Everyday Life and Chemistry - Essentials of Chemical Education - page 237

8.4 Human Element: Role Play and Environmental Education

Social relations have already been mentioned in this chapter. Some details remain,
some social relations to chemical and environmental education can be taught
through role playing. For Hellweger [ 13 ], “the goals of role-plays are to simulate
discussion groups, where everyone can be active. Depending on whether some
players are designated either as facilitator or moderator, whether as a professional
who has to answer to certain issues in more detail, or whether all participants have
the same status: the game may have more the character of expert consultation or
the form of a free discussion board, it runs more strictly directed or free and
spontaneous.” Role-playing games have been developed concerning the following
issues [ 13 ]:
Chemistry lessons - why? The students discuss various rolls about the “what and
how” of a meaningful chemistry education. They look for justification, whether to
continue to force everybody to learn chemistry, or whether chemistry should be
abolished in favor of disciplines that are more helpful for students at school.
The river Elbe is overturning! A river is so polluted that fish have not been seen
for a long time. May it be worth to do something for the quality of the water and
against its overturning, or are the costs too high and the loss of many jobs from
industries near the river too risky?
“ Steak or grains? ” Are there serious arguments and attitudes of students and
adults that meat consumption should be reduced in the highly industrialized
countries in favor of more vegetarian products? What are the advantages and
disadvantages for the production of much meat for the rich countries in the Western
area?
“ and he has yet drilled a tooth! ” More and more toothpaste is consumed by

people, but the teeth are getting worse and worse - maybe due to high consumption
of sugar. Perhaps a healthy diet is more important than dental hygiene? Should we
treat sugar as a dangerous drug?
“ All the best with butter? ” Do we really improve our health if we restrict the
consumption of butter in favor of more margarine? The audience will show in the
form of an expert survey that there are two conflicting theories for the development
of myocardial infarction, and how these theories can affect our everyday life.
Energy forum 2020. Can Germany by the year 2020 renounce the controversial
nuclear energy without compromising living standards and jobs? Students play
politicians of different political parties and different philosophies; in the roles of
delegates they bring arguments, facts, and pleadings for or against nuclear power.
Otto [ 24 ] commented that such role plays “are open to questions about the
relationship between scientific knowledge and its consequences for mankind, of
science research and social development, of economic interests, environmental
pollution and human health.” He also points out that “the natural sciences became
in the last 20 years those subjects, where students are expected to learn for life and
not only for school. Of course this is true only if there is an apparent link between
what happens in the classroom and what is going on in TV, in newspapers, in the

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