Effect of virtual analytical chemistry laboratory on enhancing student research skills and practices

This article aims to determine the effect of a virtual chemistry laboratory on university student achievement. The article describes a model of a laboratory course that includes a virtual component. This virtual component is viewed as a tool of student pre-lab autonomous learning. It presents electronic resources designed for a virtual laboratory and outlines the methodology of e-resource application. To find out how virtual chemistry laboratory affects student scientific literacy, research skills and practices, a pedagogical experiment has been conducted. Student achievement was compared in two learning environments: traditional – in-class hands-on – learning (control group) and blended learning – online learning combined with in-person learning (experimental group). The effectiveness of integrating an e-lab in the laboratory study was measured by comparing student lab reports of the two groups. For that purpose, a set of 10 criteria was developed. The experimental and control student groups were also compared in terms of test results and student portfolios. The study showed that the adopted approach blending both virtual and hands-on learning environments has the potential to enhance student research skills and practices in analytical chemistry studies

FORMATION OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE IN THE COURSE OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL LABORATORY WORKSHOP IN ECONOMIC UNIVERSITY

Abstract. Aim. The work is devoted to the study of the conditions of formation in the educational process on the subject «Analytical Chemistry and Physical Methods of Analysis», the most important competences necessary to the modern specialist in the food sector (production and examination of food quality technology) for food quality control and food safety of the population.Methods. The basis of the organization of educational process on the considered discipline laid professionally-oriented approach. Innovative instruments for use in laboratory practice are created based on the model of interdisciplinary design, providing for the development of electronic resources by students. Evaluation of formation of competences was carried out using a three-tier model based on the well-known in pedagogics measurement systems of achievements of pupils: B. Blum’s taxonomy, V. P. Bespalko’s classification, etc. Indirect quality standard of efficiency of educational process was based on the surveys of students, teachers of specialized (professional) departments, and on comparison of student portfolios.Results and scientific novelty. The complex of competences which development is promoted by a laboratory workshop on analytical chemistry and physicalchemical methods of the analysis is emphasized. The connections of these competences with content of the laboratory practical work providing the application of electronic resources optimizing labor-consuming routine transactions of an experiment and facilitating handling of its results are determined. The approbation of laboratory works and assessment of their efficiency in forming of various all-professional and professional competences is carried out.Practical significance. Described experience of a laboratory practical work, developing innovative resources on the basis of student partnership formation and evaluation elements of the professional competencies can be used by various educational institutions in the system HE, HVE and SVE