ERIC Number: EJ1310373
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Oct
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1756-1108
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Available Date: N/A
Faculty Perspectives Regarding the Integration of Systems Thinking into Chemistry Education
Jackson, Alice; Hurst, Glenn A.
Chemistry Education Research and Practice, v22 n4 p855-865 Oct 2021
Research suggests that systems thinking is beneficial to education and it has been proposed that training students using systems thinking techniques may enhance their abilities to understand and solve some of the global grand challenges that society currently faces as outlined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, before systems thinking can be incorporated into chemistry education, the perceptions of the instructors who would adopt this framework must be investigated. Therefore, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 instructors from the Department of Chemistry at the University of York. Responses were analysed using both qualitative (framework method) and quantitative (Likert-style) techniques. The instructors expressed positive opinions of systems thinking as all participants stated that systems thinking techniques should be implemented into the undergraduate chemistry curriculum to some extent. Examples of anticipated advantages to integrating systems thinking into curricula include benefits to student learning, the facilitation of interdisciplinary teaching/learning, enhanced student employability prospects, and societal benefits. Research has suggested that curriculum reform is only successful with support from instructors and so these positive opinions of systems thinking from participants with expertise from a variety of areas within chemistry show great promise for future implementation.
Descriptors: College Faculty, Teacher Attitudes, Systems Approach, Thinking Skills, Chemistry, Foreign Countries, Undergraduate Students, Interdisciplinary Approach, Integrated Activities
Royal Society of Chemistry. Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WF, UK. Tel: +44-1223 420066; Fax: +44-1223 423623; e-mail: cerp@rsc.org; Web site: http://www.rsc.org/cerp
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
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