Putting chemistry in context

All of us who teach chemistry know the wonder of our subject. Chemistry is central to designing new medicines, developing new sources of energy and analysing contaminants in our food chain. An understanding of chemistry is required to address major issues facing humanity, such as global warming and clean water supply. It truly is the central science.

When we look at our curricula at school and university levels, little of this richness is apparent. The subject is taught in discrete chunks of facts, often disconnected. Chemistry syllabuses have been described as being like a ladder, with rungs representing information. We seem to insist that students must climb each rung of the ladder before getting to the top, before they can see the point of it all. It’s no surprise then that numerous research studies have found that students have difficulty relating concepts and think chemistry is disconnected from everyday life.

Context-based learning (CBL) is an approach that turns these ladders on their side, so they become supports for a platform representing a context. Students are presented the everyday relevance, or context, up front. The teaching of chemistry necessary to understanding the context emanate from this, reaching into appropriate topics, as required. Considered this way, the CBL approach has several benefits.

How does CBL manifest itself in practice? What happens when resources for CBL topics are used in classrooms and lecture halls? Do they live up to their promise? Michael Seery discusses.