Machine learning (ML) is extensively applied in chemistry, particularly in vibrational spectroscopy. However, few teaching examples effectively demonstrate the capabilities of ML in classifying polymeric materials, exhibiting subtle spectral differences that elude visual discrimination. This study presents a teaching example specifically tailored…

Bacteria form an intense portion of reading and learning for students enrolled in microbiology education. As a part of the foundational course outline of bacteriology, bacterial classification is a significant topic of discussion. The purpose of our study was to analyze whether bacterial classification can be taught with a phylogenetic tree…

Applications of machine learning in chemistry are many and varied, from prediction of structure-property relationships, to modeling of potential energy surfaces for large scale atomistic simulations. We describe a generalized approach for the application of machine learning to the classification of spectra which can be used as the basis for a wide…

We present an approach to the question of the educational relations between chemistry and physics based on the one hand, on an inferentialist account of scientific representation (Suárez M., (2024), "Inference and Representation. A Study in Modelling Science," Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press). On the other, we have…

In this in-class activity, organic chemistry undergraduates try to place an assortment of molecules in chronological order from oldest to most recently synthesized. In the students' first attempt, they use their knowledge of reactions and synthesis to analyze the organic compounds for their structural complexity. Before a second attempt, the names…

This study highlights the importance of incorporating modern mass spectrometry techniques into undergraduate education. By focusing on the structure-characterizing capability of MS, students are able to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge techniques and better understand how MS can be used to solve real-world problems. The three-step lipid…

In some universities, there is a significant population of first year chemistry students who enter the system with very little prior knowledge of the subject. This, coupled with preconceived ideas of subject difficulty, necessitates that the introduction of key concepts is carried out in a nonthreatening, engaging, simplistic, and efficacious…

Quantum physics forms the basis for exciting new technologies, including quantum computers, quantum encryption, and quantum entanglement. The advancement of science and technology highlights the importance of mastering quantum physics and its applications, not only at the college level but also as early as high school. In this multiple case study,…

Understanding molecular processes and coordinating the various activities across levels of organization in biological systems is a complicated task, yet many curricular guidelines indicate that undergraduate students should master it. Employing mechanistic reasoning can facilitate describing and investigating biological phenomena. Biofilms are an…

Universities are recognizing the need to prepare graduates to think conceptually and have the ability to take on complex, real-world problems. Strategies to assess conceptual knowledge are limited and often require more time and effort to complete than is accessible for most undergraduate courses. Card sorting is a very broad technique for…

The development of scientific reasoning competencies is a key goal of science education. To better understand the complex construct of scientific reasoning, which includes modeling as one style of reasoning, thorough investigations of the underlying processes are needed. Therefore, in this study, a typology of preservice science teachers' modeling…

The new normal imposed on us by the COVID-19 pandemic restricted the traditional ways we would teach high school students who are eager to participate in introductory astronomy projects on our university campus. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we were forced to come up with creative ways to get around this obstacle. The outcome is…

Adult learning involves the analysis and synthesis of knowledge to become competent, which cannot be assessed only by traditional assessment tool and didactic learning methods. Stimulation of higher domains of cognitive learning needs to be inculcated to reach a better understanding of the subject rather than traditional assessment tools that…

To help educators deliver their physiology laboratory courses remotely, we developed an inexpensive, customizable hardware kit along with freely available teaching resources. We based the course design on four principles that should allow students to conduct insightful experiments on different physiological systems. First, the experimental setup…

We systematically compared two coding approaches to generate training datasets for machine learning (ML): (1) a holistic approach based on learning progression levels; and (2) a dichotomous, analytic approach of multiple concepts in student reasoning, deconstructed from holistic rubrics. We evaluated four constructed response assessment items for…