CREATING PEDAGOGIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN CHILE THROUGH CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES FROM TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES

Citation

Quiroz Martinez D (2017) CREATING PEDAGOGIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN CHILE THROUGH CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES FROM TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES. ESERA 2017, Dublin, 21.08.2017-25.08.2017. https://www.esera.org/esera-2017/

Abstract
Chile is in the top ten countries with environmental issues in the world. In this country, there are 37 documented environmental conflicts and most of them are related to mining industries. The uncontrolled pollution produced by industrial processes affects not only the health and quality of the life of disadvantaged groups and poor people but also destroys the habitats of non-human species around. Many of these ecological issues can be related to chemistry. Hence, chemistry classrooms in Chile can be good arenas for teaching for sustainability. Education for sustainable development (ESD) in chemistry education can allow students to have the opportunity to critically discuss and reflect on sustainability issues in Chile and brainstorm viable actions for promoting sustainable life. Identifying a viable connection between sustainability and chemistry teaching is a challenge that requires critical reflection of classroom realities and teachers' practices. This research aims to find out how Chilean teachers of chemistry integrate sustainability into chemistry teaching, while also recognising the challenges and benefits for doing it in their own classrooms. Data include field notes and audio recording of both class observation and in-depth interviews with Chilean teachers of chemistry. From the analysis of these data, teachers and I will collaboratively create pedagogies for sustainability in chemistry classrooms. These pedagogical materials will allow contextualisation of chemistry knowledge and promotion of important skills such as critical thinking and decision-making. Data collected attempt to highlight teachers’ voices, their experiences and beliefs about what is possible to do in connecting chemistry education and ESD in the context of a country with free market approach to development such as Chile.

Keywords
sustainability; chemistry education; decision-making