Anaerobic respiration reactions are of fundamental importance to global biogeochemical cycling of elements. Yet, the idea that cellular respiration can occur not only in the absence of oxygen but also involve the oxidation of inorganic substrates (e.g., AsO[subscript 3 superscript 3-], Fe[superscript 2+], H[subscript 2], H[subscript 2]S,…

Escape rooms are making their way into the chemistry classroom as a learning tool. However, escape rooms require a large amount of preparation and setup, and they are only novel and exciting for a single play-through. For escape room games to be incorporated into multiple class periods, they must be streamlined for reuse. In this work, I introduce…

Pedagogical research over the past decade has shown that chemistry courses have high failure rates and low accessibility. The implementation of novel active-learning approaches has great potential to offset these trends. Fundamental concepts that serve as "pinch points" are ripe targets for designing innovative, gamified course materials…

Acid-base titration concepts and experiments are ubiquitous, yet challenging, aspects of the general chemistry curriculum. Most general chemistry courses include at least one acid-base titration laboratory experiment, though the focus is often on determining the concentration, pK[subscript a], or molar mass of an analyte rather than on the details…

An educational escape activity was developed, embedding elements of both augmented and immersive virtual reality technologies, in an active learning environment. The mental visualization of abstract concepts can be difficult for students, inhibiting their ability to reason cogently regarding important topics of stereochemistry. Consequently, an…

This qualitative case study explored how exposure to Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) improves 11th grade physical sciences learners' competency in solving stoichiometry problems. Two township schools of low socioeconomic status in Pretoria, South Africa, were conveniently and purposively sampled. Two classes (N = 48) composed of…

An undergraduate-level Computational Chemistry project was incorporated initially into a Physical Chemistry course and then into the laboratory curriculum in the subsequent application. Before the introduction of the project, the lectures covered quantum chemistry, spectroscopy, and kinetics while simultaneously including computational chemistry…

Unemployment among science graduates in Rwanda remains a pressing challenge due to limited industrial opportunities and insufficient market demand for scientific skills. This study assesses chemistry teachers' entrepreneurial competencies for developing small chemical-based businesses. This study adopted an explanatory sequential design, combining…

The aim of this study is to investigate the potential implementation of the design thinking-STEAM-PjBL model to influence pre-service chemistry teachers' transferable skills. The design thinking process is integrated into an interdisciplinary curriculum STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) designed to engage pre-service…

Advancements in technology have led to significant changes in the workforce and created a demand for expertise in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In response, curricula have evolved to emphasize essential skills such as critical thinking and communication to prepare students for STEM-based careers. To this end,…

In the face of an increasingly severe global climate change situation, carbon neutrality initiatives have been included in the development action plans of many countries around the world. The carbon neutrality vision will also accelerate the revolution in the energy systems of countries around the world, injecting new vitality into the upgrading…

Based on quantitative survey data collected from an inquiry-based general chemistry laboratory course, the current study used marginal models to evaluate changes in students' teamwork and problem-solving skills, attitudes to teamwork, and willingness to explore new issues before and after the course. The results suggest that introductory-level…

A multiweek laboratory experiment is described, which guides students to use data to make decisions through multiple steps, before reaching a final conclusion. The lab focuses on the comparisons of fluorescence and absorbance spectroscopies to determine the concentration of a desired substance in an unknown sample in consideration of a complex…

To enhance students' learning and help them understand the whole picture of the field of inorganic chemistry, an inorganic laboratory technique course was designed that uses scaffolded, inquiry-based lab experiments and project-based learning. The scaffolded, inquiry-based laboratories taught in the first 8 weeks of the course helped students…

This study investigates the effect of inquiry-based learning with socio-scientific issues on students' higher-order thinking skills in the first year based on chemistry topics. This study used a quasi-experiment design as a method. A sample of 96 students in three classes was selected and was divided into two groups. An experimental group used two…