The End of Simple Problems: Repositioning Chemistry in Higher Education and Society Using a Systems Thinking Approach and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals as a Framework

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to discuss ways that a chemistry course could re-position itself by adopting interdisciplinary approaches based on systems thinking and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as overarching frameworks, to give an overview of several challenges that chemistry in higher education is facing and discuss how those can be addressed as a result of this re-positioning. We will be discussing the need for a new type of scientist, one who has a deep understanding of their own discipline but also an overview of the links with other disciplines and is equipped with skills that will help them contribute to the solutions of a very complex system; the human-environment interaction system. Chemists should be part of what is described by earth systems' science as 'the new social contract' between science and society. Finally, we will explore how this can be reflected in the curricula of higher education and we will present a University of Bristol educational initiative, Bristol Futures, that attempts to address this.

The Crossovers and Connectivity between Systems Engineering and the Sustainable Development Goals: A Scoping Study

“…Systems thinking has been interpreted in numerous ways. The core features include a recognition of interrelationships and the use of holistic approaches [32,33], an investigation of dynamic and emergent behavior arising from feedback [34], and a focus on patterns of change rather than static 'snapshots' [35]. Systems thinking is founded on the conviction that parts of the system will behave differently when viewed in isolation [36].…”

“…While these studies come from several application areas, special attention has been paid to integrating systems thinking into education. For example, many researchers have agreed and proved that incorporating systems thinking into the chemistry curriculum can equip the next generation with the skills required to produce more sustainable and cleaner technologies, bringing the planet closer towards a sustainable society [34,40,45]. A systems thinking mindset is also crucial to engineers because a sustainable engineering system will not only require engineers have analytical skills, creativity, and a wide breadth of education but also take into account the multiple impacts on the natural, economic and social environment [46,47].…”

Learning Observation: The Demands of 21st Century Biology Learning in Senior High School

“…The percentage of suitability of the lesson Plan with the Permendikbud and 21st century needs is shown in Figure 1. (Griffin et al, 2012;Michalopoulou et al, 2019;Nagarajan & Overton, 2019). The teacher acts as a facilitator who can develop students' skills in ways of thinking, ways of working, tools for working, and ways for living in the world (Matsko et al, 2020;Ndlovu & Mostert, 2018;Shidiq & Yamtinah, 2019).…”

Student-Focussed Approaches that can Enhance Understanding and Appreciation of Research in the Chemical Sciences

“…The Special Issue brought forward many examples of how systems thinking has already been implemented around the world, particularly in the sustainability and environmental chemistry subdisciplines. [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41] One Australian example we wish to highlight is a study completed by Schultz and coworkers, in which secondary chemistry students created system maps to represent industrial chemical processes and evaluate the broader impact of the processes in relation to the United Nations Global Goals for Development. [41] Through teacher reflections in an action research framework, the study evaluated whether system mapping 'allowed the teacher to situate the learning of sustainability within the learning of chemistry content.'…”