Developing Problem-Solving Skills in Chemistry Students Through Project-Based Learning

This article outlines the efforts undertaken to enhance the Advanced Organic Chemistry course at the third-year level by integrating transferable skills into the curriculum, thus improving the employability of students. The study demonstrates the potential of practical classes in promoting problem-solving and creative thinking skills, which are essential for achieving higher-order learning outcomes that are sought after by businesses and institutions hiring chemistry graduates. To achieve this, the course was redesigned to include a project that each student had to complete during their 12 days of allocated laboratory sessions, based on cutting-edge research, providing relevant and up-to-date information on the latest developments in the field. Students were given the freedom to make their own choices throughout the project, promoting initiative, self-confidence, problem-solving, and time-management skills. The project focused on developing technical skills crucial to research laboratories, instilling a curiosity-driven and research-oriented mindset that would enable students to face unforeseen challenges in their professional lives.