A variety of strategies have been introduced to tackle the issue of laboratory safety in academic settings. These strategies include innovative educational tools as students transition from the classroom into the laboratory, the introduction of policies designed to protect the researchers in the laboratory environment, and the creation of teams of…

Natural sciences can be difficult to grasp because physical and chemical phenomena can take place across time and length scales that are beyond the reach of human perception. This problem is particularly true for students attempting to learn about microfluidics, a discipline that involves intricate engineering methods and fluid phenomena that are…

Despite the growing importance of nanomaterials in numerous industries, most undergraduate chemistry students are unlikely to encounter characterization techniques common in the field during their education. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is a common technique for materials characterization widely used in careers chemistry students are likely…

The calcium hydroxide solubility product constant ("K"[subscript sp]) lab is a familiar lab experiment outlined in the "Advanced Chemistry with Vernier" handbook. In an on-campus laboratory setting, students are afforded the opportunity to examine techniques, such as titration of a saturated base solution (Ca­(OH)[subscript 2])…

Capillary electrophoresis is a powerful separation tool with a wide range of analytes for diverse applications and is compatible with various detection methods. While some more established separation techniques like gas or liquid chromatography are utilized heavily in analytical chemistry laboratory courses, newer commercial capillary…

Access to laboratory facilities and associated instrumentation represents a major barrier to learning in physical science education, due to constraints introduced by limited time and financial resources, cost of acquisition, and health and safety requirements. Virtualized laboratories offer some mitigation of these problems but may also introduce…

Eleven different laboratory experiments were designed and executed throughout a semester to provide a meaningful research experience for 23 undergraduate biochemistry majors at UTSA. The topic of the semester was based on the idea of exploring new aspects to enhance our understanding of how the human body uses cytochrome P450 enzymes to metabolize…

The knowledge of the mechanical properties of polymers and other materials is essential for several tasks in the field of materials science, like component design and material development. The tensile test is one method of determining many of the material's most defining mechanical characteristics. However, the teaching of laboratory experiments…

Given the importance of self-healing polymers for chemistry education, herein, we introduce our latest research results in self-healing materials based on thioctic acid into undergraduate chemistry laboratory. In this experiment, a natural small molecule, thioctic acid (TA), and a few other commercially-available reagents have been used to make a…

Performing HPLC-based experiments in the undergraduate practical classroom is difficult because of the time required to perform an analysis. This limits the type of practical to one that undertakes a simple quantitative analysis. However, with the use of sophisticated simulators, such as the one employed in this exercise, more complex experiments…

In a technology-enhanced learning environment and underpinned by a unique hybrid pedagogic model that borrows from gamification, constructivism, and experiential learning approaches, badges were purposefully used to foster engagement. This approach promoted the development of a mindset that identifies and appreciates the worth of a portfolio of…

Guided by the 5E framework (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), a buffer solution courseware was designed using "Articulate Rise," a content authoring tool. It was deployed in a freshman general chemistry course in the April semesters of 2022 and 2023. The courseware was a supplementary resource to support instructor-created…

In this work, we introduce the VR[superscript 2]E[superscript 2]C system for Virtual Reality Remote Education for Experimental Chemistry. It aims to increase scientific literacy about remote education of theoretical and experimental chemistry among the public and high school students. It provides a laboratory option for students with disabilities…

A qualitative sugar identification laboratory was adapted from a hands-on experiment to a virtual "choose your own adventure" experience where students select virtual experiments to conduct on samples of known and unknown carbohydrates. Students select positive and negative controls for each qualitative test and compare results from the…

The latest developments in virtual reality (VR) are gaining attention in education as they are expected to provide risk-free, hands-on learning experiences. However, the use of VR in laboratory settings is still in its early stages of adoption. Therefore, it remains unclear whether these technologies will be widely adopted to educate students in…