Multistep synthesis is a key capstone experience in organic laboratory instruction. Here, a four-step synthesis of avobenzone, an active component in sunscreens, has been developed that can be completed in two 4 h laboratory periods. This synthesis incorporates green principles and includes an aldol condensation, electrophilic addition of bromine…

Infrared spectroscopy (IR) is a staple structural elucidation and characterization technique because of its ability to identify functional groups and its ease of use. Interestingly, it allows the capture of electronic effects via their influence on the bond strength of "probes", such as the carbonyl group and also offers a wealth of…

Understanding the physicochemical properties of organic compounds with potential biological uses is central in current research topics. Thus, students must pursue the integration of different fields of chemistry to obtain and understand the physicochemical parameters that characterize the mechanism of action of key organics compounds. This…

We present two simple classroom exercises designed to explain challenging concepts in conformation for students beginning organic chemistry. These macroscopic demonstrations serve as analogies to bridge students' understanding of flat two-dimensional drawings to real three-dimensional molecules. In the first demonstration, an apple is drawn from…

''Critical thinking'' has been situated as an important skill or way of thinking in chemistry education. However, despite its perceived importance, there has not been an established consensus definition for chemistry and science education with many resources operating from working definitions. The many definitions obfuscate what ''critical…

For most students, completing practice problems is an essential prerequisite for success in organic chemistry courses. Practice work, however, is sometimes perceived to be easier than or even not related to the types of chemistry that students see in assessments and "real-world" science. This negative view may contribute to a reduced…

The Databank of Dynamics Trajectories (DDT, notthatddt.org) was established to assist students in visualizing the dynamical behaviors occurring during chemical reactions and conformational changes, with a focus on processes taught in introductory organic chemistry classes. Animations of reacting molecules created using "ab initio"…

Student self-assessment surveys were utilized to look at student study habits in several areas. Both self-reported study time and study methods were explored. Surveys were given to students after they received their graded exams. In a comparison with the federal definition for a credit hour (2 hours outside of class for each hour spent in class),…

Recently, the question of which version of content knowledge (CK) is suitable for pre-service teacher (PST) development has gained prominence in teacher education research. A version of CK argued to be appropriate for science PST development has been introduced and referred to as teacher-related science content knowledge (TerSCK). This CK version…

This paper presents an analysis of the use of multimedia and hands-on models on university students' understanding of stereochemistry. The relationship between students' scientific reasoning skills and their understanding of stereochemistry was also determined. Two groups of second-year chemistry students from the State University of Malang taking…

Generating a testable hypothesis is a necessary skill for engaging in science, requiring both general reasoning skills and specific content knowledge of the phenomenon being investigated. While many students have the reasoning skills necessary for developing testable hypotheses in a general science context, it can be challenging for students to…

Effective organic chemistry instruction necessitates an adaptable approach that accommodates varied learning styles and improves students' comprehension of concepts. To attain this goal, teachers may employ visualization, molecular modeling, and interactive software to explain three-dimensional structures and spatial interactions. Thus, the…

The educational game "Make or Take" is designed to approach the notoriously challenging topic of organic synthesis in an entertaining and engaging way. In this unique, two-part game, teams of students are given identical lists of several synthetic transformations, each requiring multiple steps to complete. During the first part of the…

Project-based learning (PBL) research is shown to improve students' higher-order thinking skills. In this article, we describe an adaptation of the PBL model that is suitable for colleges with limited science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research capabilities. Our objective was to design a meaningful research project requiring minimal…

The present paper analyzes and discusses specific methodological aspects instrumental in promoting the teaching of Green Chemistry (GC); it examines proposals and teaching experience reports from 284 papers published in the "Journal of Chemical Education" (JChemEd), until 2019. Using Discursive Textual Analysis and drawing upon previous…