Communication pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
ConfChem Conference on A Virtual Colloquium to Sustain and Celebrate IYC 2011 Initiatives in Global Chemical Education: Sustainability and Globalization of Chemistry Education Mei-Hung Chiu* Graduate Institute of Science Education, National Taiwan Normal University, 88 Sec 4 Ting-Chou Road, Taipei, Taiwan 11677 S Supporting Information *
ABSTRACT: Globalization and sustainability of chemistry education are the current objectives for chemistry educators around the globe. IYC 2011 brought us a step closer to realizing these goals with its successful launch of a number of influential and international initiatives. To support chemistry education across the world and maintain the momentum produced from the IYC, this communication highlights several activities that serve to (1) link students from varying levels as well as the public with global chemistry activities, (2) identify key concepts and structures of chemistry for further developing chemistry literacy on a global scale via various channels including the design of international standards for chemistry education, and (3) disseminate research and practical outcomes to teachers and students in all parts of the world. This communication summarizes one of the invited papers to the ConfChem online conference, A Virtual Colloquium to Sustain and Celebrate IYC 2011 Initiatives in Global Chemical Education, held from May 18 to June 28, 2012 and hosted by the ACS DivCHED Committee on Computers in Chemical Education and the IUPAC Committee on Chemistry Education. KEYWORDS: Continuing Education, Elementary/Middle School Science, General Public, High School/Introductory Chemistry, Public Understanding/Outreach, Curriculum, Inquiry-Based/Discovery Learning
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homas Friedman1 stated that globalization brings people closer together by reducing the economic, political, and sociocultural distance between them. The international relations that underscore globalization must also be emphasized in science education. Chiu and Duit2 pointed out how globalization processes have to be taken into account in science education policy and science education research as well as in planning and performing science instruction. The same applies to chemistry education. Although each nation has its own educational environment, problems, and problem-solving strategies and policies, it is imperative that we all understand our social responsibility as global citizens to elicit excellence in education at every level and from every location. Chemistry educators, spurred on by the IYC, embrace the challenges of globalization. The three approaches highlighted below resulted from the IYC 2011 and demonstrate potential pathways for developing interest in chemistry, increasing motivation to pursue chemistry education, and introducing means for raising chemistry fluency around the world. This communication also addresses the next steps chemistry educators need to consider in the campaign for globalization especially in light of the initiatives of the IYC.
the GWE and to extend its positive influence, the design of the global experiment activities (GEAs) possesses some basic components to facilitate its success across the globe such as ease of access, connection to people’s lives, demonstration of diverse values, bias (gender and race) free, low-cost for chemicals and equipment, and presence of inquiry approach opportunities for all students. Also, involving faculty and students from departments of chemistry in these types of activities offers a sustainable channel for developing meaningful learning experiences in chemistry education, both for chemistry and nonchemistry majors. In addition, collaboration among different organizations and teacher associations ensures that educators and students get the maximum benefit from these context- and inquiry-based learning tasks. Although the impact of GWE on teachers and students has not been analyzed systematically to show its “real” success, the GWE should be considered an inspiring initiative and used as a model for encouraging policymakers and teachers to pay more attention to hands-on as well as minds-on learning through these types of authentic learning experiences. On the one hand, we need to make GEAs a regular part of international events so that the general public as well as students are made aware of the value of chemistry. On the other hand, we also need to have an evaluation program to assess the impact of GWE and provide recommendations for the future based on the outcome data.
