The work in this dissertation is presented in two parts. The first part (Chapters 3 and 4) details work relating to students' explanations of reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry. The second part (Chapters 5 and 6) details work relating to the evaluating the uptake of research-based instructional practices in introductory chemistry,…

Four General Chemistry instructors investigated the use of ChatGPT-4 to improve their lessons plans for the historical experiments of Thomson, Millikan, and Rutherford. The instructors varied in their prior knowledge for these experiments and their initial lessons addressed somewhat different learning objectives. This led to different…

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made remarkable strides in recent years, finding applications in various fields, including chemistry research and industry. Its integration into chemistry education has gained attention more recently, particularly with the advent of generative AI (GAI) tools. However, there is a need to understand how teachers'…

Student engagement in science classroom is an essential element for delivering effective instruction. However, the popular method for measuring students' emotional learning engagement (ELE) relies on self-reporting, which has been criticized for possible bias and lacking fine-grained time solution needed to track the effects of short-term learning…

Industrial and academic laboratories are undergoing a paradigm shift in process technology from batch to modular flow. Implementation of modular flow processes can enable more efficient operation with superior throughput, scalability, and safety factors owing to superior transport and reaction kinetics. However, both fine chemical and…

In this investigation we propose new machine learning methods for automated scoring models that predict the vocabulary acquisition in science and social studies of second grade English language learners, based upon free-form spoken responses. We evaluate performance on an existing dataset and use transfer learning from a large pre-trained language…

Recent advancements in large language models (LLMs) have shown potential in enhancing educational practices, particularly in technology-assisted learning environments. This study critically evaluates the reasoning capabilities of LLMs, such as ChatGPT, within the context of chemistry education. We designed targeted adversarial prompts that…

Large language models, such as ChatGPT, have great potential to enhance learning and support teachers, but they must be used with care to tackle limitations and biases. This paper presents two easy-to-implement examples of how ChatGPT can be used in physics classrooms to foster critical thinking skills at the secondary school level. A pilot study…

The emergence of ChatGPT as one of the most advanced chatbots and its ability to generate diverse data has given room for numerous discussions worldwide regarding its utility, particularly in advancing medical education and research. This study seeks to assess the performance of ChatGPT in medical biochemistry to evaluate its potential as an…

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection in Investigating and Improving Quantum Education through Research.] One of the greatest weaknesses of physics education research is the paucity of research on graduate education. While there are a growing number of investigations of graduate student degree progress and admissions, there are very few…

Two scientific and systematic evaluation index systems are constructed for primary education APP and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses. These systems are revised and confirmed through two rounds of Delphi method. The Delphi method determines an educational application (APP) evaluation index system containing four…

The limitations of traditional education models and the advancement of technology have revealed the need to transform the learning experience. The "Flipped Learning" approach, born out of this need, is a model where students study learning materials in advance and participate in more interactive and hands-on activities in the classroom.…

Information literacy skills are an important part of research skills for undergraduate science students. This case study presents a novel approach to developing these types of research skills. By deconstructing the research process into separate steps, explicitly defining, and practicing the skills involved, students can progressively develop…

Recent research in science education has largely focused on using ChatGPT to solve problems and evaluating its accuracy and problem-solving features. However, as artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an important tool for human development, effective strategies for learning and education using human-AI collaboration (HAI) learning remain…

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into daily life across various sectors such as banking, healthcare, tourism, and education. This research aims to investigate science teacher candidates' opinions on using ChatGPT in education and their approaches to preparing questions with this artificial intelligence tool. Specifically, it…