Structure and bonding chemistry

Chemical bonding is one of the key concepts in the study of chemistry and is important in understanding material structures, properties and reactions. The topic of chemical bonding often causes both teachers and students alike a whole host of difficulties, arising from the fact that a chemical bond is purely theoretical, in the sense that it does not refer directly to any readily observable phenomenon. The chemical bond can be thought of as a series of models developed by chemists to explain phenomena that can be observed in the laboratory. As students progress through secondary school, they experience how the model of the atom and its interaction between other atoms develops and becomes more sophisticated as they attempt to explain their observations and understand why materials behave in the way they do. During this course you will explore the structure and bonding of several different types of materials.

After working through this course you will be able to:

• understand the core ideas about structure and bonding;
• appreciate the strengths and limitations of the different models used to explain chemical bonding to students during secondary education;
• identify common misconceptions and know how these can be addressed;
• draw on ideas from chemical education research to consider and assess an electrostatic approach to teaching structure and bonding;
• confidently and competently teach aspects of structure and bonding; and
• access a range of activities and resources to support students in thier learning about structure and bonding.

Download your course development plan to keep a record of your learning and development.