Reimagining Chemistry by Engaging Students as Partners in Curriculum Development

Abstract

Chemistry educators train students to understand the world through the development of foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills. However, disciplinary norms often lead to instruction that is not inclusive and less effective, with little discussion about the role of chemistry in the world. To address this, chemistry education must adopt student-centered, equity-focused approaches, such as Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) and Rightful Presence (RP), to foster a more inclusive learning environment. Progress has been made towards achieving this goal by educators, often focused on designing new courses to address curricular gaps or integrating social justice themes into courses. This chapter presents a framework integrating CSP and RP for using student-instructor teams in course design. One such team designed and drove the implementation of a new upper-level chemistry course called Reimagining Chemistry at Brown University, in which students explore critical frameworks and are empowered as change agents to reimagine one aspect of chemistry in their local community.