First‐year chemistry practicals at universities in England and Wales: organizational and teaching aspects

Abstract

A number of organizational and teaching aspects of first‐year university chemistry practicals in England and Wales have been studied. The practical classes consist, as a rule, of a series of discipline‐bound courses, sometimes preceded by a general techniques course. The assessment is almost entirely based on outcomes: quality and quantity of products and reports. The practical manuals are not always clear as far as experimental descriptions, requirements for students and assessment criteria are concerned. Only half of the universities studied use computers as part of their practical teaching programmes. Innovations in practicals mentioned in literature only gradually seeped into first‐year classes. However, there was evidence of some refreshing ideas for practical work.