Abstract:

Laboratory of Chemistry I is a core subject taught in the first year of Chemistry Degree along the first four-month period. In the curriculum, it involves 6 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits. The aim of the course is, essentially, student training in basic laboratory techniques and preparation of the experimental work, as well as recording, analysis and presentation of the obtained results. Thus, an essential knowledge is established, which will be useful for further experiences in the different fields of Chemistry.

The development of the course is structured around two main axes: laboratory, and seminar sessions. However, the final course grade is not only calculated from the achieved marks in the laboratory and seminar sessions, but also from those obtained in two workshop sections, including the preparation of the laboratory notebook. The overall course grade is calculated as a weighted average with the following contributions: 30% personal work in the laboratory, 30% written examination, 20% workshop sections and preparation of the laboratory notebook and 10% work seminar.

The laboratory program includes ten weekly 4.5 h sessions organized in groups containing 12–14 students. Most of the 10 laboratory experiments are built on chemical concepts originally presented in lecture. The experiments are quite challenging in their treatment of chemical concepts: detailed instructions are provided but the experiments also include two workshop sections. In the first workshop, each student is responsible for preparing answers to previously assigned pre-lab questions, whereas in the second workshop, students generate their own experimental approach based on methods and ideas developed in earlier parts of the laboratory session.

This study analyses the results obtained by students in each of the considered contributions to the final grade. The discussion highlights the importance of the out of lab tasks (workshop sections and seminars) in the final grades, as well as how this affects students’ motivation.