By Dr K.O. Oloruntegbe and E.M. Alake of Department of Mathematics and Science Education,

1. CHEMISTRY FOR TODAY AND THE FUTURE: SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH VIRILE PROBLEM-BASED CHEMISTRY CURRICULUM By Dr K.O. Oloruntegbe and E.M. Alake of Department of Mathematics and Science Education, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and College of Education, Ikere, Ekiti State, Nigeria Corresponding Author E-mail; ko_oloruntegbe@yahoo.com

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE DISCUSSION Defining: Chemistry as a life science Problem-solving approach Explaining: Application of problem-based learning Typical classroom experiences Examining: Implication for pedagogy Implication for curriculum Concluding Remarks.

3. Chemistry as a Life Science Chemistry and : our body medicine global climate food production economy environment industry social system

4. Chemistry and our body Roughly 96 percent of the mass of the human body is made up of just four elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen, with a lot of that in the form of water. The remaining 4 percent is a sparse sampling of the periodic table of elements making up the macro and micro nutrients required for good functioning of the body. The FDA has set a reference daily intake for 12 minerals (calcium, iron, phosphorous, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum and chloride). Sodium and potassium also have recommended levels. Knowledge of chemistry will enable individual to know what is good or not good for the body

5. Chemistry and Medicine Drugs needed to keep alive, to prevent and cure diseases are made, dispensed and administered by chemistry-based technologists, pharmacists; medical practitioners • Chemistry has increased our life expectancy from 47 years in 1900 to 75years in 1990 (Anastas and Warner, 1988) • Therapeutic drug mechanisms by means of an exploration of the detailed interactions occurring at drug receptors that give rise to specific biochemical responses are discovered and taught through chemistry. These apply to anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal applications, and to the important biological receptors and their specific interactions with certain medicinal compounds. • The biological properties of drugs such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and pharmacological activity are all linked with knowledge and decisions based on chemistry principles.

6. Chemistry and Economy Not only is the business of chemistry essential to the economy for the jobs it generates through its business activities, it is essential to the economy through its products. More than $500 billion of chemistry products flow through US economy each year. The products of chemistry are present in some form in nearly every facet of the American economy. In fact, over 96% of all manufactured goods are directly touched by chemistry. Industries consume products made by other industries that have large chemical inputs, i.e., plastics, rubber, synthetic textiles, and components using these materials. A significant amount of the chemistry use in many products comes from packaging. Chemistry is also essential to the world economy

7. Petroleum- still a main source of world energy and petrochemical industries

8. Chemistry and foodChemical elements make the entire diets of human beings. Chemistry enables us to know what is helpful and harmful to our body O O H H C C H O H H H

9. Mineral resources are chemical resources mined, refined, packaged for economic purposes AlO3*2H2O SiO2*2H2O mullite: Al6Si2O13

10. Chemistry and our environment • Chemistry and Issues in the Environment: • The operations of natural physical environmental systems are studied. Alterations to environmental systems are caused by the use of energy and mineral resources. • Use and abuse of these resources lead to air pollution, water pollution and solid waste disposal. Solutions to these problems depend on the progress in science and technology, as well as political decisions and prevailing ethical value systems. • Who should take and influence decisions here? How you take care of that plastic waste in your kitchen implicates on environmental accounting

11. Gas flaring constitutes problem to the living environment causing health hazards both to flora and fauna

12. Problem-based learning in chemistry: Theoretical framework Steps to problem-based learning Characteristics of problem-based learning

13. Theoretical Framework for Problem-Based Learning Problem-based learning is an offshoot of theories of : • Cognitive scientists like Bruner, Gagne and Suchman; and • Pragmatist like John Dewey • In Gagne’s view, problem solving involves combining previously learned rules into a new, never-before-used higher-order rule. Popularly noted for his theory of learning hierarchy and learning prerequisite,problem solving is one of the prerequisite for the overall development of the child in Gagne’s perspectives of education. • Dewey on his own part stressed experiential learningand solving problems relating to real-world life through interaction with situations in the environment. • Other scholars built on Gagne’s problem-based and Dewey’s experiential learning

14. Steps in problem-based-learning Birch (1986) model consists • recognition of a problem; • initial formulation of the problem; • description of the problem; • identification of key relationship; • identification of solution for analysis and testing; and • evaluation of solutions. These steps parallel the steps involved in scientific method.

15. Birch (1986) steps of problem-based learning

16. Greenald (2000) listed ten steps which are • encountering an ill-defined problem ; • having the students ask questions; • pursuing problem finding; • mapping problem finding and prioritizing; • investigating the problem; • analyzing the results; • reiterating learning; • generating solutions and recommendations; • communicating the results, and • conducting self-assessments..

