Formation of basic concepts of chemistry education in Germany

Competence in chemistry, developed by education, requires standard-describing areas and levels of outcomes, and structures providing coherence for curricula and learning processes. Basic concepts are one approach to provide such structural elements. In the German Chemie im Kontext project, basic concepts are developed and described to form systematic learning guidance connected to situational, context-based learning. This article will describe the underlying developmental process both for Chemie im Kontext and for the German Standards of Chemistry Education. As a result, the establishment of basic concepts for chemistry education in the German secondary education stage can be regarded as a “by-product” of introducing context-based learning to enhance learners’ willingness to learn chemistry. In order to make possible a variety of lesson methods and context-based learning, basic concepts are also implemented as a structuring principle in Chemie im Kontext and in many curricula in German states. The Chemie im Kontext project was developed prior to the Educational Standards, so the latter could build on that experience.