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Sustainability and Systems Thinking In Chemistry Education

A systems thinking approach to chemistry education provides a unifying framework to learning and understanding chemistry by accessing it as more than a static body of knowledge, but more appropriately, as a dynamic and powerful way of knowing, thinking, and acting to build a safe, healthy, and sustainable world.

Systems Thinking

What?

An analytical approach, complimentary to other pedagogies, that fosters deep understanding by representing phenomena as interconnected processes rather than isolated parts, acknowledging that interactions among components shape outcomes and create emergent properties. Visit ST Elements to read more.

Systems Thinking

Why?

To complement existing pedagogies by addressing overlooked areas and fostering a holistic understanding of chemistry that promotes sustainability. Visit ST Benefits to read more.

Systems Thinking

How?

Incorporating ST into education can be facilitated in many ways. The SaSTICE resources begin by breaking the development of a lesson or unit into three stages: plan, implement, and assess. Visit the Teaching Chemistry using ST to read more.

How to teach chemistry using systems thinking?

Chemistry, a system in itself, is well suited to being taught using a systems thinking perspective. This resource includes rich context examples geared towards sustainability and explores the educational framework that illustrates the major steps chemistry educators can take when planning, implementing, and assessing their methods of teaching from a systems thinking perspective.

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How to overcome challenges to using systems thinking?

Like all educational innovations, there are activation barriers to the implementation of systems thinking. Examine these challenges and their corresponding solutions to facilitate the effective integration of systems thinking into chemistry classrooms using this resource.

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Engage with this tool to create and explore SOCMEs (System Oriented Concept Map Extensions) to apply systems thinking.
Monitor Earth's health by comparing the state of its Earth system processes and their associated planetary boundaries across time.

Systems approach to understanding how chemistry is embedded in and can contribute toward the emergence of sustainability of the Earth system. Figure adapted from Whalen et. al (2022).