Material world: learning and teaching chemistry

 In the Australian National Curriculum, the science understanding of overarching ideas of matter and energy covers science topics in the conceptual area of chemistry, such as the properties, forms and uses of different materials, the states of matter (solid, liquid and gas), and energy, such as forces, movement and electricity. This chapter focusses on explaining the abstract science ideas related to matter and energy through the use of appropriate vocabulary, examining ways of organising knowledge and linking scientific models and theories to observations and experiences. The particle model of matter is used to explain common observations, demonstrating the value of scientific inquiry and the role of models and representations in scientific thinking. A directed inquiry teaching approach in which there is a focus on the use of representations is recommended for these abstract topics. Representations are a vital component of communicating the abstract ideas of matter and energy. The use of the pedagogical approach in which students construct and evaluate representations of scientific ideas is used in the negotiation and development of their understandings.

The effect of a rapid heating rate, mechanical vibration and surfactant chemistry on the structure-property relationships of epoxy/clay nanocomposites

The role of processing conditions and intercalant chemistry in montmorillonite clays on the dispersion, morphology and mechanical properties of two epoxy/clay nanocomposite systems was investigated in this paper. This work highlights the importance of employing complementary techniques (X-ray diffraction, small angle X-ray scattering, optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy) to correlate nanomorphology to macroscale properties. Materials were prepared using an out of autoclave manufacturing process equipped to generate rapid heating rates and mechanical vibration. The results suggested that the quaternary ammonium surfactant on C30B clay reacted with the epoxy during cure, while the primary ammonium surfactant (I.30E) catalysed the polymerisation reaction. These effects led to important differences in nanocomposite clay morphologies. The use of mechanical vibration at 4 Hz prior to matrix gelation was found to facilitate clay dispersion and to reduce the area fraction of I.30E clay agglomerates in addition to increasing flexural strength by over 40%.

The signature pedagogy in chemistry education

Laboratories are the signature pedagogy in chemistry education. The chemical sciences are based in investigations that are reproducible, and objectively testable. Some investigations might involve testing a hypothesis – does a carbonate produce carbon dioxide gas when reacted with acid? Other activities may not have an obvious hypothesis – how much salt is in this detergent package? Nevertheless, laboratory work is a distinctive part of science generally, and of chemistry in particular.

Laboratory work is a significant part of working in the chemistry profession. The best way for students to learn what scientists do, is to do what scientists do. The only way to conduct a laboratory investigation is to get into a laboratory and to do it!

Learning and doing chemistry in a laboratory is an important and irreplaceable part of a chemistry education.

The development of theoretical frameworks for understanding the learning of chemistry

Chemistry has unique characteristics that make it a difficult subject to understand including the abstract concepts, the three levels of representation of matter – the macroscopic level, the sub-microscopic level and the symbolic level, and the complexities concerning the representational and theoretical qualities and the reality of each level. Drawing on data from a study with first year university students learning introductory chemistry, this chapter looks at how these students’ understandings of the characteristics of chemistry influence the way they understand and learn chemistry. Two theoretical frameworks to describe how chemical concepts can be presented and understood are developed based on the research data: the expanding triangle and the rising iceberg. The aim of the frameworks are to further develop the ways of thinking about how students learn chemistry thereby developing a chemical epistemology – that is, an understanding of the knowledge of how chemical ideas are built and an understanding of the way of knowing about chemical processes. These two frameworks are proposed as useful tools for chemistry educators to better understand students learning, linking chemical education research to practice so as to inform pedagogical content knowledge. Chemical education research can be theoretical and is sometimes criticised for not impacting on teachers practice, so the pedagogy of chemistry teachers is discussed with the aim of exploring ways the two frameworks can be useful in developing teachers’ professional understandings of learning and teaching chemistry to promote changes in their practice and support student understandings.

Learning how to teach chemistry with technology: pre-service teachers’ experiences with integrating technology into their learning and teaching

The Australian Government initiative, Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF), was a targeted response to improve the preparation of future teachers with integrating technology into their practice. This paper reports on TTF research involving 28 preservice teachers undertaking a chemistry curriculum studies unit that adopted a technological focus. For chemistry teaching the results showed that technological knowledge augmented the fundamental pedagogical knowledge necessary for teaching chemistry content. All the pre-service teachers demonstrated an understanding of the role of technology in teaching and learning and reported an increased skill level in a variety of technologies, many they had not used previously. Some students were sceptical about this learning when schools did not have technological resources available. This paper argues that teacher education courses should include technological skills that match those available in schools, as well as introduce new technologies to support a change in the culture of using technology in schools.

Understanding and applying fused [n] polynorbornane scaffolds in supramolecular chemistry

The research here provides a better understanding of how the fused [n]polynorbornane framework effects the binding of anions (by exploring a case of regioselective binding) as well as exploring new ways of incorporating the rigid framework into a natural setting (stapled peptide).