The University of Pennsylvania's doctoral chemistry curriculum has included a required course in chemical information since 1995. Twenty years later, the course has evolved from a loosely associated series of workshops on information resources to a holistic examination of the chemical literature and its place in the general research process. The…

In this qualitative study, we examined how two professors (a physicist and biochemist) of first year college students perceived their students' development of identification in biochemistry or physics and how they actively supported this development. The professors described students who entered college with different levels of domain…

This work summarizes the didactic design and introductory outcomes in an educative program, involving six math and physics university courses for engineers, based on the use and construction of widgets. Widgets were generated under Project Oriented Learning and blended learning methodologies. In the program, widgets previously generated by…

The purpose of this paper is to analyze of latest research focused on the investigation of interactive whiteboards used in teaching and learning Science. In the theoretical framework the main objectives are: a) the identification of specific research regarding the integration of interactive whiteboards in teaching and learning Science and b) the…

This dissertation consists of two studies at the United States Military Academy. Both studies involve the use of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). These experiences give students the ability to engage in undergraduate research at an early point in their academic career by replacing traditional laboratory activities with…

The objective of this work was to promote a closer relationship between students who never had contact with a scientist. Two simple questions were selected to be answered experimentally in the school laboratories: How important are the pigments in plants? Which molecules make up the food? Two Scientists from UFRJ, who research in these areas,…

Ten years ago, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) gathered data on 100 colleges from the U.S. News & World Report's annual list of "Best Colleges and Universities." ACTA questioned whether these elite institutions were requiring their students to take rigorous, college-level courses in the core areas crucial for…

We propose the use of smartphone-based slow-motion video analysis techniques as a valuable tool for investigating physics concepts ruling mechanical wave propagation. The simple experimental activities presented here, suitable for both high school and undergraduate students, allows one to measure, in a simple yet rigorous way, the speed of pulses…

This research took place within the context of ongoing educational reforms to promote inquiry-based science instruction and a desire to draw evidence to inform adoptions of western pedagogical practices in a high-context culture like Qatar. We report on the outcomes from Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) in a foundation chemistry…

Although knowledge of disciplinary concepts and epistemic understanding of science are foundations of scientific literacy, students must learn to apply their knowledge to real-world situations. To engage effectively with contemporary water-related challenges with scientific and social dimensions, students need to understand the properties of water…

A laboratory experiment to determine the concentration of the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen in liquid gelatin capsule dosage forms, suitable for undergraduate chemistry or pharmacy students, is described. Either individually, or in small teams, the students digest two 200 mg capsules in a KOH solution. While the capsules are digesting the…

A common challenge among university professors is how to best design undergraduate courses to successfully enhance students' attitudes. To compare which curriculum was more efficient at fostering a positive attitude towards science in general, I studied the impact of two different general education science courses on the attitudes of college…

We propose two contrasting types of student decision-making based on social and cognitive psychology models of separate mental processes for problem solving. Informal decision-making uses intuitive reasoning and is subject to cognitive biases, whereas formal decision-making uses effortful, logical reasoning. We explored indicators of students'…

On graduation, teacher candidates (TCs) are typically underprepared to teach science, particularly physical science, whereas physics graduates frequently lack training in teaching or effective communication. In response, we created two models for interdisciplinary peer learning where TCs were paired with either graduate or undergraduate physics…

This study examined differences in students' classroom motivational climate perceptions and motivational beliefs between those enrolled in undergraduate Biology courses that implemented an innovative, active learning intervention and those enrolled in traditional Biology courses (control group). This study also sought to determine whether…