Retrieval practice has generally been shown to be an effective study strategy. The benefits of retrieval practice, however, have largely been compared to restudying, a passive and ineffective study strategy. Here, I investigated the memory and metamemory effects of practicing retrieval versus generating mnemonics, an active and effective study…

Soft rot diseases cause crop losses all over the world. These losses can have large economic impacts and threaten international food security. Soft rot bacterial pathogens produce pectolytic enzymes that attack the pectin around plant cells resulting in smelly, wet, and mushy tissue maceration. Once symptoms are visible, the crop cannot be used or…

The periodic table is recognized as one of the most powerful tools in science. While it is included in virtually all high school and undergraduate general chemistry curricula, it remains a mystery to many chemistry students who find it impossible to decode. Students are often able to predict periodic trends concerning atomic radius, ionization…

Recent calls in education have emphasized the critical need for curricula in the sciences to support student development of the general and disciplinary-specific practices that are relevant to modern scientific research and careers, as well as foundational scientific knowledge that reflects recent advances. In this regard, the life sciences,…

The primary focus of this education leadership portfolio is to reconstruct lessons on chemical reaction concepts for teachers to use and reach all learners of chemistry in Cecil County Public Schools. As a high school chemistry teacher, I have observed that student enrollment in chemistry is relatively low, and students show little enthusiasm…

Statistics have shown that individuals with disabilities are underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This work focused on exploring how three students with blindness enrolled in a full-inclusion high-school chemistry class experienced and conceptualized content in order to inform educators,…

The heart of learning chemistry is the ability to connect a compound's structure to its function; Lewis structures provide an essential link in this process. In many cases, their construction is taught using an algorithmic approach, containing a set of step-by-step rules. We believe that this approach is in direct conflict with the precepts of…

Understanding the functioning of the brain is hindered by a lack of knowledge of the full complement of neurotransmitters and neuromodulatory compounds. Single cell measurements aid in the discovery of neurotransmitters used by small subsets of neurons that would be diluted below detection limits or masked by ubiquitous compounds when working with…

This research project investigates students' development of problem solving schemata while using strategies that facilitate the process of using solved examples to assist with a new problem (case reuse). Focus group learning interviews were used to explore students' perceptions and understanding of several problem solving strategies. Individual…

Size and scale are crosscutting ideas integral to scientific understanding. However, research shows that students have little understanding of the size of objects, particularly objects too small to see with the unaided eye. Using a cross-sectional study with 101 middle-school through undergraduate students, a teaching experiment with 24 middle…

This study was conducted to investigate how students approach the learning of thermochemistry, what the challenges are and how instruction can make learning of thermochemistry more accessible. Specifically, this study seeks to understand: 1) which topics in thermochemistry are more difficult to learn and which topics are easier; 2) why the…