So what can be done to improve it? My feeling is that the current programme is neither scientifically or educationally sound. It seems odd that students MUST perform five different types of ICT but do not have to learn and use fundamental chemistry manipulative skills, for example, reflux (see image on the right). Are our students actually good practical chemists by the end of the course? – at the moment there is no guarantee of this. It also stereotypes the scientific method with absolutely no credit given for using imagination (or, in IB Learner Profile parlance, ‘taking a risk’.) The whole process of designing an experiment is also flawed. Chemists usually do know what the problem is (rather than just ‘investigating some aspect’) – the challenge is how to solve the problem. On top of all this with the best will in the world there is no certain format to moderate samples from all schools in a reliable and unbiased way. So how could it be changed to accommodate these points and still retain its strength?

1. Change the way of assessment. Some factors like recording raw data, working safely with respect for others and working in a team can only be assessed fairly by the teacher (or by self- or peer assessment) during the two year course. Other factors, like processing and presenting data, drawing a conclusion and evaluating an experiment can be assessed just as well using a written examination paper. I would suggest reducing the internal summatively assessed mark to no more than 10% of the total amount and the remaining 10-14% for practical work can be examined externally through a 1 hour written paper. By reducing the percentage of the internally assessed component many of the current problems (perceived or actual) due to moderation would be significantly reduced. This could be aided by linking the moderation (as it used to be before 1998) to the quality of the programme and how the school as a whole performs on the written practical paper.

2. Stipulate the manipulative skills that must be performed by the student during the two year course and that the teacher must show (on the form 4PSOW or equivalent) which experiment(s) was used to exemplify each skill. These skills could be:

Carry out each of the following with due regard to accuracy and safety.

• Precise transfer/measurement of volumes of liquid using a pipette and burette
• Measurement of mass by difference using a top-pan balance
• Measurement of temperature by the correct use of a thermometer
• Measurement of gaseous volume
• Separation of a solid-liquid mixture by filtration
• Separation of two immiscible liquids using a separating funnel
• Separation of a mixture of two or more components by paper or thin layer chromatography
• Determination of the melting point of a pure organic compound
• Distillation
• Reflux
• Recrystallisation
• Use of a data logger to record raw data
• Use of software for graph plotting
• Use of a spreadsheet for processing data
• Use of a data base
• Use of computer modelling or simulations

3. Encourage students to extend their practical abilities by giving credit for imaginative and original solutions to design experiments rather than just following well-worn and predictable paths.

Hopefully this will provide some food for thought for discussion particularly to those reviewing the programme.