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Microscale chemistry

Microscale chemistryMarcella SilunMP1412253T

Microscale ChemistryRefers to an approach or technique for carrying out experiments on a reduced scale using small quantities of chemicals and often with simple equipment.

Advantages Of Microscale ChemistrySaves time for preparation and clear awayReduces waste at the sourceMore safetyLower costs for chemical substances and equipmentSmaller storage areaReduced reliance on intensive ventilation systemsPleasant working atmosphereShorter reaction timesMore time for evaluation and communication

Article 1Title:Small-scale Chemistry For A Hands-on Approach To Chemistry Practical Work In Secondary Schools: Experiences From Ethiopia

Author:Gebrekidan Tesfamariam, Annette Lykknes and Lise KvittingenDepartment of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, NorwayArticle 1: Background Of The StudyLayton (1990) argued that chemistry without practical work was seen as a body of factual information and general laws, which conveyed nothing of lasting power to the mind.Reduction of waste production at the source was the main driving force behind the interest in SSC (Skinner, 1997)National Microscale Chemistry Centre (NMCC) was established in 1993 to promote the use of microscale chemistry as a means of eliminating waste at the sourceOther motivations behind the move towards SSC include: the increasing cost of laboratory equipment and chemicals coupled with budget cuts, shortage of laboratory time (Ciardullo, 2000) and the increasing application of safety legislation to educational institutions (Skinner, 1997).From a constructivist point of view, students need to be active participants in the learning process in constructing meaning and developing understanding (Jenkins, 2000)Bradley and Vermaak (1996) reported knowledge gains and positive attitudes in a study on South African secondary school students after their involvement in microscale practical workMadeira (2005) studied the influence of microscale chemistry experimentation in Mozambican junior secondary schools and reported significant gains in chemistry achievementThe impact of microscale on students understanding of concepts and their attitudes towards the approach has been positively reported by Mafumiko (2008) in Tanzania

ObjectivesTo explore the possibility of using the SSC approach as a means of performing chemistry hands-on practical activities in Ethiopian secondary schools, and thereby reducing the need for costly equipment and expensive laboratoriesEvaluating the effectiveness of the SSC approach in supporting classroom implementation of chemistry hands-on practical work against the teaching approaches normally in useResearch QuestionsWhat were the experiences when implementing hands-on chemistry practical work through the SSC approach in secondary school classrooms in Mekelle, Ethiopia?What were the students and teachers reactions to the SSC experimentation approach?What were the differences in the chemistry test performance of the two groups of students in the small-scale approach (experimental group) and the approaches normally used in chemistry classes (control group)?Research DesignQuasi-experimental designParticipants assigned to experimental and control groupsSample / PopulationParticipants consisted of 383 grade 11 science stream students from two selected governmental secondary schools (experimental and control schools)188 of the students (88 males and 100 females) came from four intact classes in the experimental school while 195 (91 males and 94 females) came from four intact classes in the control school. Both schools are located in the same city (Mekelle, North Ethiopia)Sampling TechniqueSchools were selected based on purposive samplingWillingness of the chemistry teachers and school principlesMatching of the topic of investigation with the teachers scheme of workPresence of reasonable number of grade 11 science students in the schoolSchool were assigned as experimental and control schools using the lottery methodInstrumentsChemistry concept testPre-test and post-test consist of 15 multiple choice items and four short answer itemsStudent questionnaireSemi-structured questionnaire to gains student experiences and opinions about SSC based lessonsConsist of 14 close-ended items and 3 open-ended itemsIndividual teacher interviewClassroom observation29-item classroom observation checklistOpen notesData Analysis ProcedureIndependent samples t-test: to examine whether there was a significant difference between the experimental and control group students in relation to their understanding of chemistry conceptsDescriptive statistics

Main FindingsSSC approach can increase students understanding of chemistry concepts.

Post-testMain FindingsSSC approach was viewed by both teachers and students as cost and time saving, safer, easy to use and enjoyable.ImplicationsSSC approach is a commendable option for the Ethiopian secondary chemistry classesEnable implementation of chemistry practical workFuture work shall focus on familiarizing the small-scale approach throughout schools and higher learning institutions in the country.