A passion for chemistry: Historical and current references in recreational chemistry and implications for teaching and outreach

Authors

  • Gabriel Pinto Complutense University of Madrid (Spain).

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7203/metode.15.27481

Keywords:

science education, science popularisation, recreational chemistry, chemistry and everyday life

Abstract

After introducing some general ideas about recreational chemistry, here I provide some historical references from the 18th century to the present day. These include philosophical evenings, the creation of institutions for popularising science, and the publication of emblematic books and journals on the subject. I discuss the activities of some prominent personalities in recreational chemistry and analyse the specificities of different aspects of this domain such as varying approaches (games and gamification, science fairs, media, the internet, and software, etc.). These are compared to other fields of science popularisation (prevention and safety, specific recommendations for its use, etc.) and implications for science teaching and popularisation in relation to this field of knowledge. Finally, with the conclusions, I have also provided bibliographical references to facilitate further study of the subject.

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Author Biography

Gabriel Pinto, Complutense University of Madrid (Spain).

PhD in chemical sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain). He is a professor of chemical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. He has carried out research on applied spectroscopy, preparation and properties of polymer matrix composites, didactics of experimental sciences, and history of science, and has published several books and nearly 200 articles. He is the president of the Specialised Group in Education and History within the Spanish Royal Society of Physics and Chemistry and has been involved in many science outreach activities in a variety of formats.

References

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García Belmar, A. (2020, 23 de diciembre). La ciencia en la esfera pública. Sabers en acció. https://sabersenaccio.iec.cat/es/la-ciencia-en-la-esfera-publica-es/

García-Molina, R. (2011). Ciencia recreativa: un recurso didáctico para enseñar deleitando. Revista Eureka sobre Enseñanza y Divulgación de las Ciencias, 8 (Número extraordinario), 370–392.

Hache-Bissette, F. (2017). Le partage des savoirs: Science populaire ou vulgarisations scientifique. En Les Sciences en Bibliothéque, M. Netze (Ed.), pp. 51–62. Éditions du Cercle de la Librairie.

Haran, B., & Poliakoff, M. (2011). The periodic table of videos. Science, 332(6033), 1046–1047. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1196980

Kale, S. (2004). French salons, high society and political sociability from the old regime to the revolution of 1848. The Johnson Hopkins University Press.

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Solbes Matarredona, J., Lozano Gutiérrez, Ó., & García Molina, R. (2008). Juegos, juguetes y pequeñas experiencias tecnocientíficos en la enseñanza aprendizaje de la física y química y la tecnología. Investigación en la Escuela, 65, 71–88. https://doi.org/10.12795/IE.2008.i65.07

Tajuelo, L., & Pinto, G. (2021). Un ejemplo de actividad de escape room sobre física y química en educación secundaria. Revista Eureka sobre Enseñanza y Divulgación de las Ciencias, 18(2), 2205. https://doi.org/10.25267/Rev_Eureka_ensen_divulg_cienc.2021.v18.i2.2205

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Published

2024-03-26

How to Cite

Pinto, G. (2024). A passion for chemistry: Historical and current references in recreational chemistry and implications for teaching and outreach. Metode Science Studies Journal, (15). https://doi.org/10.7203/metode.15.27481
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Issue

No. 15: Volume 15 (Online first)

Section

Science anywhere and anyhow. A journey into the fascinating world of recreational science

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