Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a powerful statistical technique for reducing the complexity of data and making patterns and relationships within the data more easily understandable. By using PCA, students can learn to identify the most important features of a data set, visualize relationships between variables, and make informed decisions…

This article presents a novel approach to introducing principal component analysis (PCA), using summary tables and descriptive statistics. Given its applicability across a variety of academic disciplines, this topic offers abundant opportunity for class discussion and activities. However, teaching PCA in an introductory class can be challenging…

In this paper, a problem set activity focused on understanding and applying unsupervised and supervised chemometric methods for the analysis of biodiesel-diesel blended fuels is described. This problem set was utilized in two upper-level analytical elective courses aimed for junior and senior level students. The data set consists of peak areas…

This methodological paper examines current conceptions of reliability in chemistry education research (CER) and provides recommendations for moving beyond the current reliance on reporting coefficient alpha (a) as reliability evidence without regard to its appropriateness for the research context. To help foster a better understanding of…

Principal component analysis (PCA) is one of the most important and powerful methods in chemometrics as well as in a wealth of other areas. Running a PCA results in two main elements, the score plot and the loading plot; the score plot provides the location of the samples, and the loading plot indicates correlations among variables, the trends in…

The incorporation of information and communications technology (ICT) in teaching and learning processes has created new challenges for administrative and academic processes in educational institutions. This paper proposes an E-Learning Tools Acceptance Model (eLTAM) with the purpose of examining the level of acceptance and critical factors of…

With the final objective of using computational and chemometrics tools in the chemistry studies, this paper shows the methodology and interpretation of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) using pollution data from different cities. This paper describes how students can obtain data on air quality and process such data for additional information…

Christopher Peterson received the Circle of Courage Award and made the following address in a symposium on "The Strength-Based Revolution" at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan (Peterson & Brendtro, 2008). Dr. Peterson shared personal reflections on the strengths movement, which is transforming youth development. His…

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a highly useful topic within an introductory Linear Algebra course, especially since it can be used to incorporate a number of applied projects. This method represents an essential application and extension of the Spectral Theorem and is commonly used within a variety of fields, including statistics,…

Students regularly are asked to solve Single Factor Analysis of Variance problems given only the sample summary statistics (number of observations per category, category means, and corresponding category standard deviations). Most undergraduate students today use Excel for data analysis of this type. However, Excel, like all other statistical…

This article describes an empirical project that studied fourth- through- eighth- grade math teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning and about the role of teaching and learning in broader society. Specifically, it examined relationships between teachers' reported beliefs and their use of transmittal, constructivist, and democratic classroom…

Learner-centred approaches follow the prevailing tendency in modern University reforms which are primarily concerned about "how people learn". The methodologies can be learner-centred in the sense of placing the student as the main actor of the teaching-learning process by increasing his interactivity and participation, but also…

The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) is a new instrument designed to measure student beliefs about physics and about learning physics. This instrument extends previous work by probing additional aspects of student beliefs and by using wording suitable for students in a wide variety of physics courses. The CLASS has been…

The increased rates of deviations in sexual behavior among young people and the number of divorces among young married families provide evidence of the urgent relevance of valeological/health-promoting sex education for the young people of Russia. This article discusses scientific and practical experience from the implementation of program…

Linear models of two of the most salient motivations for undergraduates to attend college--learning (intrinsic) and enhanced post-graduation earnings (extrinsic)--are estimated from a sample of 2,199 respondents to the 2000 Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) survey of first-year students, supplemented by institutional records. Model…