Systems thinking in sustainable chemistry education: connecting systems thinking with the open inquiry-based learning activity “Can CO ₂ be good and bad?” for secondary chemistry education

Abstract

Systems thinking (ST) is increasingly recognised as an important approach for addressing sustainability challenges, yet its integration into chemistry education remains limited. This article presents an open inquiry-based learning (IBL) environment that uses the socio-scientific context of carbon dioxide to foster systems-oriented reasoning. Students explore the guiding question “Can CO ₂ be good and bad?”, develop and investigate their own research questions, and reflect on the multifaceted roles of carbon dioxide in environmental, industrial, and societal systems using two systems-oriented activities. Experiences from the implementation in nine secondary school classes show that 9th graders tend to rely on simplified and often one-sided interpretations of the role of carbon dioxide. However, participation in the activities and subsequent reflection supported more differentiated understandings that considered multiple perspectives, functions, and consequences of carbon dioxide. The experiences suggest that combining open IBL with explicit systems-oriented reflection can support the development of ST in chemistry education in different formats and contexts and provide a productive approach for addressing complex socio-scientific issues.