17. The major components identified by Seifert and Simmons are • problem formulation; • data collection; • brainstorming solutions; • evaluating and selecting solutions; and • implementing the solutions. Whatever the number and the complexity of steps, one thing is common, almost all of the steps involve the active participation on the part of the students with the teacher acting as coaches or facilitators

18. Seifert and Simmons steps

19. Characteristics of problem-based learning What exactly characterize problem-based learning? Hill (2000) and Lacek (2001) identify the followings: • The formulation of problems must come from key curricular issues; • The problem should be ill-structured; • Teachers become coaches or facilitators letting the students make their own decisions; • Students are not told how to solve the problems, they are only given guidelines for approaching the problems and must search for needed information; • Performance assessment completes the problems. For example assessment can be through keeping of journals throughout the project.

20. The requirement for problem-based learning is, however enormous but realizable. • Training of teachers is central to the development (Barrows, 1994); • There must be consultants or resource faculty; • Problem simulation is also a key curricular requirement; • Learning resources should be available to students; • There must also be flexible timetable scheduling; Barrows (1994) even suggests that • there should be no curricular schedules except for initial orientation, weekly meetings, and examinations. Whatever the involvement, the justification for such, according to chemistry educators, is that of meaningfulness and a worth while endeavor

21. Application of problem-based learning :

22. Schumann's approach Schumann illustrated an approach that involves a group of students in finding explanation to a puzzling problem. The illustrated typical problem-solving session goes thus. The teacher presented the problem such as this one: “In the mountains of the Southwest a number of years ago, dears were quite numerous, although the population would fluctuate slightly. There were also wolves in the mountains. Some people from a small town witness a wolf pack pull down two of the smaller deer in the herds and were horrified. As a result, the people launched a campaign to eliminate the wolves. To the dismay of the people, the years following the elimination of the wolves showed a marked decrease in the population of the deer. Why, when the wolf is the deer's natural predator, should this occur?” . The students began by formulating hypotheses. To test the hypotheses they gathered data by asking questions from the teachers

23. At the middle of questions and answers session, the following can be heard • " Jim and I have another idea", Sam suggested. • " Excellent", Mr. Smith praised. "Go ahead". • " After the dears’ predators were eliminated, the population expanded so their habitat couldn't support them, and they became susceptible to starvation, and the population went down", Sam said. • " OK." Mr Smith said. "Can we gather some information to support your idea?" • " Were more bobcats (rodents) seen in the dears' habitat after the wolves were eliminated?" Ronke queried. • " No." Mr. Smith said. • " How about coytoes (young of wolves)?” Ronke continued. • " No again", replied Mr. Smith. • " Were numerous bark less dead trees found in the region after the wolves were eliminated?" Bello continued. • " Yes", Mr. Smith said.

24. After series of questions and hypotheses testing, evaluating, rejecting and revising, the students eventually got the solution. They reasoned this way. If there were no rodents or other animals in the deer habitat, the dears must have fed on them. After killing and feeding on the animals and there were no more, they have to be eating the bark of the trees. When this could not do, they were dying probably killing and feeding on their young ones. Following this session a proposal on how to maintain a balanced ecosystem can be worked out and sent to the interested organs Schumann's illustration reveals a great deal of brainstorming through hypotheses formulation and testing, as well as collaborative activities between teachers and students. Students tend to be more active while the teacher plays the role of facilitation and initiation of ideas.

25. A Typical 45 Minutes Problem-based Lesson on Stochiometry

26. Implication for pedagogy: Teachers’ roles Collaboration across disciplines Students’ roles Instructional goals and materials Instructional efforts, space and time Assessment and evaluation

27. Implication for curriculum: planning at national level planning at local and classroom levels implementation Why we should make it work How to make it work What it takes to make it work Who will make it work

28. Concluding Remarks. PBL is a paradigm shift in pedagogical practice, while problem-based chemistry curriculum is a radical departure form traditional ones. Its practice tasks both teachers and students intellectually as it provokes high-order scientific and social thinking and communication abilities. It also challenges both teachers and students in the use of analytical thinking and technological recourses in sourcing information, gathering and analyzing data to arrive at solutions to problems. Problems across disciplines and contents are woven together, presented and tackled in an integrated and interdisciplinary manner. PBL can be a fun and an excitement in the hands of the trained teachers and committed students. Rather than hold on to the traditional ways of teaching and learning that makes the classroom a bore place it is recommended that the approached be employed for real-life science practice.

29. THANKS For LISTENING And GOD BLESS