Summary:
One of the issues that concerns scientists internationally in Chemistry education is that students do not perceive and recognize the role of Chemistry in their everyday life.
Due to this fact, efforts are increasingly being made to enrich school textbooks, teaching approaches and educational material with elements that link scientific knowledge to the daily routine of students. This results in the upgrade of the curriculum because chemistry acquires more interest but also a clear practical purpose. Through the case of the materials used to make jewelry and how these materials are actually evolved, students can get important scientific information about the materials, estimate their properties, and solve concerns about items and objects that can come into contact, in their everyday lives. Jewels can also be used as educational tools for highlighting many chemical principles within the classroom.
The use of case studies with topics from history or everyday life helps students to understand how basic concepts of science have been developed, accepted and at the same time discussing controversial issues, and realizing how scientific knowledge can be correlated with their interests and needs.
The incorporation of such a theme, related to jewelry, its history, and its evolution through its fabrics, within the school curriculum, provides opportunities for experimentation and the potential to enhance student learning the experimentation and enhancement of learning.
The purpose of this dissertation is the development of an instructional material which could be used in teaching both chemical principles and concepts already included in the Greek high school secondary curriculum. The instructional material, which is characterized by interdisciplinary content, consists of laboratory activities, worksheets , evaluation sheets, and case studies for specific materials used in jewelry.
Keywords:
jewelry, constructivism, context-based learning, metals, chemical bond, polymer chemistry
