ERIC Number: EJ1471467
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-May
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: EISSN-1938-1328
Available Date: 0000-00-00
A Review of Undergraduate Chemistry Teaching in Higher Education during 2019-2023
Journal of Chemical Education, v102 n5 p1960-1971 2025
This review examines the evolution of tertiary undergraduate chemistry teaching from 2019 to 2023, including in response to the global pandemic's impact on teaching and learning methods and whether those adaptations have persisted. The authors assessed the current educational landscape against standards set by leading accreditation bodies, the American Chemical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. A systematic research method allowed comprehensive coverage of peer reviewed literature using two databases: Web of Science and SciFinder. A total of 511 papers were included in this review, and 245 highly cited articles were classified into five themes: students as learners, curriculum, instructional material, educational innovation, and context. Using these themes, it was possible to find the major implications of research in tertiary chemistry teaching within the literature for the five-year period. Key findings show that experiential learning through in-person laboratory activities is affirmed. Virtual resources developed during the pandemic, however, were mostly moved post pandemic to prelaboratory or complementary activities. Integration of innovative technologies and games into teaching can improve student engagement and learning, but also presents opportunities, such as generative artificial intelligence for the development of student critical thinking skills and communication skills. Students valued learning with authentic examples or big-picture contexts, like climate change or systems thinking. An emergent theme was improvements in inclusive chemistry education. This embracing of technology alongside traditional methods, and the rise of interdisciplinary approaches and inclusivity, equips graduates with the skills necessary for successful careers in chemistry.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Study, Chemistry, Science Instruction, Science Teachers, College Faculty, COVID-19, Pandemics, Electronic Learning, Science Activities, Science Laboratories, In Person Learning, Educational Technology, Educational Games, Learner Engagement, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Authentic Learning, Climate
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A