Student experiences of life science practicals

Abstract

Science Educationists seem to agree that practical work should form an important component of any science course. Many students arrive at University without having been exposed to any practical work, while others were exposed to a range of different practical activities. This background seems to impact how students experience and benefit from laboratory work at University. This research is aimed at determining what first-year students' experiences of the life science practical course were. Reflective journals were used as a tool to get students' opinions about their experiences in the practical classes. Interviews served to clarify the problems that seemed to surface.