An Exploration of Students’ Perceptions of Organic and General Chemistry Laboratories: A Pilot Study

Previous studies have found that chemistry laboratories can inspire students’ interest in STEM fields but often fall short by focusing on routine procedures and verification exercises. This lack of connection with real-world issues like pollution and sustainability might leave students uninspired and disengaged. This study explores factors influencing undergraduate students’ perceptions of chemistry laboratories, focusing on differences between general chemistry (GChem) and organic chemistry (OChem) courses, gendered experiences, and the alignment of student and teaching assistant (TA) perspectives on student engagement. A mixed-methods approach combined an online survey with interviews. The conveniently sampled survey data from 128 West Virginia University students were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, revealing critical factors such as student interest, course content, lab environment, and external contributors. The Mann–Whitney U test compared gender differences and differences between OChem and GChem. Findings show significant differences in course content perceptions (p < 0.05), with GChem students more likely to see connections between lab and lecture topics. Qualitative results showed that external contributors had a greater influence on both GChem and OChem students, aligning with their career-driven motivations. There was no significant difference in perceptions between males and females (p = 0.910). TA interviews highlighted the importance of TA communication, cultural background, and students’ preparation levels in shaping lab experiences. This study will inform educators and researchers about key factors such as improving TA communication, connecting lab content with students’ interests, and fostering a more inclusive learning environment. Improving these areas can enhance student motivation, deepen understanding, and cultivate greater interest in STEM fields through chemistry laboratories.