Optimization of the Pedagogical Process in Teaching Chemistry to First-Year Students of the Ural State Medical University

Abstract

The purpose of research is to determine directions for optimizing the educational process with the introduction of new methodological approaches. For this purpose, the paper set the tasks to analyze the current methodological aspects of the component of the pedagogical process of teaching chemistry to first-year students of the medical and preventive faculty of the Ural State Medical University (USMU, Yekaterinburg); asess the impact of new methodological approaches in teaching on the performance of students. The discipline “Chemistry” is studied in the first semester, classroom hours for the discipline include lectures (32 hours), practical exercises and laboratory work (34 hours), which are conducted at the department of general chemistry of USMU. Materials and methods. The methodology for teaching chemistry to first-year students of the medical and preventive faculty of USMU (Ekaterinburg) is analyzed. The largest faculty was selected for the study. Over the course of 10 years, during the period of Federal State Educational Standard-3, the number of students at this faculty increased from two streams in the 2012-2013 academic year (300 people) up to four streams in the 2022-2023 academic year (700 people). Attestation in the discipline takes place in the form of a written test with an assessment (exam). Statistical processing of data on exam results and rating scores in the semester was carried out in the Microsoft Excel 2019 program. The obtained indexes are presented as arithmetic mean values and standard error of the mean (M±m). Results. Pearson's r-correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the linear relationship of variables: the percentage of correct answers in the exam ticket, the final student rating in the semester, the exam rating, the certification grade. To test the hypothesis about the effectiveness of the chosen teaching methodology, Pearson's test of agreement (χ2 ) was calculated for the sample size of students (n ≥ 100). The pedagogical process carried out in teaching chemistry to first-year students of the medical and preventive faculty is a complex system that includes target, content, activity, performance, resource components. The activity component of the organization of the pedagogical process was modified as follows: a new form of the examination card was developed, as close as possible to the form of control materials for the unified state exam in chemistry, the structure of the practical lesson was rationalized, and a new laboratory workshop was created and tested. The results of the exam in chemistry were analyzed using Pearson's goodness-of-fit test at a significance level of p<0, 05 in two groups of questions: 1 - on topics covered by a laboratory workshop and 2 - on topics not provided with laboratory work. The rating indexes of students when performing tasks related to the first group of questions are significantly higher than in the second group. ><0,05 in two groups of questions: 1 - on topics covered by a laboratory workshop and 2 - on topics not provided with laboratory work. The rating indexes of students when performing tasks related to the first group of questions are significantly higher than in the second group. Conclusion. When using an optimized laboratory practice in chemistry, the most rational form of the lesson is chosen, in which laboratory experiments are included. Comprehensive planning of such classes is carried out differently. The didactic tasks of the lesson are subordinated to highlighting what is essential in the content of the educational material. The presence of an optimized workshop significantly contributes to the choice of the most effective methods and forms of training for a given lesson, leading to an increase in student performance. It is shown that the updated form of the laboratory workshop in chemistry, along with the rationalization of the structure of the lesson and the form of the exam make it possible to achieve maximum learning outcomes with a limited time interval for classroom work. The new form of the examination card, along with the modernized practicum, contributed to the high marks in the exam. It is shown that a properly organized form of passing the exam allows you to adjust the progress of each student and set an objective assessment in chemistry.