The Types and Inquiry Level of Chemistry Laboratory Courses in Ethiopia Higher Education Institutes: The Case of Practical Organic Chemistry I

Belay Tafa^1,

¹Arbaminch University, College of natural Science department of Chemistry, Ethiopia

Cite this paper

Belay Tafa. The Types and Inquiry Level of Chemistry Laboratory Courses in Ethiopia Higher Education Institutes: The Case of Practical Organic Chemistry I. World Journal of Chemical Education. 2014; 2(4):48-53. doi: 10.12691/WJCE-2-4-1

Abstract

The major objective of this study was to offer an overview of the current situation in the course content and inquiry level of practical courses in chemistry department of Ethiopian universities with a special reference to the course practical organic chemistry I. Practical Organic Chemistry I course material and the harmonized curriculum of chemistry were involved as the main source of data. The necessary data for the study was obtained from the deep content analysis of the course material. Qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to analyze data. The result indicated that the majority of the activities have lower inquiry level of one and the dominant practical work identified was demonstration type activity. Based on these findings, therefore, certain recommendations were forwarded.

Keywords

science laboratory, chemistry laboratory, inquiry level, organic chemistr

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References

[1]	American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1990, project 2061, Science for all Americans, Washington, D.c.
[2]	Anderson, L.W., 1990. Fundamental of Educational Research. London: The Flamer Pres.Alsamawat F., (2007), Private communication. This work is being developed for her thesis, to besubmitted for PhD, University of Glasgow, Glasgow.
[3]	Babbie, E., 1968. The Practice of Social Research. Wadsworth: Thomson Learning Inc.
[4]	Babbie, E., 1990. The Practice of Social Research (7th edition). Belmont (California): Wadsworth publishing company.
[5]	Best, K. and Kahn, B., 1999. Ethical guide lines in participating humans and treatment of persons in research. From (www.niches.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethicswhatis.cfm-41k-) 1999 review list pdf.
[6]	Boud, D., Dunn, J. and Hegarty-Hazel, E., 1989. Teaching in the Laboratories. Philadelphia, Open University press.
[7]	Carswell, J.W., 2003. Research Design: Qualitative and Mixed Approaches. (2nd ed). London: Sage Publication Inc.
[8]	Duckett S.B., Garratt J, and Lowe N.D., (1999), what do chemistry graduates think? UniversityChemistry Education, 3, 1-7.
[9]	Ermias, D., 1989 Experiments in Organic Chemistry: Department of Chemistry Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
[10]	Garnett, K. and Blosser, P., 1995. A critical review of the role of the laboratory in science teaching, Columbus OH: Center for Science and Mathematics Education.
[11]	Gott, R. and Mashiter, J., 1991. Practical Work in Science. A Task-Base approach in Woolnough, B.E., (ed.) practical science, Milton Keyness, Open university press.
[12]	Hegarty – Hazel, E. (ed.), 1990. The Student Laboratory and the Science Curriculum. London, Croom Helm.
[13]	Herron, M.D., 1971. The nature of scientific inquiry. School Review,79, 171-212.
[14]	Hodson D., (1993), Re-thinking old ways: towards a more critical approach to practical work in school science, Studies in Science Education, 22, 85-142.
[15]	Hofstein, A., 2004. The laboratory in chemistry education: Thirty years of experience with developments, implementation and evaluation, Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 5, 247-264.
[16]	Hofstein, A. and Lunetta, V.N., 1982. The role of the laboratory in science teaching: Neglected aspects of research, Review of Educational Research, 52, 201-217.
[17]	Hofstein, A. and Lunetta, V.N., 2004. The laboratory in science education : Foundation for the 21st century, Science Education, 88, 28-54
[18]	Holsity, L.R., 1969. Content Analysis for the Social Sciences and Humanities. Reading: Mass.
[19]	Johnstone A.H. and Letton K.M., (1988), Is practical work practicable? Journal of College Science Teaching, 18, 190-92.
[20]	Johnstone A.H. and Letton K.M., (1990), Investigation undergraduate laboratory work, Education in Chemistry, 27, 9-11
[21]	Klopfer L.E., 1990. Learning Scientific Inquiry in the Students’ Laboratory. In Hegarty- hazel E (ed.). The student laboratory and the science curriculum. London, Croom Helm.
[22]	krajick, J., Mamlok, R. and Hug, B 2001. Modern Content and Enterprise of Science: Science education in the 20th century.
[23]	Lazarowitz, R., and Tamir, P., 1994. Research on using laboratory instructions in science in Gabel D L (ed.). Hand book of research in science teaching and learning, (pp. 94-130), New-York Macmillan.
[24]	Lunette, V.N., 1998. The School Science Laboratory: Historical perspectives and centers for contemporary teaching, In, P. Fensham (ed.). Development and dilemmas in science education (pp. 169-188), London, Falmer press.
[25]	Lunetta, V.N., Hofstein, A. and Clough, M., 2007. Learning and Teaching in the School Science Laboratory : An analysis of research, theory, and practice, In.N., Leaderman. and S. Abel (eds,). Handbook of research on science education. (pp. 393-441), Mahawah, NJ : Lawrence Eralbaum.
[26]	Matiru, B., Mwangi, A. and Schelette, R. (eds) 1995. Teach your best : A Hand Book for University lecturer. Germany, University of Kassel.
[27]	Millar, R., 1991. A Means To an End: The role of process in science education. In Woolnough, B.E. (ed), practical science. Buckingham, Open University press.
[28]	Morrell J.B., (1969), Practical chemistry at the University of Edinburgh, 1799-1843, AMBIX, 26, 66-80.
[29]	Morrell J.B., (1972), Practical chemistry at the University of Edinburgh, 1799-1843, AMBIX, 26, 66-80.
[30]	National Research Council, 1996. National education standards, National Academy Press: Washington, D.C.
[31]	Raghubir, K.P., 1979. The laboratory investigative approach to science. Laboratory Experience and Student Learning.
[32]	Tamir, P., 1991. Practical Work in School Science: An analysis of current practice. in Woolnough, B.E., (ed.). Practical science Milton Keyness, Open University press.
[33]	Tamir, P. and Lunetta, V.N., 1978. An analysis of laboratory activities in the BSCS version. The American Biology Teachers, 40,353-357.
[34]	Tobin, K.G., 1990. Research on science laboratory activities, in pursuit for better questions and answers to improve learning, School Science and Mathematics, 90, 403-418.
[35]	Woolnough, B, and Allosp, T., 1985. Practical Work in Science, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
[36]	Woolnough, B.E., (ed.), 1991. Practical Science. Milton Keynes, Open University Press.
[37]	Yin, R.K., 2003. Case Study Research: design and Methods (3rd ed) London: Sage publication.