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The Nature of Chemical Knowledge and Chemical Education

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Chemical Education: Towards Research-based Practice

Part of the book series: Science & Technology Education Library ((CTISE,volume 17))

Conclusions

In this chapter we have argued that chemistry education needs to be reconceptualised to incorporate salient themes from the emerging field of philosophy of chemistry. We have outlined an example framework for the application of philosophy of chemistry in chemistry education. In particular we have presented reduction, explanation, laws and supervenience as critical themes that provide the foundation for philosophy of chemistry, and have suggested some implications for theories of learning, curriculum design and teacher education. In so doing, we have indicated that future efforts in the inclusion of HPS in science education will need to take domain-specificity of disciplinary knowledge more seriously. The application of philosophy of chemistry in chemistry education has the potential to make Schwab’s foreseen recommendations for effective science teaching a reality.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. King’s College, University of London, UK

    Sibel Erduran

  2. University of California at Los Angeles, USA

    Eric Scerri

Authors
  1. Sibel Erduran
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  2. Eric Scerri
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Reading, UK

    John K. Gilbert

  2. Utrecht University, The Netherlands

    Onno De Jong

  3. Federal University of Minas Gerias, Brazil

    Rosária Justi

  4. Curtin University of Technology, Australia

    David F. Treagust

  5. Leiden University, The Netherlands

    Jan H. Van Driel

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© 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Erduran, S., Scerri, E. (2002). The Nature of Chemical Knowledge and Chemical Education. In: Gilbert, J.K., De Jong, O., Justi, R., Treagust, D.F., Van Driel, J.H. (eds) Chemical Education: Towards Research-based Practice. Science & Technology Education Library, vol 17. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47977-X_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47977-X_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-1112-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-47977-9

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