We report here a successful adaptation of lab videos used during remote instruction to a kinetics experiment reported in this Journal in 2007. In the in-person lab, students now record their rate data on their cell phone cameras and then collect their data from the videos for their postlab reports; previously, they acquired the data in real time…

Historically, high levels of self-reported stress, anxiety, and depression are quite common among STEM students. Unfortunately, after multiple semesters of disrupted education due to COVID-19, these mental struggles among students, especially first-year (freshmen) undergraduate engineering students, have only been exacerbated. To mitigate these…

The COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged in early 2020, forced educational institutions in Thailand to chiefly rely on online learning during the government mandated lockdown for almost two academic years. Although migration to the online format seems to suit lectures, it is inadequate for laboratory courses since students could not do the experiment…

A two-component undergraduate laboratory experience has been developed by students in a senior level capstone course. The first component is a 3 h laboratory experience dedicated to the rapid synthesis of a metal-organic framework (MOF-808) in aqueous solution using readily available reagents and equipment. During the second component, MOF-808 was…

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…

Protein structure and function are important concepts in the biochemistry curriculum. A three-part CURE was developed to be used in an undergraduate biochemistry course that enhances student learning of these aspects in addition to practicing oral and written communication skills. Students used three protein-protein docking programs (PRISM,…

Research has frequently demonstrated negative effects of placing students into developmental education, but very little inquiry has considered the impact of placing students into different levels of non-developmental coursework. The present study explored this issue within sequenced pairs of STEM gateway courses using doubly-robust propensity…

With the continuous development of embodied cognition theory and virtual reality (VR) technology, its application in teaching has been paid more and more attention by researchers. However, there are still few practical studies on the combination of VR technology and embodied learning. Starting from literature research, the paper analyzes the…

Students often experience science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses as competitive, weed-out spaces. Learning Assistants (LAs) have potential to improve students' experiences in these courses. Previously, we elucidated themes describing the impact of LAs on students' sense of STEM belonging and science-related confidence in…

Undergraduate biology students describe fear of negative evaluation (FNE), defined as a sense of dread associated with being unfavorably evaluated in a social situation, as negatively affecting their experiences in active learning courses. Yet, few studies have examined who is prone to experiencing FNE, the severity and duration of FNE, and…

Disparate grade outcomes across various axes of student identities are prevalent in introductory science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, including in the biological sciences, yet few studies have examined outcome disparities in upper-division courses. Those that have present mixed findings. Rooted in a critical approach…

Despite critical thinking supporting a deeper understanding of the scientific process, university activities prioritize lower cognitive processes, such as remembering skills. Also, it is unclear whether gender biases in interest toward science exist in university science degrees. These hinder students from achieving their goals effectively since…

This article focuses on the learning of the Lewis representation at the transition from high school to university, in France. Indeed, this notion is taught both in high school and in the first year of higher education but with different methods, which seems to hinder the learners. In this work, we observe 11th grade and higher education classes…

The ability to design effective technology-enhanced learning (TEL) experiences is a critical skill for university teachers. However, challenges endure on how best to develop university teachers in research-intensive universities to design TEL experiences that meet student, professional, and employer expectations. Having a greater insight of the…

Triggered situational interest in introductory courses can encourage student engagement, motivation, and value for the geosciences. In-person labs have traditionally played a unique role in triggering situational interest compared to lectures, but the COVID transition online disrupted these dynamics. We examine students' self-reported situational…