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Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education: Preparing Global Citizens for a Sustainable Future

ACS Webinars
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Chemistry is the central science. However, research indicates that current methods of chemistry teaching and learning do not always prepare students to understand and address the complex global challenges that they will encounter in their lives, such as climate change, energy for our future, food security, and planetary sustainability.

It has recently been suggested that a systems thinking approach can not only help students learn chemistry content meaningfully, but to develop the knowledge and skills they need to take informed action to address these global challenges. Join Peter Mahaffy of The Kings University, Edmonton and MaryKay Orgill of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas as they introduce the essential characteristics of a systems thinking approach in chemistry education through an example that is appropriate for a general chemistry course as well as discuss why a systems thinking approach can prepare students to be global citizens that support a sustainable future.  

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What You Will Learn

  • What a systems thinking approach looks like in chemistry education: its essential characteristics and the benefits of its use
  • How a systems thinking approach differs from and extends upon a context-based approach to chemistry teaching and learning
  •  How a systems thinking approach can prepare students to become global citizens capable of taking informed action to support planetary sustainability
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Experts

Peter Mahaffy
The Kings University, Edmonton

MaryKay Orgill
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

David Constable
American Chemical Society

Co-Producers

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