We present the development and evaluation of "da Vinci's Curse", a chemistry escape room experience designed to consolidate laboratory skills in a fun and interactive setting. Inspired by the maestro, Leonardo da Vinci, the escape room challenges students to complete a series of puzzles in teams to escape "da Vinci's Curse".…

In today's world, remote-controlled robots are widely used across various industries due to their ability to enhance working efficiency in various applications. Learning about robot operation and human-computer interaction has emerged as a popular topic in recent times. Indeed, learning robotics can be challenging for many students as it requires…

The study aimed to determine the effects of students teams achievement divisions (STAD) and reading-writing-application (RWA) methods on teacher candidates' academic achievements, laboratory attitudes, cooperative work, laboratory safety and scientific process skills in science teaching laboratory practice-I courses. In the research, a…

A teaching module for HAZOPs is presented here that was included in the capstone subject. The module included a lecture, class exercise and an advisors' led workshop. Some students undertake HAZOPs individually, representing academic misconduct. A verification strategy, based on Zipf's law, is presented that analyses word frequency and key words…

Providing quality hands-on exercises in a GIS course is essential in enhancing problem-solving skills and student-led learning activities. However, the strategies and instructional methods of managing hands-on exercises, which have been used in traditional face-to-face classes, will require new interpretations in a virtual learning environment and…

In this article, we describe curricular materials developed to engage undergraduate students in evolutionary thinking around antibiotic resistance using the MEGA-plate experiment (Microbial Evolution and Growth Arena). This elegant and visual experiment, developed by the Kishony Lab, shows the development of antibiotic resistance on the timescale…

Recent advancements in large language models (LLMs) hold significant promise for improving physics education research that uses machine learning. In this study, we compare the application of various models for conducting a large-scale analysis of written text grounded in a physics education research classification problem: identifying skills in…

This qualitative study explores how educators can foster creativity across disciplines through a conceptual framework for creative interdisciplinary collaboration. The article introduces the Creativity Lab process model, which generates collaboratively developed, multifaceted but cohesive project ideas. The author argues that while creativity and…

A gamified approach toward Viva voce was implemented in a postlab activity to evaluate students in teams. In a game-show manner, students in teams of three select from an array of anonymized options to reveal a random question. They then chose one member of the team to answer. The assessor evaluated the team by the side instead of facing the…

In order to evaluate students' development of scientific competence at the intermediate level, a guided-inquiry course was developed to increase student independence, including opportunities for project ownership and significant collaborative learning expectations. A survey was developed to assess students' experiences learning the scientific…

Integrating authentic research-based experiences that mimic real-world scientific practices and relevance to student personal life into a chemistry curriculum can make abstract chemical principles more palpable to students. Unfortunately, many reported research-based experiences chemistry laboratory experiments lack relevance to a student's…

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of objects that can exchange data with other devices also connected to the Internet. One of the most common consumer examples of IoT is home automation, as a variety of smart devices, including doorbells, lightbulbs, thermostats, and refrigerators are now available which users can control remotely using…

This project aims to understand physics faculty responses to transitioning to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. We surveyed 662 physics faculty from the United States following the Spring 2020 term; of these, 258 completed a follow-up survey after the Fall 2020 term. We used natural language processing to measure the sentiment scores…

A green laboratory experiment has been developed in which students perform an aqueous oxidation/cycloaddition reaction to convert salicyl alcohol into a pentacyclic diepoxydione that is readily isolated by filtration. Drawing on their knowledge of periodate-mediated 1,2-diol cleavage, students propose a mechanism for the oxidation of salicyl…

This technology report presents the main features of a free digital educational tool which aims to introduce middle school level students to the comprehension of the particulate nature of matter in the three states (i.e., solid, liquid, and gas) and during phase transitions. This digital tool is available and is freely accessible online. Its…