Evaluation on Chemistry Lab at Distance Learning System Universitas Terbuka’s Experience

Abstract

Chemical Education Study program S1 at Universitas Terbuka (UT) opened since 1986, provides laboratory works to ensure practical competencies of students with degree in chemical education. Accordingly, guidance is developed to manage the lab works which focus on step, materials, and support required for the lab works. While the guidance is developed in UT's main office, the lab works are conducted in (all 38) UT Regional Centre's. The UT Regional Centers have responsibility to provide lab schedule for all students registered in courses with lab work via all communication media, namely SMS, email and phone. Before starting the lab works. UT Regional Centers have to explain requirements and procedures of the lab works to the students. UT Regional Centers have also been responsible to recruit and employ qualified instructors based on requirement written in the guidance. After years of implementation, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the lab works. The study that reported here is aimed at analyzing student's perceptions of lab works' quality and constraints. The study was conducted and involved 24 persons from UT Regional Centers, student registered in the first and second semester of 2014 academic year, 8 of 38 UT Regional Centers (because students registered in courses only half of the total Regional Centers). Data were gathered through questioners. Analyzed using mix method qualitative. Qualitative with video conference. Results shows that students had positive perception toward lab work implementation. However, there was a tendency of students to work in groups, not individually as required, due to limited circumstantial situation. In some UT Regional Centers, lab work could only be conducted in place far away from the office that cause difficulty for students to attend. In term of the guidance, students perceived lab works to be good although not entirely helpful.

Laboratory activities to support online chemistry courses: a literature review

“…Many of the major open universities around the globe 43,44 that offer chemistry courses will usually also have some in-person options for the laboratory component. [45][46][47] Although a common model for traditional on-campus institutions is to have a laboratory session once a week during term, this is obviously not wellsuited for the off-campus student. Indeed, for reasons of access and flexibility, different strategies are employed when students are distributed and essentially not on campus.…”