Micro-scale Experiments in the Increasingly Fashionable Laboratory in High Schools

Abstract

Objective: Experimental activities in laboratories are an important part in teaching and learning chemistry. Nevertheless, its implementation may be limited by the lack of material, instrument and above all the risk involved in doing so in the laboratory. Not only because of the cost of the reagents, but also because of the safety of the students in the classroom. That is why the use of simple micro-scale experiments turns out to be a benefit for the teaching of chemistry to high school students. Methods: Micro-scale practices also facilitate the implantation of constructivist laboratory practices, presented as small investigations, displacing traditional laboratory practices. The design of practices from a constructivist approach allows working all or some aspects of the scientific method. A constructivist methodology will increase the student’s interest in the subject and bring them closer to the scientific method, which will provoke the development of their observation capacity, the ability to make hypotheses, the skill in the design of experimental setups, discussing results, drawing conclusions and relating empirical data to theoretical principles. In contrast, traditional practices are usually prescription-type practices completely lack the scientific method. Since there are numerous difficulties in implementing practices with a constructivist methodology, both methods may be considered according to the space, time, and materials possibilities. Conclusion: The micro-scale experiments is useful for different reasons: reduces chemical use by promoting waste reduction of the source, save money, improves safety, may be carry out in class and sometimes at home, decreases experiment time and student carry out the experiments by themselves which is important for a significant learning.