Laboratory practical work as a technological process

Abstract

Laboratory practical work is commonly intercalated with theoretical and seminar classes in packages that cover single units of a given course program. Emphasis is put in to illustrate important theoretical concepts and in to improve students' laboratory handling skills. We observed that this involves serious disadvantages, namely (i) students lack an integrated view of the subjects, (ii) time constraints for each experimental session preclude students to become familiar with most of the techniques and approaches, (iii) how to manipulate laboratory equipment become more important than the objectives and rational explanation of results, (iv) work planning and evaluation of reproducibility of methods are not considered, (v) elaboration and communication of results are not encouraged. To overcome these limitations we developed a new schedule were students get problem-based learning of theoretical concepts during the first half of the course and plan and execute a laboratory project during the second half. The project is performed within one of three main areas: purification, enzyme kinetics or metabolism/molecular genetics, with β-galactosidase as model system. By inducing a more positive attitude in the students towards the practical laboratory work, this schedule allowed us to avoid the mentioned disadvantages while keeping the traditional practical laboratory work objectives met.