Enhancing Students’ Research Capabilities in Chemistry Laboratory Courses With AI-Supported Experimental Design

Among the local universities offering B.Sc. and/or M.Sc. programmes in the field of chemical science, HKBU’s Department of Chemistry has prided with our strength on analytical sciences in both teaching and research. Our Department has proudly established a niche as the center of excellence in analytical sciences in the Asia-Pacific region. As a drive to enhance the teaching and learning quality and the outcomes of our taught (as well as research) programmes, we aim to study the impact and efficiency of utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing our students’ research capabilities in analytical sciences. The integration of AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, has shown promise in enhancing educational experiences across various disciplines. However, its potential in chemical education remains underexplored. This project aims to explore the role of ChatGPT by integrating AI into an authentic pedagogical approach. ChatGPT can serve as a tool to assist students in designing laboratory manuals. These manuals will focus on the chemical analysis of everyday substances, effectively connecting AI with practical chemistry applications. Students will first design the laboratory manual and then engage in conducting the experiments to validate the reliability of the manual they have developed with the use of ChatGPT. Through the integration of AI and experimental learning, the project aims to enhance students’ analytical skills and promote the ethical use of AI in education.