WHITHER CHEMICAL EDUCATION? A PERSONAL VIEW

Abstract

It is argued that the needs of Chemistry require that Chemical Education assumes a more central role in the subject. Fewer and fewer of the students entering the subject are 'caught' by it. Just 'teaching' Chemistry is not enough, we need to see the problems that it poses for the students, not just in terms of the subject itself but also in terms of the social and psychological backgrounds of the students. The example of size constancy, which produces culture-dependent problems, is given. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2001, 2, 5-8]