Who is chemistry for?

By 2016-12-21T14:43:00

i stock 178712894

Source: © iStock

Could refocusing chemistry education open doors to students with additional educational needs?

What would happen if we accepted that chemistry education does not have to be based upon ideas about atoms or calculations?

Since the post-war period, science education has been the focus of successive government intervention, but so far the supply of scientists has failed to meet the demand expressed by employers.  Rather than focusing on luring in future specialists, should we not reconsider how to make science appeal to a far wider audience and use this to form the basis of a greater breadth of future recruitment?

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor. 

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

  • unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
  • teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
  • applications for funding to support your lessons

Set up your Teach Chemistry account

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.