Study and Research Path for Learning General Chemistry: Analyzing the Quality of Drinking Water

The application of the Study and Research Path (SRP) methodology for learning general chemistry, a fundamental course often found in the first-year curriculum of many technical degrees, is investigated. In recent years, SRPs have emerged as interesting inquiry and project-based teaching formats. In an SRP, the search for an answer to a generating question (Q(0)) triggers an arborescent scheme of derived questions and answers, that are summarized in a Q-A map. In our study case, we designed, implemented, and analyzed an SRP for a first-year course in Engineering. The SRP revolved around the Q(0) question, "what is the quality of tap water in your city?", which led students to become familiar with standards and learn different chemical analysis techniques to determine water quality parameters (hardness, pH, dry residue, sulfates, chlorides). Results of the first edition evidence that SRP enriched the learning of chemistry and expanded the media and milieu with respect to the traditional course. The specific design of the SRP helped overcome the didactic problems of the previous organization, by integrating the theoretical and experimental contents, improving the students' lab skills and providing a "sense" for the course, thus increasing the students' motivation. Both students and teachers adapted easily to the new instruction format. The results of this work open new opportunities for the application of SRPs in other chemistry courses in the future.