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PROMOTING GLOBALIZATION VIA GLOBAL EXPERIMENT ACTIVITIES The Global Water Experiment (GWE) was initiated in 2011 to celebrate the International Year of Chemistry (IYC).3 The details and success stories associated with the GWE have been thoroughly described elsewhere.4 To sustain the momentum of © 2013 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
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PROMOTING GLOBALIZATION VIA ESTABLISHING ISCE The purpose of setting international standards for chemistry education (ISCE) is not meant to increase the burden or content learning for future students, but is meant to ensure equality and equity of learning outcomes for all students. And more important, it intends to increase the quality of chemistry education to cultivate learners’ competency in seven perspectives: content knowledge, contextual learning, communication (with symbols, words, language, etc.), critical thinking and inquiry, connections among different disciplines, creativity, and commitment to chemistry (see Figure 1). The establish-
chemistry education as it moves to promote globalization and sustainability. As mentioned earlier, language and technology should not be barriers that prevent teachers from being educated for professional development of pedagogical content knowledge or informed about the products of research that could be easily adopted in school science instruction and laboratory work.6 Taking the advantages of technology into consideration, outreach to teachers should be promoted via various channels, such as books, journal articles, conferences, and e-materials. Of course, traditional print materials are still useful sources for teachers in remote areas. Sponsorships with sustainable grants for nonprofit organizations should be continuously organized to assist in the dissemination of educational outcomes to all people so future generations can benefit from today’s advancements and contribute to tomorrow’s achievements. Finally, to increase awareness of the impact of chemistry on daily life, to appreciate how chemistry literacy helps people think scientifically, critically, and creatively, and to link research outcomes with school practice, chemistry educators have to pay more attention to issues related to globalization and sustainability and to empower teachers and students across the world. In sum, globalization provides a means for continuous international collaboration on research and practice in chemistry education. Therefore, today’s chemistry educators and researchers have to move away from the perspective of competition and toward the long-term goal of collaboration for globalization. This paper was discussed from June 22−June 28 during the spring 2012 Conf Chem online conference, A Virtual Colloquium to Sustain and Celebrate IYC 2011 Initiatives in Global Chemical Education. The original article is available as a supporting document. This conference was jointly hosted by the ACS DivCHED Committee on Computers in Chemical Education (CCCE) and the IUPAC Committee on Chemistry Education (CCE) and can be accessed at http://www.ccce.divched.org/ spring2012confchem.
Figure 1. Seven Cs for chemistry literacy.
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ment of international standards will also facilitate teaching of the fundamental requirements for preparing students to live and work in today’s rapidly changing scientific and technological world. Although not all students will choose chemistryrelated careers, these standards presuppose that all students need to be motivated and inspired to better understand and appreciate the contribution of chemistry, engineering, and technology in their lives. Although it is still challenging to create common courses across countries (such as some courses in Europe), it seems that linking chemistry educators to collaboratively identify the core concepts and structure of chemistry knowledge is essential for different grades of learners.
ASSOCIATED CONTENT
S Supporting Information *
Full paper from the ConfChem conference. This material is available via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*E-mail:
[email protected]. Notes
The authors declare no competing financial interest.
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PROMOTING GLOBALIZATION VIA DISSEMINATING EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES In this technological era, even though limited access to technology still exists in some rural or disadvantaged places, the boundaries between countries no longer serve as barriers to the sharing of scientific discoveries and advancements. Research outcomes should be shared internationally regardless of differences in culture and educational systems.5 Such dissemination of educational research findings is necessary to empower chemistry teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and competence. Encouraging collaboration between teacher associations around the world is also a current focus in
REFERENCES
(1) Friedman, T. The world is flatA brief history of the Twenty-First Century; Farrar, Straus & Giroux: New York, 2005. (2) Chiu, M. H.; Duit, R. Globalization: Science education from an international perspective. J. Res. Sci. Teach. 2011, 48 (6), 553−566. (3) Chemistry 2011.Org Home Page. http://www.chemistry2011. org/ (accessed Aug 2013). (4) Martinez, J. G.; Sigamoney, R. The global experiment of the International Year of Chemistry, water: A chemical solution. Chem. Int. 2012, 34 (May−June), 14−17. (5) Committee on Chemistry Education (CCE) of IUPAC has a special program entitled as Flying Chemists Program (FCP) that provides emerging countries means to strengthen teaching and learning of chemistry at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. It
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has been conducted in Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Croatia, Panama, and Mexico. Please see descriptions at http://old.iupac.org/standing/ cce/FCP.html (accessed Aug 2013). (6) A source of translation of materials for global education known as WikiHyperGlossary (WHG) can be found at http://hyperglossary. org/ (accessed Aug 2013).
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