Guided Inquiry Outperforms the Traditional Expository Approach in Developing Key Soft Skills in Organic Chemistry Laboratory Courses

Key Points

• The study aims to evaluate how different teaching approaches impact the development of soft skills in organic chemistry laboratories.
• Undergraduate students experienced Organic Chemistry I through an expository approach and Organic Chemistry II with a guided-inquiry approach.
• Mixed-method research design was employed, collecting both quantitative survey data and qualitative interview data.
• Students reported greater improvements in persistence, motivation, and confidence with the guided-inquiry approach compared to the expository method.
• Qualitative data from interviews supported the findings from the surveys, highlighting perceived benefits of guided inquiry for soft skills.