Abstract: An integrated “problem-guided preview and anomaly-driven inquiry” teaching model was developed through experiment in elemental chemistry to address two key challenges in inorganic chemistry experimental teaching at local universities: the lack of continuity with high school chemistry foundations and insufficient integration with advanced experimental designs. Problem-guided preview resources were created to help students standardize basic operations and clarify experimental principles, thereby bridging the knowledge and skill gap between secondary and tertiary education. The transformation of “anomaly-to-inquiry” and the coherent approach for fostering scientific thinking, consisting of “cognitive conflict → variable analysis → scheme design → theoretical tracing”, were established to overcome the competency gap between basic and advanced experimentation. Practical results demonstrated that this model facilitated a role transformation (students: from “passive executors” to “active investigators”; teachers: from “knowledge lecturers” to “thinking cultivators”) and improved student competencies (the excellent rate increased from 2.6% to 9.8%). This model offers a paradigm for experimental teaching reform at local universities.

Key words: Experiments of element properties, Problem-guided preview, Abnormal exploration, Teaching reform