Establishing the Laboratory as the Place to Learn How to Do Chemistry

Abstract

The laboratory occupies a central place in chemistry curricula, but the reported goals of laboratory work are very broad. This commentary considers the variety of reported goals of laboratory work and seeks to address the question of what the pedagogic goals for laboratory work are in our curriculum. Drawing on literature from chemistry education research, history of science, and epistemology of laboratory work, it advocates seeking a single, well-defined goal of laboratory work as the place to learn how to do chemistry.