Enhancing Students’ Practical Skills In Analytical Chemistry Through Problem-Based Learning

Abstract

Analytical chemistry is an important part of undergraduate chemistry programs because it teaches students how to get accurate data that can be used to make decisions in research, business, and environmental monitoring. But traditional "recipe-style" lab instruction often produces students who can follow directions but have a hard time designing experiments, figuring out how to fix problems, or making sense of complicated datasets. Problem-based learning (PBL) provides a learner-centered approach that contextualizes laboratory techniques within genuine analytical challenges, necessitating the integration of theory, practice, and professional competencies. This article delineates a pedagogical framework for incorporating Project-Based Learning (PBL) into an undergraduate analytical chemistry curriculum, specifically aimed at augmenting students' practical competencies. A quasi-experimental design is delineated, contrasting a PBL-oriented laboratory sequence with a traditional verification-style laboratory over the course of one semester. Data sources comprise a rubric-based evaluation of manipulative skills and data management, performance on open-ended practical examinations, and student self-reports regarding confidence and autonomy. The results show that students in the PBL section are better at procedural fluency, recognizing mistakes, handling instruments, evaluating data, and working as a team than students in the traditional section. They also make at least the same amount of progress in understanding concepts. The discussion elucidates these findings in the context of recent studies on PBL in analytical chemistry laboratories, emphasizing the significance of scaffolding, the congruence between problems and techniques, and the explicit evaluation of practical skills. The article ends with useful tips for teachers who want to add PBL in stages, as well as ideas for more research on how to keep and transfer analytical lab skills over time.