Using Education Research to Foster Meaningful Chemistry Learning

Research in chemistry education over the 40 years has led to the identification and characterization of the diverse challenges that students face to meaningfully learn central concepts and ideas in chemistry. Educational research findings also shed light on changes in curriculum, instruction, and assessment that significantly improve student understanding. There is, however, a disconnect between what has been learned through discipline-based educational research and dominant educational practices in chemistry at all educational levels. Considerable work is still needed to translate research findings into teaching practices that improve diverse students' learning and achievement.

The 2019 Gordon Research Conference on Chemistry Education Research and Practice seeks to create a space for in-depth analysis and discussion of how to best integrate educational research findings into the design, implementation, and evaluation of curricula, learning environments, instructional methods, and assessments that result in meaningful learning of core ideas in chemistry, development of valued skills, or significant changes in attitudes and beliefs of diverse students.

This meeting will bring together researchers and practitioners from different areas to address practical and theoretical issues in the integration of chemistry education research and practice. The conference format includes 9 plenary sessions with invited speakers, semi-structured poster sessions, and free time to interact and network with conferees. Several features of the conference create an atmosphere that is intended to invigorate professional connections and promote advancement of the field: daily forums with intense intellectual engagement, off-the-record discussion of ongoing work, free afternoons in an ideal setting for reflection, common meals and dormitory accommodations that facilitate interactions, and a small number of participants.