Microscale Chemistry Experiments For Upper Secondary Schools In Malaysia
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Date
2011-01
Authors
Abdullah, Mashita
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Laboratory work is essential to assist students in acquiring scientific and thinking
skills and experience, as well as appreciate chemistry in real life. Students require the
hands-on practical and personal laboratory experience. Chemistry practical classes in
Malaysian secondary schools are conducted mostly in groups (2 or more), as
demonstrations or not conducted at all. Increase in the number of students leads to
increased costs of conducting laboratory experiments and also to increase in chemical
wastes generated which contributes to environmental pollution. The objectives of the
study include developing microscale chemistry experiments for upper secondary
chemistry students that correspond to traditional macroscale experiments and comparing
microscale and macroscale experiments in terms of accuracy and precision of results
obtained, amount of chemicals used, apparatus required, time needed and amount of
waste produced. This study also was conducted to determine effectiveness of an
individualized approach through microscale chemistry experiments on students’
understanding of chemistry concepts, attitude and motivation and also investigate
students’ and teachers’ opinions and problems on using the microscale technique. Fifty
microscale chemistry experiments for Form Four syllabus and thirty five microscale
chemistry experiments for Form Five syllabus were developed using the Microchemistry
Kit (RADMASTE, South Africa) and small volume glassware. For the experiments
developed, preliminary investigations were carried out to determine the appropriate
chemicals to be used and the volume and concentration for the chemicals were also
optimized for each experiment. Findings of this study indicate that the microscale
chemistry approach can be adapted for most of the Form Four and Form Five chemistry
experiments in the Malaysian secondary school chemistry syllabus. This approach can
reduce cost, time spent and chemical wastes generated since it uses much smaller
quantities of chemicals compared to the traditional scale experiments. This technique can
reduce wastes up to 73%, chemicals used up to 73% and save up to 75% time spent for
experiments in the form four syllabus. This technique also can reduce wastes up to 72%,
chemicals used up to 59% and save up to 53% time spent for experiments in the form five
syllabus. Experiments can also be conducted individually by students.
Description
Keywords
Microscale chemistry experiments for upper secondary chemistry students , that correspond to traditional macroscale experiments