[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Instructional labs: Improving traditions and new directions.] In this paper, we describe the results of a research project whose goals were to (1) develop and implement video-based experimental investigations using the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) approach and (2) study how…

We report on the study of student difficulties regarding a heat engine in the context of a Stirling cycle by the method of measurement. An in-class test about a Stirling engine with a regenerator was taken by three classes, and the students were asked to perform one of the most basic activities--calculate the efficiency of the heat engine. Our…

[superscript 1]H NMR spectroscopy is a molecular characterization technique that is ubiquitously used in research and teaching laboratories alike. Strategic deuteration of molecules is a commonly employed technique in the deconvolution of [superscript 1]H NMR signals. Here this approach is applied in a second-year chemistry course in which…

The Fowler Diet Cola Test (DCT) was originally developed to assess the scientific process skills of students in science classrooms. The use of the test is generally suggested for gifted students in science. There are considerable number of Scientific Process Skills (SPS) tests that the researchers developed for different student population. The…

Take-home examinations were utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic for upper-level analytical chemistry lecture courses. The questions were often scenarios which required the students to determine the best type of instrument to use and how to go about the experiment. Answers submitted were well thought out and detailed, showing that the students…

The results of an earlier four-year longitudinal research study on the development of experimental design skills led to the conclusion that 12-13 year old students probably need more help to design experiments than had been offered to them in that project. This paper reports the findings of the first year of a further four-year empirical research…

A study with K-9 Greek students was conducted in order to evaluate how the declarative knowledge acquisition was affected by incorporating Arduino experiments in secondary Chemistry Education. A Digital Application (DA) that blends the use of the Arduino sensors' experiments with digital educational material, including Virtual Labs (VLs), was…

Describing the motion in a vertical roller coaster loop requires a good understanding of Newton's laws, vectors and energy transformation. This paper describes how first-year students try to make sense of force and acceleration in this example of non-uniform circular motion, which was part of a written exam. In addition to an analysis of the exam…

Experimental work in the research of astronomical phenomena is often difficult or even impossible because of long-lasting processes or too distant objects and correspondingly too expensive equipment. In this paper, we present an example of observation of the Moon, which is our nearest astronomic object and therefore does not require professional…

Indonesia and many other developing countries have a vast youth population, yet limited facilities for physics learning. The major purposes of this study are to develop low-cost, technology-enhanced physical and virtual laboratories and to investigate their effects on various learning objectives, including conceptual understanding, inquiry…

This paper presents a successful, free inquiry experiment in which students devise an experiment to measure carbon dioxide in an important chemical, biological, or environmental situation. Also discussed is rationale for adopting an open inquiry experiment and how it fits into the laboratory as a whole. Typical student projects are given, and data…

The dramatic decrease in the cost of sequencing a human genome is leading to an era in which a wide range of students will benefit from having an understanding of human genetic variation. Since over 90% of sequence variation between humans is in the form of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), a laboratory exercise has been devised in order to…

This study is investigating the student-teachers' conception of static electricity in Rwandan teacher training colleges. The study used a pre- and post-intervention design, where two groups of students were randomly assigned in two groups. Along a period of four weeks, one group was taught using the traditional method (TRAD) while another using…

In recent years, accreditation standards for international engineering education have led to a dramatic rise in the use of outcome-based education at universities. In this system, enticing new undergraduate students to science and engineering, although challenging, is the first important step toward building students' career competencies. An…

It was planned to introduce online pre-laboratory session activities to a first-year undergraduate physics laboratory course to encourage a minimum level of student preparation for experiments outside the laboratory environment. A group of 16 and 17 year old laboratory work-experience students were tasked to define and design a pre-laboratory…