All schools are expected to have explicit policies in place to make sure that their most able students are being extended. This is especially important in science, as many talented young people do not aspire to study or work in science. Carefully planned projects can offer suitable opportunities to engage and challenge such students, while…

Explains how students' alternative conceptions about curriculum topics interfere with classroom learning. Describes the Royal Society of Chemistry's Teacher Fellowship Project entitled "Challenging Misconceptions in the Classroom," which develops classroom materials to diagnose and challenge specific alternative conceptions. Uses key ideas of how…

"Ccore charge" is a fundamental concept that explains a wide range of phenomena. Suggests that this concept, while abstract, has the potential to make chemistry much simpler for learners. (MM)

Investigates how widespread alternative conceptions of the ionic bond, described as the molecular framework, are. Findings indicate that statements derived from the molecular framework were judged as true by a large proportion of the learners surveyed. Presents the molecular framework as a useful model of learners' alternative conceptions about…

Argues that surveying what new students understand about the basics of a subject can be illuminating. Presents a case study of A-level chemistry students and suggests that, although the details of what was uncovered are idiosyncratic, the paucity of understanding of fundamental concepts may be common. Presents suggestions for responding to such a…

Notes that energy is a difficult concept to learn and provides problems for many students. Stresses that if the science education community were to develop a standard nomenclature of energy-related terms, it would be possible to eliminate some of the difficulties without reducing depth of treatment. (Author/MVL)