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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1999  > January  >
Research: Science and Education
Chemical Education Research
Effects of Context-Based Laboratory Experiments on Attitudes of Analytical Chemistry Students
Julie Henderleiter
Department of Chemistry, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI 49401

David L. Pringle
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO 80639

Cover
January 1999
Vol. 76 No. 1
p. 100
Abstract
This study examines students' attitudes toward the analytical chemistry laboratory. Two models for laboratory activities are used. One is a "traditional" approach. Students (control group) are given experiments with straightforward procedural outlines and follow-up questions involving calculations. A second group of students (experimental group) are given experiments that are written around a context. Many of the directions are still procedural outlines, but the experiment is embedded in a context and students are asked to make decisions about a problem posed in the context on the basis of their laboratory data. Results from data collected by interviews and observations suggest that students who perform the context-based experiments express more confidence in three areas: ability to perform the experiments, reasoning and metacognitive skills, and general knowledge of chemistry. The experimental group of students also expressed more understanding of "real-world" applications. This study suggests that context-based laboratory activities can improve some aspects of student attitude. Students' attitudes toward their ability to reason about and interpret experimental results as well as the ability to function in a laboratory setting are enhanced most by context-based laboratory.
More Information
*  Citation
 Henderleiter, Julie; Pringle, David L. J. Chem. Educ. 1999 76 100.
*  Keywords
 Chemical Education Research; Laboratory Instruction; Analytical Chemistry; Teaching/Learning Theory/Practice
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 June 15, 1999
June 22, 2005
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