Abstract

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 t...

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