A laboratory experiment has been devised to train new graduate trainees in the safe and controlled handling of air-sensitive organometallic reagents using Schlenk lines, high vacuum pumps, liquid nitrogen traps, and cannula transfers. The reaction involves the formation of air-, moisture-, and thermally sensitive 2-pyridyllithium, generated in…

Project-based learning is widely used in organic laboratories. This goal-oriented and inquiry-based learning model complements student-centered training. Such models focus on complicated issues or real-world problems on the frontier of chemistry. Students progress through three project phases: preproject, during the project, and postproject.…

The basics of organic chemistry nomenclature were introduced in a laboratory organized in a nonformal environment such as a science festival. The laboratory, divided into three distinct but interconnected activities, was aimed not only at secondary school students but also at lay people. The intent was to explain the importance of associating a…

Novice chemists often struggle with the highly visual nature of some chemistry topics. To make visually demanding concepts, such as isomerism and stereochemistry, more accessible to students, chemistry instructors have long recommended the use of molecular model kits as visual aids. However, studies pertaining to student model usage have shown…

Resonance is a foundational organic chemistry concept, but it is consistently misunderstood by undergraduate students. The development of a concept inventory--a multiple-choice assessment where the incorrect answer choices stem from commonly held alternate conceptions--on the concept of resonance could help organic chemistry instructors quickly…

Educational games are effective learning tools frequently used to motivate students and enhance their engagement in the learning process. Using these games in challenging courses, such as organic chemistry, creates a more engaging and student-friendly learning environment that can enhance students' learning. Drawing organic compounds and…

Despite the demonstrated learning benefits of peer evaluation, fears of teachers about its low reliability may restrict its use. In this study, the validity of peer assessment, in terms of agreement with the ratings of the teacher, has been tested in an organic chemistry course. The students were organized into small groups and commissioned to…

This report outlines an approach for preparing 5-color 3D printed plastic models of molecular orbitals and electron density surfaces using a hobby-grade 3D printer. Instructions are provided for preparing 3D orbital and electron density surface (EDS) models using solid or mesh representations in ground state and transition state structures. We…

A cooperative-learning jigsaw-style activity was developed to create opportunities for introductory organic chemistry students to discuss and decipher [superscript 1]H NMR spectra. Students cooperatively interpreted spectra that contained both pure and mixed solvents, building consensus through explanation and argumentation on what each spectrum…

The demand for sustainable synthetic methods in modern industry has been increasing rapidly due to the requirements of environmental protection and energy conservation, which has brought organic electrochemical synthesis to the forefront nowadays. Here, a two-part laboratory experiment has been designed to train undergraduates in comprehending and…

There has been a growing emphasis on integrating green and sustainable chemistry (GSC) into the curriculum. Unfortunately, there is yet to be a nationwide, uniform decision of which aspects should be included or how, leaving individual instructors or institutions to decide whether--and how--to address GSC knowledge. Furthermore, faculty nationwide…

Institutions of higher education are seeking to support more active learning among faculty, and that support includes the creation of active learning spaces to support more student-centered course activities. However, incremental development of these learning spaces leads to a sorting of students between active and passive learning environments.…

Research on student learning in organic chemistry indicates that students tend to focus on surface level features of molecules with less consideration of implicit properties when engaging in mechanistic reasoning. Writing-to-learn (WTL) is one approach for supporting students' mechanistic reasoning. A variation of WTL incorporates peer review and…

Pedagogical research over the past decade has shown that chemistry courses have high failure rates and low accessibility. The implementation of novel active-learning approaches has great potential to offset these trends. Fundamental concepts that serve as "pinch points" are ripe targets for designing innovative, gamified course materials…

The ability to draw molecules based on a given IUPAC name is a fundamental skill in organic chemistry. University students need to acquire appropriate and automated cognitive schemata to master drawing molecules before they can be considered to meaningfully be introduced to face up to reaction equations, cascades, or mechanisms. Similar to experts…