INTEGRATING CHEMISTRY AND SCIENCE FOUNDATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: MANAGING LEARNING GAPS THROUGH PROACTIVE REMEDIATION

Abstract

Chemistry foundation courses in higher education face critical challenges arising from differences in students’ prior knowledge, the abstract nature of chemistry content, cognitive load, science anxiety, and competitive learning cultures that emphasize academic performance over meaningful understanding. These issues contribute to low conceptual understanding, surface learning, and disengagement from science learning among many students. In this critical review article, contemporary knowledge regarding learning gaps in chemistry education was analyzed and synthesized, and Proactive Remediation for Thai higher education contexts were proposed. A critical synthesis of literature in chemistry education, learning psychology, active learning, and learning analytics published during 2020–2025 was employed. It was found that learning gaps are not solely caused by individual ability but are shaped by interactions among curriculum structures, teaching approaches, assessment systems, educational inequality, and emotional factors. Furthermore, rote memorization rather than deep conceptual understanding was shown to be promoted by lecture-dominated instruction and examination-oriented systems. A “Proactive Chemistry Learning Ecosystem” framework was proposed, integrating diagnostic assessment, active learning, emotional support, learning analytics, and reflective feedback to transform remediation from reactive intervention into preventive learning design. Critically, it is argued that chemistry education reform in higher education should emphasize educational equity rather than academic filtering to develop learners capable of scientific reasoning, knowledge construction, and lifelong learning.