Use Of Laboratory Activities Research Articles

Evaluating a Constructivist Model for Learning Clinical Skills in Pre-Clinical Years of a Dental Curriculum

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not using a constructivist model for teaching clinical skills had an impact on students' performance in a pre-clinical operative dentistry course. Study Design: Randomized Control Trial Place and Duration: College of Dentistry, Jouf University, Saudi Arabia, two months (March and April 2022). Methods: A total of 50 second year BDS students participated in this trial. The students were divided randomly into two groups. Group I received traditional method and group II received constructivist method. The students' capability of performing rubber dam application skill on the typodont tooth was evaluated through the use of laboratory activities. After the conclusion of the research, the participants were given a questionnaire to complete out and provide feedback on. Examinations that were objective and systematic were performed on both groups clinically (OSCEs). Results: There was a statistically significant difference in learning modes (p 0.001). The students learning method has nothing to do with their age or gender. Group II (constructivist) demonstrated considerably higher development in scores across lab tasks (p<0.05). While students of all backgrounds valued supplemental learning resources, those who got aligned materials reported feeling more grateful for them. Conclusion: The constructivist approach can be used as a complementary teaching strategy in pre-clinical operative dentistry courses to improve students' learning outcomes and prepare them for success in the dental profession. Keywords: preclinical education, predoctoral education, learning styles, operative dentistry, and education.

Secondary school chemistry teacher's current use of laboratory activities and the impact of expense on their laboratory choices

In the United States with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)'s emphasis on learning science while doing science, laboratory activities in the secondary school chemistry continues to be an important component of a strong curriculum. Laboratory equipment and consumable materials create a unique expense which chemistry teachers and schools must deal with if laboratory activities are part of the chemistry curriculum. While other barriers impacting teachers' use of laboratory activities have been researched, the impact of expense on teachers' choices is not as clear. This study sought to understand secondary school chemistry teachers' current laboratory practices and the impact expense has on their use of laboratory activities in their classroom. Using an online survey and follow-up interviews, the study found that a majority of secondary chemistry teachers surveyed use laboratory activities, though not always including scientific practices advocated by NGSS. The frequency of laboratory activities used by teachers was not statistically impacted by school type, available funds for materials, or processes to obtain funds, but was impacted by teachers' personal ideas. Interviews provided more information about the teachers using laboratory activities regularly and those not. While most teachers are using laboratory activities regularly at the current funding levels, expense, in terms of monetary and time expenses, was shown to impact the specific choice of laboratory activity. Implications for chemistry curriculum reform including the usage of laboratory activities in chemistry courses are discussed along with implications for chemistry teacher professional development.

Picture Chem: Playing a Game To Identify Laboratory Equipment Items and Describe Their Use

Laboratory activities are an important means of instruction in science; as such, they have been used in chemistry education since the 1880s. Many learning objectives can be achieved through the use of laboratory activities undertaken by chemistry students. In student-centered laboratory activities, students should know how to use an apparatus in designing an experiment. In this Activity, we describe the development and preliminary use of a game to help students learn the names and functions of common chemistry laboratory equipment. The game, Picture Chem, was played with 30 cards and a playing board. An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats was used to improve the game. The effectiveness of the game was tested quantitatively, with results showing that students find Picture Chem to be both enjoyable and beneficial.

Secondary science teachers' use of laboratory activities: Linking epistemological beliefs, goals, and practices

The purpose of this study was to explore how science teachers' epistemological beliefs and teaching goals are related to their use of lab activities. Research questions include (a) What are the teachers' epistemological beliefs pertaining to lab activities? (b) Why do the science teachers use lab activities? (c) How are the teachers' epistemological beliefs and instructional goals related to teaching actions? Two major aspects of epistemologies guided this study: ontological aspect (certainty/diversity of truth) and relational aspect (relationship between the knower and the known). The ontological aspect addresses whether one views knowledge as one certain truth or as tentative multiple truths. The relational aspect addresses whether one views him/herself as a receiver of prescribed knowledge separating self from knowledge construction or as an active meaning maker connecting self to the knowledge construction processes. More sophisticated epistemological beliefs include the acknowledgement of multiple interpretations of the same phenomena and active role of the knower in knowledge construction. Three experienced secondary science teachers were interviewed and observed throughout an academic course. The findings illustrate that a teacher's naive epistemological beliefs are clearly reflected in the teacher's teaching practices. However, a teacher's sophisticated epistemological beliefs are not always clearly connected to the practice. This seems to be related to the necessary negotiation among their epistemological beliefs, teaching contexts, and instructional goals. Ontological and relational beliefs seem to be connected to different facets of teaching practices. Findings indicate that various syntheses of different aspects of epistemological beliefs and instructional goals are linked to teachers' diverse ways of using lab activities. Implications for research and teacher education are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed89:140–165, 2005

The Quantity and Quality of Biology Laboratory Work in British Columbia High Schools

The purpose of this research was to survey the quantity and quality of laboratory work conducted by 11th‐ and 12th‐grade biology students in British Columbia high schools to analyze student performance on laboratory‐based questions on provincial examinations, and to examine the curriculum for recommended laboratory work. A pilot survey was used to produce a valid survey instrument that identified teachers' use of laboratory activities. Examination and curriculum data were extracted from Ministry of Education documents. The frequency of laboratory work was low, with quantitative activities much less frequent than qualitative. Laboratory exercises were confirmatory rather than investigative. Critical thinking and hypotheses formulation were seldom expected of the students. Many teachers reported that they infrequently or never used laboratory simulations or computer‐based data collection. Although laboratories were equipped adequately, teachers claimed that the curriculum and provincial examination limited the scope for an inquiry‐based course. Provincial examination results indicated that the frequency and type of laboratory work had no effect on scores on lab‐based questions. Analysis of the laboratory activities recommended in the syllabus revealed that fewer laboratory activities were being conducted than are recommended in the curriculum guide outline. This study indicates that while the current philosophy of many biology teachers supports an investigative learning experience, little change in classroom practice has occurred in British Columbia schools.

A “hands-on” approach to speech science

The use of laboratory activities to supplement lectures is based on the knowledge that students learn best when they are able to manipulate the material under study, and that understanding of the physical universe requires problem-solving. The goal of this project was to develop public domain software and laboratory materials for instructional programs in speech and hearing science. The results of a 2 year implementation of the lab activities demonstrate that self-paced exercises in speech and hearing science courses provide an effective adjunct to lecture presentation.