Computation is becoming an increasingly important part of physics education. However, there are currently few theories of learning that can be used to help explain and predict the unique challenges and affordances associated with computation in physics. In this study, we adapt the existing theory of computational literacy, which posits that…

Inquiry-based instruction facilitates students' acquisition of scientific abilities, but little is known about how rapidly college students master these skills, particularly when this form of instruction includes scaffolding and especially when those scaffolds are removed. To address this gap, this study aimed to evaluate the effect that removing…

Scientific argumentation is a key means by which students make sense of content and processes in inquiry-based instruction. In scientific argumentation students make a "claim" that they support with "evidence" and provide "reasoning" as to how the evidence supports the claim. Integrating the different aspects of…

A practical approach for synthesizing functional material from waste material is described. The work was carried out by chemistry undergraduate students as a group project. The concepts used mainly in inorganic quantitative approaches were applied to transform an iron-containing material to magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The magnetic…

In recent years, researchers have worked diligently to identify more effective means of facilitating student learning. Some promising pedagogical techniques that have emerged include the flipped-class model and test-enhanced learning. These pedagogical strategies have been incorporated into a multitouch book. A multitouch book is a dynamic…

The content and design scheme for a readily adaptable, research-based laboratory course in chemical biology are presented. In this course, students interrogate protein structure and function using the site-specific incorporation of noncanonical amino acids by genetic code expansion. The relatively new field of genetic code expansion enables…

The concepts of phospholipase activity is often taught in undergraduate biology and biochemistry classes and reinforced in laboratory exercises. However, very rarely does the design of these exercises allow students to directly gain experience in the use of modern instruments such as digital imaging systems and fluorescence spectrophotometers. The…

Lewis structures are fundamental to learning chemistry, yet many students struggle to develop a complex understanding of its meaning and uses. Writing-to-Learn supports students in developing a deeper conceptual understanding of the topic, making it an ideal pedagogy to apply to student learning of Lewis structures. One difficulty often associated…

The effect of surfactant adsorption on surface tension, as well as associated thermodynamic concepts are introduced in a laboratory experiment designed for undergraduate students. Using a reliable and accessible method, students measure the surface tension of aqueous solutions at different concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Students collect…

A safe and inexpensive laboratory for a first-year general chemistry course has been developed which allows students to explore important properties of carbon dioxide, particularly its behavior as a greenhouse gas. Students witness and measure air displacement to compare calculated gas densities and pressures inside a CO[subscript 2]-filled…

The Inclusive Environments and Metrics in Biology Education and Research (iEMBER) network is a newly forming national community of practice that engages diversity, equity, and inclusion stakeholders in interdisciplinary collaborative projects. iEMBER was initiated with incubator funding from the National Science Foundation program for Research…

This study investigated how students used information provided in given energy questions while answering these questions. Participant students were taking at least one college-level introductory science course and were asked to respond to two-tiered format (multiple-choice question and short written response question) energy questions addressing…

We present the results of an experimental project, made at the University of Calabria, which uses computer simulations and scientific computational systems in teaching and learning the fundamentals of analytic mechanics, in particular the classical Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulation of the matter. Starting with examples of classical dynamical…

We have developed a laboratory project in which students prepare liposomes, expose them to hyperosmotic and hypoosmotic solutions, and follow the resulting shrinking and swelling (respectively) with laser light scattering. Each light intensity transient can be fit to an exponential decline or rise, with the decay constant (k) and the amplitude…

This work describes a semester-long learning module designed to equip students with the analytical and practical skills necessary to be successful in an interdisciplinary polymer research environment. This learning module combines laboratory experiments involving both synthesis and materials characterization with lectures in polymer theory, and…