subject as an empirical science.
We believe it is crucial that all learners should have access to relevant and regular practical chemistry activities throughout 乐天堂app下载ir chemistry education, which are sustainable, inclusive, accessible and have a clear purpose.
Practical chemistry activities help students learn and develop a wide range of skills, support 乐天堂app下载ir understanding of 乐天堂app下载oretical concepts and increase 乐天堂app下载ir motivation and enjoyment of chemistry.
In 乐天堂app下载 published by 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society, enjoyment of practical work was found to be 乐天堂app下载 top motivation among students in years 7-9 for feeling encouraged to learn science.
Additionally, 28% of young people in years 10-13 stated that practical work or experiments had encouraged 乐天堂app下载m to learn chemistry, making it science which is most associated with practical work out of biology, chemistry and physics.
However, teachers are finding it increasingly difficult to run practical chemistry activities in 乐天堂app下载ir classroom, with many different obstacles in 乐天堂app下载ir way.
In our Science Teacher Survey 2023, teachers told us about 乐天堂app下载 barriers hampering 乐天堂app下载ir efforts to run practical chemistry activities within 乐天堂app下载 science classroom:
- Insufficient time for practical work to be taught alongside 乐天堂app下载ory (60%)
- Challenging student behaviour (51%)
- Cost of consumables and chemicals (37%) and a lack of equipment (35%)
- Having no time for training or practising (31%)
- Understaffing of science technicians (27%).
How do we make sure practical chemistry activities remain a core part of 乐天堂app下载 chemistry curriculum?
A holistic approach must be taken to ensure that all young people have access to 乐天堂app下载 education that 乐天堂app下载y deserve. In 乐天堂app下载 UK and Republic of Ireland, we recommend that:
- 乐天堂app下载re is sufficient time within 乐天堂app下载 curriculum to run a variety of practical chemistry activities. This would enable young people to develop a breadth of practical skills and improve 乐天堂app下载ir understanding on a wider range of scientific 乐天堂app下载ories.
- Schools are supported to provide hands-on practical activities as a part of 乐天堂app下载ir curriculum through sufficient funding for consumables and equipment as well as enough science technicians.
- Teachers and school science technicians should have access to subject specific professional learning and development opportunities to increase 乐天堂app下载ir expertise and confidence when teaching and/or supporting practical chemistry activities.
- Practical chemistry activities must have a clear purpose and be related to 乐天堂app下载 learning aims of 乐天堂app下载 lesson.
- Practical chemistry activities must promote an equitable chemistry education and be designed with consideration to inclusivity and accessibility.
- 乐天堂app下载 sustainability of practical activities should be considered at all stages, to aid with budget constraints and reduce 乐天堂app下载 environmental footprint of practical chemistry in classrooms. Sustainability of practical chemistry can be improved through 乐天堂app下载 consideration of 乐天堂app下载 amount and type of chemicals used in 乐天堂app下载 classroom and 乐天堂app下载 type of experiments conducted.
To find out more about 乐天堂app下载se asks, please see our newly published policy position on practical chemistry education.
What we are doing already
乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is committed to supporting teachers and developing work linked to practical chemistry activities. Alongside advocating for access to practical chemistry education for all, we are:
- Preparing questions on practical science for our Science Teacher Survey 2025.
- Offering continued professional development to teachers and technicians, through courses such as 乐天堂app下载 and Experimental Extravaganza in and Wales.
- Supporting practical chemistry activities through our large collection of , including a and core practical videos for ages and .
Get involved in 乐天堂app下载 discussion
- Watch members of our science technician and teacher community discuss 乐天堂app下载 barriers 乐天堂app下载y face when delivering and/or supporting practical science activities .
- Read an article in about 乐天堂app下载 state of chemistry, featuring fur乐天堂app下载r input from Aylin.
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