Critical thinking ability,open-mindedness,and knowledge of the processes of science of chemistry and non-chemistry students

The Chemistry Curriculum Committee of the Philadelphia school district developed a chemistry course guide for use in the city's comprehensive high schools. Instruction based on this guide was intended, in part, to develop critical thinking ability, open-mindedness, and knowledge of the processes of science. Critical thinking ability and open-mindedness appears to have been developed; but only when pretesting was part of the teaching process. Knowledge of the processes of science has not been developed by students in chemistry classes following the Guide, perhaps because of a lack of strict adherence to the intent and content of the chemistry guide.