This paper describes an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory module consisting of a set of experiments designed around a purification scheme for bovine serum albumin (BSA). Students purify BSA from cow plasma by a combination of salt and acetone precipitation, equilibrium dialysis, ion exchange, and size exclusion chromatography. Students use the…

The contamination of wastewater with metals and the use of biotechnologies to remove them is commonly discussed in theoretical biology, microbiology and biotechnology classes aimed at undergraduate students. This work introduces an easy, economical and safe practical laboratory class related to this topic. The practice consists in performing batch…

Introductory lab courses have been a staple of the physics curriculum for over 100 years. Yet these courses are now poised for change as recent research shows that they do not meet a frequent goal of enhancing student understanding of lecture content. In thinking about how to move forward, a look back at experiment courses in history seems wise.…

The laboratory experiment regarding esterification of ethylene glycol with acetic acid to ethylene glycol diacetate using resin catalysts in a continuous flow was designed to carry out the reaction in a flow through an inquiry-guided approach. Incorporating the burgeoning field of continuous flow chemistry into the educational infrastructure, the…

Recognising effects of care departs from previous conceptions of care within science education as an idealised, ethical, and normative dimension of being, thinking and relating. In this article, we hesitate with care's moralistic qualities to render visible disruptive and complicit moments of care in complex ethical and political situated…

The most effective teaching and learning environments are those in which students are involved as active partners with faculty, and the greatest impact occurs when faculty go beyond asking students for feedback and instead involve them in design, production, and implementation. In this paper, we explore the process of student-faculty co-creation…

Ametal leaf electroscope has often been used for teaching electrostatics. For example, Fig. 1 is a very early one demonstrating electrostatic induction with a gold leaf electroscope. Alternatively we can charge the electroscope by touching a charged object to it. In both cases, induction or charging, the metal leaves push away from each other for…

An NMR tube cleaner that is quickly and easily constructed from everyday laboratory equipment is described. This cost-effective option removes the need to purchase a fragile, more expensive model. The small footprint of the device lends itself to being given a permanent place in the laboratory, but it is also simple enough to disassemble and…

The variation of the period of oscillation of a pendulum with the amplitude is known as "circular error" to clockmakers, and can easily be observed even without modern laboratory instruments. There have therefore been many approximate formulae for the pendulum period as a function of the amplitude, but the simple equation due to Denman,…

Informal academic conversations constitute a valuable addition to the repertoire of academic development initiatives. This article proposes that a Change Laboratory methodology may enhance the productivity of such conversations. Support for this proposal comes from a detailed analysis of participants' transformation of conversations on individual…

Forward genetics involves the identification of an unknown DNA sequence (genotype) associated with the expression of that sequence (phenotype). This is often done by generating variants (mutants) of that feature. One of the most practical methods is transposon mutagenesis, which facilitates the genotype-phenotype association through a sequence…

Anatomical dissection is known to serve as an integral tool in teaching gross anatomy, including postgraduate training. A variety of embalming techniques exist, resulting in different haptic and optical tissue properties. This study aimed to objectify learning outcomes and medical student perceptions related to the use of two widely used embalming…

Meaningful pedagogical reform requires good faculty training and support programs. Such support is particularly valuable when colleges and universities are trying to bring research and inquiry into the laboratory curricula under resource-limited conditions. In this situation, it may help to extend the scope of the faculty support program to…

Writing centers have long been a hallmark in supporting the development of student writers at North American academic institutions. Writing centers are often connected to a writing program or learning center open to all students for one-on-one tutorials regarding a writing project. Tutors function as coaches or collaborators, rather than as…

This IPA study examines how professional college writing tutors feel their role is understood and appreciated (or not). While writing tutoring is a hallmark service at many undergraduate institutions, there remains an incongruence between what tutors, professors, students, and administrators expect from the role. In order to bring more clarity to…