An experimental design by combining hydrogel and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA) for visually displaying chemical complexation reactions is developed. The Na[superscript +] ions on the [alpha]-l-guluronic acid (G) unit of the sodium alginate molecule undergo an ion exchange with a divalent cation, so that the G units are…

Einstein's derivation of special relativity theory (SRT), based on hypothetical reasoning and thought experiments, is regarded as a prime example of physics theory development. In secondary education, the introduction of SRT could provide a great opportunity for students to engage in physics theorizing, but this opportunity is largely being missed…

Background: Scientific thinking is an essential learning goal of science education and it can be fostered by inquiry learning. One important prerequisite for scientific thinking is procedural understanding. Procedural understanding is the knowledge about specific steps in scientific inquiry (e.g. formulating hypotheses, measuring dependent and…

This qualitative case study delved into students' understanding and positioning while they participated in solving an authentic, conceptually-based problem in a high-school chemistry class. Verbal and nonverbal cues, particularly gestures, offered broader awareness of students' engagement in sensemaking during the learning experience. The…

The ability of students to perform quantitative analysis is a fundamental aspect of analytical chemistry courses and laboratories. In this laboratory experiment, students quantitatively analyze both liquid and solid samples through the use of internal standard calibration and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Using a problem-based approach to selecting their…

Often overlooked in many molecular cell biology laboratory and cell culture courses, suspension cells represent an important aspect of molecular cell biology and cell culture. Most primary cell cultures and cell lines are adherent cells which grow in monolayers on surfaces. However, other cells such as hematopoietic cells, certain tumor cells, and…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of inquiry-based experiments on pre-service science teachers' science process skills. The study group consisted of 60 pre-service teachers in total, enrolled in the undergraduate program of Science Teacher Education, Faculty of Education at a state university. The study which used randomized…

In this study, the primary goal was to enhance the knowledge and awareness of 4th-grade primary school students regarding global pandemic diseases and methods of safeguarding against worldwide epidemic diseases which are socio-scientific issues. To achieve this goal, two activity modules tailored for 4th-grade students were created. These…

Practical work is a distinctive feature of school science and has close associations with scientific experiment and scientific methods as well. In this study, the nature of practical work was examined in the view of the diversity of scientific methods. Based on an analytical framework derived from Brandon's matrix consisting of four categories of…

Science teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning are a vital component of teachers' professional competence and are often assumed to impact classroom practice. To date, these beliefs have been predominantly investigated regarding teaching and learning in general or for a particular science subject (e.g., physics). It remains to be determined…

Chemical engineering is a challenging field to explain to first-year students. Food production processes are a safe and accessible way to introduce the students to basic engineering concepts. Modernist cuisine -- using scientific methods and engineering techniques to enhance classical cooking -- was used as a hook to capture the attention of…

Purpose: The present study examined the effect of Directed Activity Related to Texts (DARTs) and gender on student achievement in qualitative analysis in chemistry. It focused on the qualitative analysis component of the Chemistry course, which for students has been perceived as being the most difficult aspect of their mastery of the subject.…

In 2018, to help undergraduate medical students strengthen their self-learning and scientific research skills, we introduced an instructional model that combined literature-based learning with experimental design. We tested this model on the molecular biology class at Tongji University. In the first step of the model, a topic is chosen, and…

Background: This study explored science teachers' views about the nature and frequency of virtual lab implementation conducted by students and its contribution to developing science instruction and research in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Material and Methods: Focus group was employed to collect data through structured interviews. The sample…

Inquiry-based learning can be an effective approach when students are provided with sufficient guidance. However, there is an ongoing debate among practitioners about the nature, type, and level of such guidance. This study investigated the effects on middle school students' (N = 116) conceptual knowledge and inquiry skills acquisition of…