What is the “Philosophy of Chemistry Education”? Viewing Philosophy behind Educational Ideas in Chemistry from John Dewey’s Lens: The Curriculum and the Entitlement to Knowledge

Abstract

In several pieces of research literature and with chemistry teaching experience of the researcher at the school level, the researcher has identified, as opposed to skills pertaining to learning of chemistry, that a recent trend is observed where there is heightened emphasis on verbalizations in chemistry education, and an enhanced emphasis on the practical utility of chemistry. John Dewey is recognized as an established early advocate of contextual and practical knowledge. To analyze the common research framework, in terms of procedural and conceptual knowledge, the researcher utilized the tools which Dewey provided for discussing the knowledge of chemistry education. The researcher argues that by emphasizing the notion of operational skill, the tendency to treat procedural knowledge and conceptual knowledge as opposites, shall be avoided. The researcher further argues that it is important for the learners to accrue both computational skills as well as contextual knowledge, both of which are implicated in the knowledge of chemistry education.