Contextualising an International Science Curriculum in the Anthropocene

Abstract The urgent and contemporary challenges of the Anthropocene confront science education and the historical period in which science education has developed. Engaging with this confrontation, the article turned to experienced chemistry teachers in a case study by exploring how they approach school chemistry knowledge in the Anthropocene. Focus group discussions among experienced upper secondary chemistry teachers were analysed to address this aim. Five chemistry teachers deeply immersed in the chemistry discipline discussed chemistry education in the context of the Anthropocene. The participating teachers are experienced with international (Diploma Programme of International Baccalaureate) and national (Swedish) chemistry curricula. The analyses showed that through chemistry knowledge, the teachers mediate conflicting emotions for their students to engage with the challenges of the Anthropocene. Furthermore, realising the entanglements of chemistry with other systems, school chemistry knowledge is viewed as a prerequisite and a central tool for engaging with the ethico-socio-political challenges of the Anthropocene. The article discusses the findings as perspective-generating results, regarding taken-for-granted assumptions on chemistry education and selective traditions.