A robust laboratory protocol for the three-step synthesis of "p"-tolyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-"O"-benzoyl-1-thio-[beta]-d-glucopyranoside from commercial glucose pentaacetate is reported. The previously reported procedures have been modified to accommodate laboratories and students without proper training or equipment needed to conduct…

Constructing and critiquing evidence-based claims is centrally important to aspiring medical professionals and to scientists more generally. Accordingly, The National Academy of Science's "Framework for K-12 Science Education" describes engaging in argument from evidence as one of the practices that characterize work in science. However,…

Wetlands are defined as areas of soil saturated with standing water. These areas are rich in biodiversity, containing numerous plants, animals and microorganisms. Wetlands act as natural filtering systems for runoff and can improve the water quality in an area. To demonstrate the importance of wetlands to a nonscience major introductory…

Spatial understanding of molecules in molecular biology provides a better understanding of molecules in isolation and relation to their next elements. Augmented reality (AR) has recently been developed as a computer interface that enables the users to see the real world with virtual objects superimposed on it. We report a method that shows the use…

Chemistry-specific informal science education (chemistry outreach) is widely practiced across all levels of the chemistry community. College students associated with American Chemical Society and Alpha Chi Sigma collegiate chapters are one population of chemistry outreach practitioners who reach upward of 1 million people every year. Previous…

In a two-step synthesis starting with Ni(CH[subscript 3]COO)[subscript 2] ·4H[subscript 2]O and salicylaldehyde, students prepare Nethyl and N-isopropyl Ni(II) Schiff base (imine) complexes. After isolation and recrystallization, the products are characterized by room-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements, FTIR spectroscopy, and…

Two-stage collaborative testing is an assessment strategy that involves students initially writing a test individually and then immediately afterward writing the same (or similar) test again in groups. Current evidence shows that two-stage testing improves performance on multiple-choice tests as well as short-term retention of material, but little…

The VSEPR model has well-established limitations in its ability to represent accurate molecular and electronic geometries of simple molecules, which can create a significant need for students to relearn structure and bonding concepts in organic chemistry. We present an alternate method for describing molecular geometries and electronic structures…

This paper describes a responsive, digital periodic table that has been specifically designed as a visual aid for high school or college chemistry classrooms and lecture halls. The periodic table runs in a web browser and can therefore be used in any classroom that has a digital projector and screen. It features click-to-highlight table cells that…

The study presented here is a follow-up to a previous report in which we investigated how general-chemistry students in a transformed curriculum reason about simple acid-base reactions. In the present study, we use and adapt the previously developed coding scheme for a longitudinal study in which we follow students from general chemistry through…

In the world of higher education, one of the struggles instructors face in the classroom is engaging students in the material. A second discussion in higher education pedagogy is how to weigh content versus activity in the science classroom. How should college teaching be set up when students now have every fact ever found at their fingertips on a…

Background: Stakeholders' interpretations of the findings of large-scale educational assessments can influence important decisions. In the context of educational assessment, standard-setting remains an especially critical element, because it is complex and largely unstandardized. Instruments established by means of standard-setting procedures such…

This study examines differences in the ability of undergraduate students, taught in lecture-based or context-based general chemistry courses, to describe reaction kinetics. The subjects included 210 students from a residential science college at a large research university. Two open-ended questions were used to engage students' surface knowledge…

Since the emergence of augmented reality (AR), it has been a constant subject of educational research, as it can improve conceptual understanding and generally promote learning. In addition, a motivational effect and improved interaction and collaboration through AR were observed. Recently, AR technologies have taken a major leap forward in…

Multiple-choice (MC) exams are common in undergraduate general chemistry courses in the United States and are known for being difficult to construct. With their extensive use in the general chemistry classroom, it is important to ensure that these exams are valid measures of what chemistry students know and can do. One threat to MC exam validity…