Using micro science equipment to facilitate the study of qualitative analysis - A case study in an undergraduate class

Analytical chemistry is an important aspect of chemistry as it provides a lot of insight into the constituents and measurements of matter in all fields of science and medicine. Thus its study comprises the practice of qualitative and quantitative analysis which allows learners of science to have an experience of analytical work. However, the growing cost of science resources and the increasing numbers of students make the regular practice of such activities difficult. It drains the resources of schools which attempt to expose their students to practical work. In this interpretive study of quality micro analysis, 46 undergraduate teacher trainees participated in the use of microscience equipment in their fourth semester for the identification of ions in solutions. Data to assess the feasibility of the intervention was done through observation, a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. About 86% of the sample intimated that the micro activities were interactive, easy to use, yielded faster results and was fun to work with.