Nanotechnology has made a huge impact on science, technology, and society. At the same time, educational institutions at all levels have recognized its relevance and introduced courses that aim at familiarizing their students with the basic concepts of nanotechnology. While the importance of teaching nanotechnology, the contents of such courses,…

Our Introduction to Research Methods course is a first-year majors course built around the idea of helping students learn to work like chemists, write like chemists, and think like chemists. We have developed this course as a hybrid hands-on/ lecture experience built around instrumentation use and report preparation. We take the product from one…

Traditional teaching models based on linear approaches to instruction arguably are of limited value in preparing students to handle complex, dynamic real-world problems. As such, they are undergoing increased scrutiny by scholars in various disciplines. The author argues that nonlinear approaches to higher education such as those founded on…

Explains the advantages of having students write research proposals before conducting experiments for science fairs. Describes what should be in the research proposal. (PR)

In a course titled Scientific Process, we introduce undergraduates to the philosophy and practice of science and initiate them into a 2-year undergraduate research track. Engaging exercises and discussions help students understand the scientific process and ultimately produce a research proposal in grant application format. Students defend their…

Maintains that time constraints and lack of supervisory support often result in truncated and derivative research projects in experimental psychology. Focusing on a research proposal can provide insight into the research process and require relevant data collection while avoiding the pitfalls of longer projects. (MJP)