We describe four classical undergraduate physics experiments that were done with everyday objects and low-cost sensors: mechanical oscillations, transmittance of light through a slab of matter, beam deformation under load, and thermal relaxation due to heat loss. We used these experiments to train students for experimental homework projects but…

Identifying contingencies between constructs in a multi-faceted learning progression (LP) is a challenging task. Often, there is not enough evidence in the literature to support connections, and once identified, they are difficult to empirically test. Here, we use causal model search to evaluate how connections between ideas in a genetics LP…

Undergraduate laboratory exercises addressing aspects of cancer biology such as increased cell proliferation, gain-of-function signaling mutations and tumour formation often rely on tissue culture or even small mammal models. Many departments have limited or no access to these tools, and even well-equipped departments face logistical problems when…

Fusion energy research is 'mission oriented' big-science. It has both rapid progress and a reputation for being forever distant that excites many with a curiosity for science. However, it is difficult to give time to in lesson plans given both its lack of associated learning objectives and complexity. Outreach at the Fusion Centre for Doctoral…

A spreadsheet-based exercise for students is described in which they are challenged to explain and reproduce the disparate temperature dependencies of the heat capacities of gaseous F[subscript 2] and N[subscript 2]. For F[subscript 2], C[subscript p,m] increases from 300 K, reaches a maximum at 2200 K, and then decreases to 74% of the maximum…

Higher education is faced with the challenging problem of preparing students for their careers while developing them to be well-rounded, life-long learners. Employers report they desire candidates who use a broader set of skills and have higher levels of learning and knowledge to meet the increasingly complex demands of today's workplace. At…

The aim of this article is to present a set of simple exercises that help the students of a second course in quantum chemistry to understand that some molecular properties do not improve even when the molecular energy improves with an increasing number of basis functions in the expansion of the wavefunction. The essential idea is to create a…

We describe a 2 h general-chemistry experiment that introduces college students not only to the concepts, synthesis, and applications of nanomaterials at an early stage but also the use of a spectrophotometer for quantification and unknown determination based on Beer's Law. The procedure involves students (1) preparing a nanocomposite by…

In this article we consider the well-known demonstration of friction by two interleaved books. We consider a factor that has not been part of the popular explanation--atmospheric pressure. We provide three control experiments to demonstrate the role of atmospheric pressure in the two-book experiment and an additional simple demonstration of the…

Concept maps can be used in undergraduate biology as ways to visually communicate the relationships among things and events. One strength of concept mapping is that there is not just a single, correct way to compose one, given a list of particular concepts. Nevertheless there seem to be associations among ideas that are expressed frequently while…

The prompt introduction of single-molecule science into undergraduates' curricula is an urgent but challenging task. However, the research experiments are often too complicated and the instruments are too expensive to be widely transferred into a compulsory course of undergraduate students. Herein, we introduce a recently developed nanopore…

Metamodeling ideas move beyond using a model to solve a problem to consider the nature and purpose of a model, such as reasoning about a model's empirical basis and understanding why and how a model might change or be replaced. Given that chemistry relies heavily on the use of models to describe particulate-level phenomena, developing…

In March 2020, in-person, on-campus courses were temporarily suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For summer and fall semesters of 2020, we have conducted Anatomy and Physiology courses in the online environment, which required re-design of the lab component of the course. Objectives for our re-design included maintaining key curricular…

Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) is an open-access, four-year, public liberal arts college that emphasizes excellent instruction through active learning and small class sizes. The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to GGC general chemistry instructors as they sought to actively engage students in a new online setting. We reflect on the…

The purpose of this study was to describe the effect of multiple knowledge representations of physical and chemical changes on the development of primary pre-service teachers' cognitive structures. The study took place in an introductory general chemistry laboratory course in a four-year teacher education program. Multiple knowledge…