Half of the context-based studies strongly stress that the
context-based learning approach needs to take into account
the idea that chemistry should be more attractive and
interesting for students by connecting chemical knowledge
with contexts (real life). Eleven of the studies attempted to
facilitate chemistry education/concepts by looking for
alternative, effective ways to teach difficult topics in a
relevant way. For example, Markic and Eilks (2006)
attempted to facilitate students’ conceptions of a ‘modern
voltaic cells’ topic that most teachers find difficult. They
used the context-based approach where the voltaic cells
were presented in a familiar context in secondary chemistry
lessons. In Wu’s (2003) study, using environmental toxins
as the thematic context to answer the question ‘Is my
drinking water safe?’, participants were exposed to relevant
chemical concepts, information from the web, videos of
water treatment, lab activities in solubility and water
purification, and physical and computational models. They
then designed a webpage for their final presentations.
Likewise, Bulte et al. (2006) used the water quality context
as a vehicle to get the students to learn about concentration,
water quality, and the accuracy, reliability and validity
of laboratory experiments. Demirciog˘lu et al. (2009)
explored the effect of the storylines embedded within the context-based approach on grade 9 students’ conceptions of
the Periodic Table concepts within a more interactive
environment. Ramsden (1997) explored 16?students’
understanding of elements, compounds and mixtures,
conservation of mass in chemical reactions, chemical
change, and the Periodic Table within a need-to-know
basis. Barker and Millar (1999) conducted ‘chemical
thermodynamics’ and ‘chemical bonding’ topics in their
study with 16 and 18-year-old students. Potter and Overton
(2006) explored the chemical concepts behind aspects of
sport (chemistry in sport) with undergraduate chemistry
students. King et al. (2008) made a comparison between a
student’s and her teacher’s experiences in a context-based
and concept-based chemistry programme within ‘oxida-tion–reduction, chemical equilibrium, electrochemistry and
electrolysis’ topics. King (2009) also investigated how
teaching and learning occurs in a context-based classroom
on ‘Water Quality’ unit. Furthermore, Vos (2010) and Vos
et al. (2010) constructed an analytical framework for ana-lyzing the classroom implementation of the context-based
chemistry materials.