Perceptions, views and opinions of university students about chemistry learning during practical work at school

Abstract

The teaching of chemistry through practical experiments has long been an established practice. It forms a key component of teaching of that subject at both school and university level and students have strong views of this method of teaching. This paper reports on the view of undergraduate level 1 chemistry students in relation to their experiences of practical chemistry at school in Scotland. Almost 900 students, across two successive years at the University of Glasgow, were surveyed to determine their perceptions, views and opinions in this area. This paper initially presents the overall views of the students, and then looks in more detail at the effect the different levels to which students took the subject at school affected those views. Specifically, students who took Advanced Higher Grades are compared with those who took Higher Grades. Higher is the standard entry requirement for Scottish Universities, whilst Advanced Higher is a more advanced course. Comparison was also made between the responses of female and male students. The general picture is very encouraging, with students broadly appreciating the practical side of chemistry.