Students' experiences with interactive pre-lab multimedia in undergraduate organic chemistry

Abstract

This study explores second-year undergraduate chemistry students' experiences with a co-created, interactive multimedia pre-lab resource designed for a complex organic synthesis experiment involving sodium borohydride reduction and column chromatography. Drawing on reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with six participants, the research identifies key themes including interactivity and multimodality, workload management, inclusivity for diverse learners, assessment literacy, resource cohesion, and lab preparedness. Students reported enhanced confidence, procedural fluency, and reduced anxiety through targeted videos, animations, quizzes, simulations, and virtual tours, which provided safe rehearsal spaces and clear mechanistic explanations, though challenges arose from repetition and timing pressures. Findings confirm the value of self-contained, accessible digital content in mitigating cognitive load and supporting equity in practical chemistry education, extending prior work on pre-lab multimedia resources. Implications advocate selective interactivity for high-challenge tasks, layered content for varied prior knowledge, and integrated assessment guidance to optimise impact across STEM disciplines.