The Challenge of Teaching and Learning Chemical Concepts

Chemistry as a subject is conceptual. Students learning chemistry at school level, or in colleges and universities, are taught about, and asked to master, a wide array of concepts. Concepts are central to understanding chemistry, and the understanding of chemical concepts is therefore a core concern in chemical education. Yet, learning chemical concepts is not straightforward. Students at all levels often do not understand; or only partially understand; or, indeed, misunderstand; key concepts they meet in their studies of chemistry. This is one of the core issues in chemistry education.