Chemical Thinking
Chemical Thinking is a curriculum designed to introduce college students to chemistry as a powerful way of thinking with multiple applications in critical areas, including human health, environmental protection, and sustainable development. The curriculum has been designed, tested, and implemented at the University of Arizona with the collaboration of instructors, graduate teaching assistants, preceptors, and educational staff who have developed a variety of resources to guide and support student work.
This website describes the main goals of the Chemical Thinking curriculum and its basic structure, and includes some examples of the different educational resources available to chemistry instructors interested in implementing this alternative way of teaching general chemistry. Please, contact us if you have any questions. We welcome your comments.
Check these new resources out to support the teaching of chemistry using a systems thinking approach: SaSTICE
Visit this Youtube site for a video-introduction to planning, implementing, and assessing lessons in this educational framework.
The Chemical Thinking curriculum has been highlighted in a publication by the National Research Council that describes innovative evidence-based approaches to teaching college STEM courses.
Work on the Chemical Thinking curriculum is part of a national initiative to reform college STEM education with the support of the AAU