Chemistry in the Field and Chemistry in the Classroom: A Cognitive Disconnect?

A comparison of the central, valued activities of the field of chemistry with the curricula presented in introductory texts reveals a disconnect between what is taught in school and what the field actually encompasses. The comparison was made by utilizing a conceptual framework of the domain developed around the three main activities of chemists: explaining phenomena, analyzing matter, and synthesizing new substances. Underlying these activities is the toolbox of basic notational and quantitative schemes. The elements of the comparison were textbooks as used and Nobel Prizes in chemistry, chemistry-related articles from a newspaper, and chemistry-related articles from a science magazine. These were located within the framework. The Nobel Prizes and news articles were evenly distributed among the three main activities of chemists; the textbook objectives focus almost exclusively on explaining phenomena and the toolbox, with the exception of one text, Chemistry in the Community. This misalignment suggests that traditional introductory courses may not meet the basic goals of scientific literacy if scientific literacy is supposed to reflect the organization of a field. It is suggested that by modeling instruction on the specific activities of chemists, with the necessary tools developed as needed, teachers could help students comprehend the authentic nature of the discipline as well as help them construct meaningful links within their knowledge base.