Using Project Based Learning in a Fundamental Chemistry Course:An Experience Report

In this paper,we report the experience received from the project-based learning activity in a fundamental chemistry course.We involved the first year students in Faculty of Engineering at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi,Ratchaburi Learning Center,Thailand.This work considers the innovative activities performed in the field of chemistry and physics.This activity has been intensively implemented in teaching first year students.A project has been created to build up a small machine for measuring the concentration of sucrose solutions.The students participated in a project based learning(PBL)process,in which they worked in groups to create the instrument designed to measure the sucrose concentration in percentage by weight of sucrose in pure water solvent.Project-based learning has gained a greater position in the classroom as researchers have documented what teachers have long understood:Students become more engaged in learning when they have a chance to dig into complex and challenging problems that closely resemble real life.Moreover,several surveys have been conducted along one academic year to evaluate the impact of this method.The results of the surveys show that PBL encourages students’motivation and improves their knowledge involving the project.It is also pointed out that this methodology requires more dedication from lecturers than traditional methodology.

Creativity Assessment From Integration Between Chemistry and Physics Disciplines Using a Project

The aim of this study is to assess creativity of the students from a project of first year undergrad students of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi,a residential college(KMUTT-RC).A project is a part of academic contents from Physics and Chemistry subjects.There were instructors from Chemistry,Physics,Engineering,and Social Sciences Department for consulting and engineering students for building a prototype.Formative assessment activity is explored from question,answer,and presentation.The characters,assessed on creativity,associated with an analysis on the rubric of prototype design,knowledge,and selective materials.Most students understood the perspective on creativity correlating with the observation from instructors.The instructor’s view represented that most of creative scores gained from motivate design and materials selection while their knowledge was not adequate.The accuracy of prototypes from the students did not relate to creativity in terms of design but error of measurement could occur from confusing with refractive index scale and from preparing a standard solution in chemical laboratory.