DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00302

Summary
This article focuses on the challenges diagnosed in an introduction to green chemistry activity carried out within a process technology course in a disadvantaged educational context.
The activity took place at the process technology course of the University of Venda (UNIVEN, South Africa), a third-year course in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. This has also been the only course in which students have been acquainted with green chemistry, through projects involving literature searches and subsequent presentations and discussions.
In this process technology course, systems thinking is needed to understand the functioning of a chemical plant as a system; within the green chemistry related activity, systems thinking is needed to understand green chemistry principles, their implications for chemical production and practices, and their expected impacts.
Each student was given one of the principles of green chemistry and asked to search for relevant information, organize it in a way that is functional to explain the meaning and implications of the principle, illustrate the meaning and implications through examples of implementation in the chemical industry, and when suitable also consider possible implications for everyday life. This activity based on system thinking poses enormous challenges to UNIVEN students’, because of serious underprivileged characteristics, i.e. the serious inefficient preparedness of incoming students -which is not adequately addressed in the undergraduate program because of a lack of specific plans and resources-, and widespread serious language mastery inadequacies as the language of instruction is a second language.
In the article, the results of the activity on green chemistry principles 6 and 10 are analyzed. The author first outlines the logic of a basic satisfactory answer and then examines if the answers of the students are organized into a logical framework. Altogether, the answers constitute evidence that systems thinking abilities are quite inadequate. The answers also indicate poor language mastery as the major cause of the inadequacies in reflecting systems thinking. Language mastery is the major tool for logical thinking and logical thinking is essential for systems thinking; thus, poor language mastery affects negatively the development of systems thinking abilities.

Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
This article is relevant with system thinking, complex systems and sustainability. The activity described uses of a system thinking approach. Given the industry-related nature of the course, particular attention was given to their implications for production processes. Besides the technological aspects, attention was given to economic aspects and to the expected benefits for the environment and for human health. The issue of human health was examined along the line that a healthy environment generally favors good health, as well as the specific consideration of occupational health for the persons involved in the production process in a factory. When suitable, possible implications for everyday life were also considered, above all for the principles focusing on waste prevention and on the saving of material resources and energy.

Point of Strength
The point of strength of this article is its indication of the importance of language mastery for science learning in general and for systems thinking in particular. This is a conclusion that has to be taken in consideration especially for curriculums of institutions that use a second language during instruction.